What Does a Facilitator Actually Do in Nonprofit Strategic Planning?

Picture your last board retreat. Smart, well-meaning people in a room. An agenda. Everyone fired up. And then, three hours in, you're still relitigating the same two sticking points and the day ends in frustration instead of clarity. If that sounds familiar, this episode is for you, because you probably need a facilitator. In Episode 15 of Changemaker Conversations, Alyssa Conrardy interviews Lindsay Mullen on what a strategic planning facilitator actually does, and just as importantly, what they don't do. This episode is a candid look at when bringing in an outside facilitator is worth it, when it isn't, and how to tell the difference. Here's what you'll learn in this episode: What a facilitator actually does day-to-day during strategic planning (and what they don't do) The four roles every planning process needs to understand up front: community, board, leadership and staff, and facilitator The difference between facilitation-only and full-service strategic planning, and which fits which kind of organization Why "have you worked with a nonprofit like ours?" is the wrong first question to ask a facilitator Why DIY-ing your stakeholder engagement (with facilitator templates and guidance) builds the muscle most nonprofits are missing | MENTIONED | Prosper Strategies Facilitation Services | CONNECT | ChangemakerConversations.com for show notes and additional resources Prosper-Strategies.com to learn more about our strategic advising practice. [email protected] with topic suggestions, guest recommendations or questions.