Case Study: Mapping an Envisioned Future

How strategic planning positioned a foundation in its infancy for success

Challenge

The Global Vitiligo Foundation (GVF) was established in 2011. As a small, new foundation run primarily by volunteers with additional staff support, GVF sought a strategic planning expert who could facilitate a strategic session, generate discussion, and guide the board and staff in collectively crafting an envisioned future. The resulting vision, mission, and goals set the stage for GVF to expand its footprint and impact in the community, reach several key audiences, and more effectively serve a community in need of support, engagement, and research.

Process

GVF partnered with AMC to develop a mission, vision, and strategic plan, helping them to focus on what they wanted to do and why. AMC consultants interviewed each individual board member in a 1:1 setting, reviewed key foundation documents (including financial, events-based, and operational materials), and conducted a short environmental scan of potential competitors and partners.

At the start of the strategic planning session, lead AMC consultant Dave Bergeson, PhD CAE, provided an overview of nonprofits to set the stage for the group’s conversations. He discussed nonprofit revenue streams, reviewed the industry landscape, discussed the other players in GVF’s space, and reviewed trends from the board interviews, including opportunities and challenges that arose. 

The strategic planning session also included a SWOT analysis as well as extensive brainstorming, prioritizing, and discussion.   

Results

The result was forward-thinking, robust discussion that culminated in a strategic plan with goals, strategies, and most importantly, a new mission and vision to improve the quality of life for individuals with vitiligo through education, research, clinical care, and community support. AMC consultants also helped construct a preliminary operational plan to prioritize, initiate, and fund those goals. A rewarding project for both AMC and GVF, this strategic planning process allowed GVF to initiate partnerships, create communities, and organize their resources, setting them up for success as a new foundation.

"It was a pleasure working with Dave and the AMC team on our strategic planning retreat. His knowledge, experience and guidance resulted in an outstanding updated mission and vision and a new strategic plan that the entire board could get behind."
—Patrick Dockins, MS, CAE, Director of Special Projects, Global Vitiligo Foundation