Teaching strategic planning and evaluation: tools and techniques

This chapter focuses on the set of practices and analytical tools that can be used in strategic planning and evaluation courses. Four topics - stakeholder analysis, environmental scan, organization or program purpose, and critical thinking - are used to frame a discussion around the activities, assignments, and pedagogical approaches that align with several NACC guidelines. Service-learning and applied projects are particularly appropriate for these types of courses because they provide students with unique opportunities to apply theory to practice in a real-world setting, and at the same time meaningfully engage with nonprofits and the community. While strategic planning and evaluation are distinct organizational practices, they are highly interconnected. As instructors, it is crucial to build both strategic and evaluative thinking skills in nonprofit courses so that students recognize the interconnectedness of these processes and the importance in making evidence-based decisions in the nonprofit sector.