Strategic Planning for the ASPCA

The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), NY, NY, one of the top 250 nonprofits in the United States, has experienced a period of unparalleled growth and financial strengthening as a result of its determination to be guided by sound planning.

In 2003, then-incoming President Ed Sayres decided that one sure way of increasing the ASPCA's ability to be mission driven and to achieve organizational cohesion was to launch a strategic planning process. He was convinced progress would come more rapidly on the heels of a sound plan, and based upon our broad experience in working at the highest levels of large organizations, both for profit and nonprofit, he invited MBSA to develop and facilitate that process. The early planning assignment quickly expanded to include executive coaching, board development, training and management by objective stewardship.

After beginning work with MBSA, ASPCA's annual revenues grew from $46.8 million in 2003 to $95.1 million at yearend 2006. Direct private support grew from $36.2 million in 2003 to $70.3 million for 2006. President Sayres attributes this growth to a number of factors including sharper organizational focus, a vibrant philanthropic giving environment, tighter cohesion among senior leadership and a growing appetite at the board level for fundraising.

Key percentage increases for the years 2003 through 2006 included:

Every summer, the ASPCA's senior management team convenes with MBSA to examine the previous year's results. Through a series of planning retreats, which focus on input from nationwide staff, senior staff and the Board, the senior management team identifies the major goals for the coming year in each of the five main areas of the organization and then the process is cascaded down to the departmental level.

In early 2007, President Sayres said, "The Strategic Planning Process has provided our organization with bottom up-top down interaction on the key goals for the future of our nonprofit. It gives us a way to aim high and prioritize our objectives according to our Board's, our management's, our staff's and our clients' greatest needs."

"It (the planning process) illustrates clearly during the year whether or not we are on target to accomplish each goal and whether additional resources would be appropriate given competing priorities. We are confidently on pace to reach our 2010 goals thanks to this qualitative & quantitative discipline."

Mr. Sayres adds, "MBSA has provided the ASPCA with both a structure and a sounding board that helps us make better choices and their disciplined measurement and monitoring process forces us to make timely, mission-driven decisions."

As a result of MBSA's guidance in strategic planning over the past four years the CEO and the Board are enjoying a more mutually supportive relationship. Board committees (many of which operate to MBSA - facilitated committee plans) -- are more actively engaged in supporting organizational goals and staff initiatives. The entire organization (top to bottom) is outcome driven and the annual strategic plan is providing a framework for ongoing monthly monitoring and timely adjustment to meet emerging circumstances.

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