A version of this article was written for Nonprofit Pro.

Nonprofit strategic planning continues to evolve. As a nonprofit leader, you might be asking what trends are emerging in strategic plans. Is your plan, your strategies, and your nonprofit keeping up?

Join us as we dissect aspects of strategic plans to discover what developments or changes are happening in nonprofit strategy.

How We Research Trends

We parsed through 12,000+ rows of strategic plan content that we maintain in our strategic planning software to find frequently used keywords and phrases. We then reviewed those keywords and phrases for trends and found three that stood out as priorities. This article provides summaries of the trends and samples from our own customers' plans.

It’s important to note that these three trends were not the most frequently used keywords or phrases. Foundational aspects of nonprofit organizations still dominate plans such as fund development, programs, and marketing. Rather, these are words or phrases that have started to appear on plans or have steadily increased their appearance on plans in recent years.

Whether you're a seasoned nonprofit professional or just embarking on this journey, this exploration of the latest trends will highlight the possibilities that may lie ahead in your strategic planning efforts. 

Trend 1: Remote and Hybrid Work Models

The experience of remote work during the pandemic has led nonprofits to reconsider their workforce models, allowing for more flexibility and remote work options.

Here are a few samples of visions or goals from our customers:

• Create a meaningful and productive work environment for a remote team.

• Explore virtual advising and training lessons in remote service delivery.

• Explore and implement remote professional development opportunities, such as workshops and coaching, to enhance our remote work culture.

Trend 2: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Many nonprofits are prioritizing DEI efforts in their strategic planning to create more inclusive organizations, address systemic inequalities, and better serve diverse communities.

Here are a few samples of visions or goals from our customers:

• Put the DEI Policy into action by establishing individual and team goals that center around JEDI.

• JEDI team solicits feedback from staff and board about putting the DEI policy into action.

• Develop a tracking system to monitor event topics for disparities in DEI related events/education/engagement across regions and state-wide.

• Review the fund development plan to see if there is a way that it can be strengthened as it relates to DEI.

Trend 3: Engaging Younger Generations

A lot of research in recent years is revealing that millennials and Gen Z are leaning into generosity through giving and advocacy habits. Nonprofits are taking notice. Organizations are looking to engage younger generations as donors, volunteers, and advocates. Treating these groups as an investment is necessitating new strategies for outreach and engagement.

Here are a few samples of visions or goals from our customers:

• Recruit young/diverse undergraduate students from local colleges as tutors.

• Have youth engagement events hosted by our partner companies and form partnerships with other organizations by inviting them to participate. 

• Co-design discussion with young people to explore attendance and engagement at events.

• Conduct a youth listening session to inform the Young Adult Program curriculum.

• Increase the degree to which our engagement of youth and young adult speakers at fundraising events is in accordance with power and privilege-informed, youth development, and youth engagement best practices.

Looking Ahead

We expect to see more nonprofits exploring artificial intelligence (AI) in the next year. While it didn’t make the list as a trend for this past year, we’re eager to continue monitoring and sharing how these tools can be resourceful and useful for nonprofits.

Here are two visions or goals from our customers:

• Provide professional development for artificial intelligence tools.

• Build vision of how to integrate (not implement) AI into all aspects of the business.

Conclusion

As we conclude our exploration of the trends from this last year, one thing is evident: nonprofits are not only resilient but also highly adaptable. The constantly changing world drives your organization to explore new horizons, think outside the box, and redefine your strategies.

Whether you're part of a nonprofit that's been at the forefront of these trends or you're just embarking on your strategic planning journey, take heart in the knowledge that you are part of a vibrant community committed to creating a brighter future for all. Remember that strategic planning isn't a one-time event but an ongoing process and your strategies may be shaped by the dynamic trends that continue to emerge.