This Strategic Planning for Charities course provides a clear introduction to developing, agreeing and reviewing organisational strategy within a charity. It is suitable for trustees, senior leaders, managers and others who contribute to strategic planning and governance, including those working in charities delivering health and social care services.
This free course covers the purpose of strategic planning, trustee and leadership responsibilities, organisational and environmental analysis, theory of change, priority setting, measurable objectives, strategy proposals, implementation, monitoring and review. It also considers how strategic choices should remain connected to charitable purposes, public benefit, available resources and sound governance.
Why Take This eLearning Course?
Effective strategic planning helps charities make considered choices about where they are going, how resources should be used and which priorities deserve attention. This course supports a structured approach to strategic decision-making while helping trustees and leaders distinguish longer-term direction from operational activity.
This course will help you to:
- Understand the purpose of strategic planning within a charity.
- Clarify the different roles of trustees and senior leaders.
- Connect strategic choices with charitable purposes and public benefit.
- Use organisational and external evidence to inform future direction.
- Apply tools such as PESTLE and theory of change appropriately.
- Assess opportunities, risks, assumptions and dependencies.
- Develop realistic priorities and measurable strategic objectives.
- Prepare clear information for trustee discussion and decision-making.
- Communicate agreed priorities across the organisation.
- Monitor progress and adapt strategy when evidence or circumstances change.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Define strategic planning and distinguish it from operational planning.
- Describe trustee and senior leadership responsibilities in strategy development.
- Explain how charitable purposes and public benefit influence strategic choices.
- Analyse organisational evidence and relevant external developments.
- Use PESTLE to structure environmental scanning.
- Explain how theory of change can support strategic planning.
- Assess potential priorities against impact, evidence, capacity and resources.
- Develop measurable objectives, measures and milestones.
- Explain how a strategic proposal can support informed trustee decisions.
- Describe suitable approaches to monitoring, reviewing and adapting strategy.
Strategic Planning for Charities Course Outline
Module 1: Strategic Planning, Purpose and Governance
Learners will explore what strategic planning means and how it establishes longer-term direction, priorities and resource choices. The module distinguishes strategy from operational planning and examines the respective responsibilities of trustees and senior leaders. Learners will also consider how strategic decisions must remain aligned with the charity’s formal purposes and public benefit, together with governance requirements including informed decision-making, governing document checks, conflicts of interest and appropriate records.
Module 2: Understanding the Charity and Its Environment
Learners will examine how evidence can be used to build a balanced picture of the charity’s current position, including services, finances, organisational capacity, stakeholder feedback and previous performance. The module introduces PESTLE as a structured way to consider political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental developments. It also covers proportionate stakeholder engagement and the identification of significant opportunities, risks, assumptions and dependencies that could influence future strategic choices.
Module 3: Direction, Outcomes and Theory of Change
Learners will consider the relationship between charitable purpose, vision, mission and values and how these different statements can contribute to organisational direction. The module explains theory of change as a flexible strategic planning tool and explores longer-term change, outcomes, activities, assumptions and supporting evidence. Learners will also examine how proposed directions can be tested against organisational purpose, identified need, evidence, intended outcomes and realistic resource assumptions before commitments are made.
Module 4: Priorities, Objectives and Resources
Learners will explore how charities can move from analysis to a manageable set of strategic priorities. The module considers evidence of need, intended impact, organisational strengths, resources, dependencies and the practical ability to deliver. Learners will examine how broad priorities can be converted into measurable objectives with clear results, timescales, evidence and ownership, and how finance, people, skills, partnerships, systems and leadership capacity affect strategic choices. It also explains the roles of measures and milestones in monitoring progress.
Module 5: Preparing, Agreeing and Communicating Strategy
Learners will examine the main information that may be included in a strategic plan, including direction, priorities, objectives, intended outcomes, assumptions, resource implications and progress measures. The module covers how to prepare a clear proposal for a trustee board by bringing together evidence, strategic options, trade-offs and requested decisions. Learners will also consider how informed trustee discussions should address conflicts, alternatives, alignment with charitable purposes and governing requirements before decisions are recorded, and how an agreed strategy can then be communicated appropriately to staff, volunteers and other stakeholders.
Module 6: Monitoring, Reviewing and Adapting Strategy
Learners will explore how strategic progress can be monitored using objectives, milestones, outcome evidence, risks and changing assumptions. The module considers reporting responsibilities and appropriate review points, including circumstances that may justify a deeper review of strategic direction. Learners will examine how monitoring, evaluation, stakeholder feedback and organisational learning can inform purposeful adjustments, and how significant strategic changes should return to the appropriate level of trustee decision-making with suitable governance checks, evidence, records and professional advice where required.
Target Audience
This course is suitable for:
- Charity trustees involved in setting or reviewing strategic direction.
- Chief executives and senior leaders responsible for strategy development and implementation.
- Charity managers contributing to organisational planning and performance.
- Governance staff and others supporting trustee decision-making.
- Staff and volunteers who contribute evidence or practical knowledge to strategic planning.
- Leaders within charities delivering health, social care or community services.
No previous specialist knowledge is required.
FAQ
Who is this course suitable for?
This course is suitable for trustees, senior leaders, managers, governance staff and others who contribute to strategic planning within a charity. It is particularly useful for people who need to understand how evidence, governance and organisational purpose should inform longer-term decisions.
Do I need any previous experience?
No previous specialist knowledge is required. The course introduces the main principles and processes in a clear way and can support both people new to strategic planning and those who already contribute to organisational planning.
What will I learn on this strategic planning for charities course?
You will learn how to assess a charity’s current position, consider external developments, involve relevant stakeholders, identify priorities and develop measurable objectives. The course also covers theory of change, trustee decision-making, communicating strategy, monitoring progress and reviewing strategic direction.
Will this course help with day-to-day practice?
Yes. Although strategic planning focuses on longer-term direction rather than everyday tasks, the course explains how strategy provides a framework for operational decisions. It can help trustees and leaders make more consistent choices about priorities, resources, responsibilities and organisational change.
Does the course cover practical strategic planning skills?
Yes. The course examines practical approaches to gathering evidence, using PESTLE, identifying opportunities and risks, developing a simple theory of change, testing proposals, setting measurable objectives and selecting useful measures and milestones. It also explains how to prepare strategic information for trustee consideration.
Does it cover relevant governance responsibilities?
Yes. The course considers the responsibilities of trustees when making significant strategic decisions, including checking the charity’s purposes and governing document, considering public benefit, obtaining sufficient information, managing conflicts of interest and keeping suitable decision records.
How long does the course take?
The course is self-paced and usually takes around 1 hour to complete.
Will I receive a certificate?
Yes. A certificate is issued after successful completion.
Strategic planning gives charities a structured way to make longer-term choices while remaining focused on purpose, evidence, resources and intended outcomes. This course provides a practical foundation for contributing confidently to strategy development, trustee decision-making, implementation and review.
Enrol now to build your understanding of strategic planning for charities.
