Ready to lead strategic planning yourself?

Take control of your future. LEARN to facilitate contemporary strategic planning.

You already know that the traditional mechanical, rigid planning models don't work. And you already have a good sense of what strategic planning has to be to work in today's complex and unpredictable world. You're strategically minded and smart. 

What you don't have is full confidence in your ability to successfully lead a team through strategic planning. 

You're a strategic thinker and have strategic acumen. You even have planning experience - mainly operational planning experience but still, you've developed plans before. [Read more about the differences between strategic and operational planning.]

So, why does it feel like you're missing something? 

Because you are. Most leaders have strategic thinking skills and planning skills, but ➡️strategic planning is its own skill set with its own expertise.⬅️

🚫 Strategic thinking and acumen PLUS planning experience does NOT EQUAL strategic planning know-how. 🚫

Plans are physical items that can be discarded and forgotten. A planning PROCESS is an experience. Done well, it creates shared understanding and commitment, dialog, creativity, and problem-solving, decisions and agreements. 

There is a process that is uniquely suited to strategic planning. 

99% of people we encounter don't have a go-to, reliable PROCESS for strategic planning. Most leaders are missing PROCESS education. PROCESS expertise. PROCESS tools and skills.

An effective strategic planning process includes not only all four phases of strategic planning, but team development and facilitation expertise too. 

You can learn all of this. As a nonprofit leader, you should.

About the Training

Strategic Planning Facilitator's Training for Nonprofits

A 20-week virtual program that gives you the leadership and facilitation skills to LEAD a strategic planning PROCESS and teaches you how to create and execute a Strategic Action Plan.
[READ MORE] What is a "Strategic ACTION Plan"?

What will you learn

in the Strategic Planning Facilitator's Training?

Learn to lead the process + develop advanced strategic planning skills.

This program takes our Strategic Planning Training for Leaders and adds advanced planning and facilitation training for those who want to take their expertise to the next level! You'll get:


Advanced Strategic Planning Expertise 

☑️ Building your confidence in planning for larger, more complex organizations + and teams.


Facilitation Skillfulness

☑️ Developing your ability to lead productive dialog and decision-making no matter who’s in the room.


Team Development Know-How

☑️ Leveraging the planning process to develop high-performing teams (and interrupt unhealthy dynamics).


Build a Strategic Action Plan 

☑️ The best way to learn is to do. You’ll facilitate a team through building and executing a Strategic Action Plan.


➡️Upon the successful completion of this training, students will receive their Nonprofit Strategic Planning Facilitator Certification.⬅️

Do you relate?

If you've had these thoughts or share these needs, this training might be perfect for you!

  • Nonprofit work isn't getting easier. There's more competition for less money. It's hard to pay employees enough and hard to make the impact you want. You have to be MORE FOCUSED so what resources you do have, reach the FARTHEST. You need to be STRATEGIC.

  • You are ready to DISRUPT the traditional planning paradigm and replace it with a CONTEMPORARY approach that EMPOWERS IN-HOUSE strategic planning EXPERTS to keep you moving forward and making an impact.

  • You work within a larger, more COMPLEX organization that requires a more IN-DEPTH and nuanced approach to strategy and planning.

  • There are multiple people who expect to be INTIMATELY involved in the ENTIRE strategic planning process. That equates to a LARGE planning team and a more INTENSIVE planning process. You need the skills AND SUPPORT to make it successful.

  • You know you've got the APTITUDE and you definitely have the interest. You just need the TRAINING, SUPPORT, AND GUIDEANCE to become a strategic planning ASSET.

What people are saying

“This course allowed us to work together and engage our partners to set direction that everyone is in support of, and we have the skills to actually make it happen. I am excited to see it come true.”

"The word I would use to describe the course is ‘invaluable.’ It was invaluable for our development as a high-performing team—just as much as it was invaluable for the actual plan and direction for our future."

“I really appreciated the tools, resources, techniques, etc. that were shared, giving us better ways to approach brainstorming, planning, and in seeking solutions. Having simple and clear language in each step of this process - the where, how, when - was super helpful in building buy-in within the team and in creating the final plan.”

“I’ve never experienced more authentic delivery of content in any training I’ve taken, live or otherwise. Thank you.”

“It’s been incredible for my team to see what they are actually capable of. Thank you.”

“Inspiring, actionable, and challenging us to be better than we were.”

About the Training

Over 20 weeks, you'll learn advanced skills and how to facilitate contemporary nonprofit strategic planning.

  • Expert Instructors

    You get expert instructors. We’ve worked onsite nationwide as consultants to small and large organizations, multi-unit collaboratives, agencies, nonprofits, and for-profit entities throughout our careers. And we have worked with hundreds of leaders online, teaching them how to think strategically and plan nimbly.

  • Learn-Apply

    Between weekly, virtual classes, you’ll apply what you learn to your team or organization. You will lead planning team meetings, engage staff and key stakeholders, direct research and assessment, facilitate dialog and brainstorms, and apply your lessons as you go. You'll have a complete Strategic Action Plan at the end.

