Organisational Toolkit

Organizational Toolkit Guides

Use these toolkits to strengthen your organisation. Not sure where to start? Check out the Organisational Strength Map to explore areas for growth and development first.

Organisational Strength Map

Use this tool to identify your organisation’s strengths and explore areas for growth and development.

  1. The Big Picture

    Chapter 1

    Where in the landscape of organisational development does your organisation sit? What is the terrain like around you?

  2. Purpose

    Chapter 2

    This section will help you think about your organisation’s purpose and how well it guides what you do.

  3. Planning

    Chapter 3

    This section will help you think about how your organisation plans, monitors and evaluates its work.

  4. Daily Operations

    Chapter 4

    This section will help you think about the things that contribute to job satisfaction and the effectiveness of your day-to-day work.

  5. Finding Money

    Chapter 5

    This section will help you think about how you get the money you need, and how you might do it more effectively.

  6. People

    Chapter 6

    This section will help you think about whether you are paying enough attention to the people who make your organisation work, and how well you are managing your “human resources”.

  7. Managing Money

    Chapter 7

    This section will help you think about how well you manage your money.

  8. Governance

    Chapter 8

    This section will help you think about your legal status, your obligations, and the role of your Board of Directors.

  9. Communications Planning

    Chapter 9

    This section will help you think about how well your organisation supports your mission and vision with effective communications efforts.

  10. Digital Security

    Chapter 10

    This section will help you think about how well your organisation protects its digital information.

Strategic Planning Toolkit

Build your strategic plan and improve your organisation’s effectiveness with these strategic planning tools and fact sheets. Not sure where to start? Check out the Starting Points page for advice tailored to your situation.

  1. Starting Points

    Chapter 1

    Strategic planning can seem complicated, and where you start may differ depending on the particular situation of your organisation.

  2. What Are the Components of a Strategic Plan?

    Chapter 2

    Your strategic plan will guide your organisation in achieving its vision, mission and goals, and will help you answer five key questions about your organisation’s purpose and activities.

  3. What Are Vision, Mission, Values and Theory of Change?

    Chapter 3

    Understanding these key components will assist you in articulating your organisation’s big picture purpose, activities and end goals.

  4. What are SMART Goals, Objectives and Targets?

    Chapter 4

    Clear goals, objectives and targets will help ensure that measurable progress in your strategic plan.

  5. What is an Annual Plan or Workplan?

    Chapter 5

    Turn your strategic plan into a specific operational plan with these steps and examples.

  6. What is an Environmental Scan?

    Chapter 6

    Get a clear picture of the context within which your organisation is working and gain valuable perspective on your organisation’s place in the larger community with an environmental scan.

  7. What is Your Organisation’s Competitive Advantage?

    Chapter 7

    Understand how well positioned your organisation is to compete for funding, media coverage, public attention, staff and supporters by analysing your competitive advantages.

  8. How Do We Keep Our Strategy and Strategic Plan Current?

    Chapter 8

    Learn how to integrate cyclical planning into your work.

  9. How Do We Measure Change?

    Chapter 9

    Selecting the right targets and indicators is key to allowing you to measure the changes your organisation is creating.

  10. Working With a Consultant

    Chapter 10

    A strategic planning consultant can be helpful in keeping you on track as you craft your strategic plan. Here’s what you need to know to help ensure a productive relationship.

  11. IFEX Strategic Planning Tools

    Chapter 11

    Make good, informed decisions at every step of the strategic planning process by utilizing these IFEX Strategic Planning Tools

Communications Strategy Toolkit

Effective communications planning will enable you to raise your organisation’s voice on issues that matter.

  1. The Big Picture

    Chapter 1

    Why a clear communications strategy is important.

  2. Make Sure It Is Clear

    Chapter 2

    A step-by-step guide to clearly articulating your communications objectives.

  3. Make Sure It Is Targeted

    Chapter 3

    Understand who your audience is, what your key messages are and how you’re going to get your message out.

  4. Make Sure It Is Achievable

    Chapter 4

    Ensure success by defining what success will look like, and consider the factors that could affect your ability to meet your goals.

  5. Communications Strategy Appendices

    Chapter 5

    Use these worksheets to help define your audiences, key messages, content mix, social media efforts, communications strategy and communications workplan.

Financial Sustainability Plan

Ensure that your organisation survives and thrives by strengthening its fiscal framework. Click on the video link below to watch the webinar on Financial Sustainability Planning or download the toolkit below.
Video: Fundraising and Financial Sustainability Planning

  1. The Big Picture

    Chapter 1

    Why financial sustainability planning is important.

  2. Getting Started: How to Develop Your Organisation’s FSP

    Chapter 2

    From analysing your past to identifying the resources you require and developing options for filling gaps, this section will take you through a step-by-step plan to develop your FSP.

  3. Diversifying Revenue Sources

    Chapter 3

    Diverse revenue sources support autonomy, flexibility and security. Find out how to diversify yours.

  4. Building Unrestricted Funds From Earned Income

    Chapter 4

    Find out how to turn your organisation’s revenue challenges into opportunities.

  5. Setting Aside Reserves

    Chapter 5

    From developing a Reserves Policy to conducting a risk assessment, this section will equip you to help your organisation weather financial challenges.

  6. FSP References and Resources

    Chapter 6

    Find out where else you can turn for tools, approaches and lessons learned that will assist you in strengthening your organisation’s financial sustainability.

Social Media Strategy

This step-by-step tool will enable you to build an effective social media strategy and engage your online audiences.

  1. The Big Picture

    Chapter 1

    Social media efforts make up one component of your digital communications strategy. Understand how it aligns with your mission, vision and communications goals.

  2. 10 Steps To Developing A Social Media Strategy

    Chapter 2

    From developing a plan for shareable content, to choosing social media platforms and the tools to help you manage your efforts, this step-by-step section will help position you for success.

  3. Appendices

    Chapter 3

    Check out resources to keep you up to date on website best practices, and compare social media platforms.

Website Optimisation Plan

This 10-step plan will help you improve your website’s impact and usability.

website PDF Download

File size: 0 B

  1. The Big Picture

    Chapter 1

    Optimising your website is one component of your digital communications strategy. Understand how it aligns with your mission, vision and communication goals.

  2. 10 Steps To Rethinking Your Website

    Chapter 2

    From identifying your goals for your website, to evaluating resources, organising content, determining your site’s tone and voice and keeping your site up to date, this step-by-step section will help ensure that your website works effectively for your organisation.

  3. Appendix

    Chapter 3

    Online resources that showcase inspiring and well-designed websites.