To develop a long range plan for a new organization, the group should be sure to involve a wide range of people, all of whom would be directly or indirectly involved in the future of the organization.
To determine the Mission of the organization, you would want to determine what would it you like it to be 5 years hence. In particular, you should look at the Opportunities & Threats to your river/area of focus (ie. what are the external activities over which you have little control, but of which you need to be aware, so as to shape your program). In addition, thought should be given to the mission in the eye of the public, the press, members, and the evolving conservation goals.
In developing the mission statement, it is helpful to develop a two paragraph "vision statement", which describes the ideal world towards which you strive. Next, you should develop a "case statement", which would explain why the organization exists and makes the case for the group's mission and program.
Conduct interviews with "stakeholders" (ie. those people who have a stake in your organization - friend & foe) to determine what they believe is your work and what you ought to be addressing in the future. They could include funders, members, colleagues, people that you try to "influence", etc. Interviews are best conducted by an "outside" person (ie. interviewee is more likely to be honest with an impartial person). Questions should cover: external environment: what are the issues and trends?? and internal: what should be the staff size/functions/shape; what should you be providing to your "customers" - both members and others; and how could the organization leverage others better. In addition, you should determine: 1) what should we say we do and what should we in fact be doing? 2) Should we be proactive or reactive? 3) What is needed for a critical mass? 4) What are the program needs versus the financial needs, noting the healthy tension between these two items?
Undertake a series of meetings to determine how to structure your program to continue doing well what you are already doing and/or change, so as to meet new threats and opportunities.
In developing program areas, one should determine whether or not there is a niche for your organization to step into a new program (ie. someone else already doing something or is the field wide open and crying for attention??)
American Rivers
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http://www.igc.apc.org/amrivers/