  • Substantial Toolkit

    We put our private toolkit into this training filled with templates, process directions, activities, tools, hard-earned tips, best practices, and troubleshooting recommendations. You'll have access to an online learning portal filled with video lessons and resources, and you'll get a workbook you can reference anytime you plan.

Other advantages

In addition to the in-depth training and toolkit, the training has these perks.

  • Support

    You get specific advice for applying the lessons to your organization's unique needs. We’ll review your homework and debrief assignments to ensure you’re on track to have a strategic plan that serves you. Plus, it’s a small student-instructor ratio (15:1)!

  • Cohort Learning

    You’ll learn alongside other leaders at all levels—what are their challenges, and how are they addressing them? How are they engaging their staff? What’s working or not? You’ll build professional relationships with peers and have support within your network.

  • Nonprofit Adaptations

    In addition to learning a contemporary approach to strategic planning - you'll also learn planning adaptations specific to nonprofits. Learn planning adaptations for boards, constituents, fundraising, and program development, to name a few!

How does the course work?

Watch this 8 min. video to learn more.

Montana Nonprofit Association Members ✨

Planning School is a proud Affiliate Member of the Montana Nonprofit Association, and we offer a GENEROUS DISCOUNT to all members of the association!
Email us to learn more!

Meet your instructor

Founder + Instructor Liz Moore

I love this work! On the surface, it looks like helping leaders solve complex problems, build strong teams, and execute nimble strategies. Underneath, it’s really about delivering experiences that light up people’s courage and turn on their connection to purpose. I’ve spent a decade as a consultant and trainer specializing in strategic planning, change management, and leadership coaching. Going back even further, I’ve been behind the scenes facilitating organizations and individuals to define their purpose and professional identity. I’m a strategic thinking expert, master facilitator, skilled teacher, and coach.

FAQs + Common Concerns

  • What's the commitment?

    20 weeks. Weekly, 60-minute classes (recorded in case you miss), 1-2 hours of homework per week, and 90-minute weekly Planning Team Meetings that you facilitate, plus 2-3 stakeholder meetings over the course of the program. That's an average of 3.5-4.5 hours per week. We won't pretend it's not a time commitment. Discovering what’s truly important for your organization always requires hard work. Building a skillset you'll use throughout your career takes time. It also offers unprecedented rewards for clarity, inspiration, and accomplishment. This program is only for people willing (not "able," no one has a bunch of free time to throw at this) to put in the time and the work. The kicker? You’ll learn, really learn, how to LEAD strategic planning.

  • I don't have time / the timing isn't right.

    You don’t have time because you are overwhelmed. You are overwhelmed because we've been on a trajectory of increasing complexity and uncertainty. Most teams struggle to figure out what to STOP doing so they can focus on what’s most important. So, here you are, doing too much. In our experience, the only way out of the continuously-reacting mode is to be more strategic. So, find a solution that works for your organization, or keep treading water. And, maybe the timing is NOT right. Sometimes you need to “let the earthquake stop” to see where all the shelves fall before you figure out how to pick everything up and move forward. But remember: the uncertainty and turmoil we are facing are not likely to diminish in the months or years to come. Have a heart-to-heart with your hesitation (and maybe with an instructor) and make sure waiting is truly the best choice. (If you’ve read this far, we have a hunch it’s time.)

  • My team requires an outside facilitator.

    If your team is dysfunctional, we recommend you start working on team function BEFORE you begin strategic planning. A truly dysfunctional team will implode a planning process. As leaders, isn't it our responsibility to work with team members to be productive and not destructive? Letting bad behavior be the reason you can't do proper strategic planning isn't acceptable. Instead, let it be a clear indicator of what you need to do FIRST: team development or working with individuals on their performance. And another point: if you need a "big stick" to get this type of work done and the "big stick" leaves at the end of the process, how do you expect execution will go? We've been the "big sticks" for a long time and deeply believe that an internally led process results in an EXECUTED plan (instead of a written one). And, of course, there ARE TIMES when complexity requires an outside consultant. We can help you decide what's best for your situation.

  • Can I see a plan?

    Possibly. We are very protective of our client’s confidentiality, and we do have permission to share plans in certain scenarios. It requires that you set up a time to chat with us about the program, and we can determine if there’s a plan we can share. And everyone enrolled in the courses gets to see a variety of finished plans.

  • Can I do a private cohort?

    Absolutely! Maybe you're a subsidiary of a global nonprofit and want to have a cohort with a few of your teams. Maybe you're a nonprofit and want a cohort with your partner organizations. Or, maybe you are part of a professional group and would like to take the course with them. We require a minimum of ten students to join a private cohort; we can take up to 15. Whatever your interest, let us know. We'll contact you to schedule a time to discuss your needs.

  • How much does it cost?

    All of our full programs are priced to be less than the cost of an external strategic planning expert doing the process for you. You can see current pricing by requesting a brochure via our contact page. Pricing depends on the size of your organization, and we offer early-bird discounts, nonprofit pricing, and situational slide-scales. Head to the upper right-hand corner, click the "contact" page, and request a brochure or schedule a chat with an instructor who can provide pricing for your specific situation. FYI, when you reach out, we won't spam you. We'll just answer your questions.

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