SI’s strategic planning and program design services help clients maintain clarity and focus in achieving results, even as conditions change. We help clients develop principles to guide strategic choice, use predictive exercises to elaborate strategic planning scenarios, and develop evidence-based theories of change and logic models.

In the complex environments in which organizations operate, effective strategic planning and agile program design are essential to managing for results. Strategy identifies desired outcomes, making the best choices based on clear, defensible criteria, while planning provides orderliness and discipline to put strategy and design into action. Program design must support strategic objectives and entails tactical decisions based on evidence and lessons learned about what works, or doesn’t work. When strategic planning and program design are well managed, both contribute to organizational effectiveness, staff cohesion, stakeholder buy-in, and sustainable results.

Social Impact is an established leader in strategic planning and program design, facilitating product-oriented, iterative work sessions that maintain momentum, support staff ownership, and frontload implementation. We help clients develop principles to guide strategic choice, use predictive exercises to elaborate strategic planning scenarios, and develop evidence-based theories of change and logic models. In addition, we lead stock-taking of progress against current strategic plans, facilitate visioning retreats, conduct supporting analyses, and support Results Framework development. We use a wide variety of methods, from predictive analytics informing scenario planning to participatory tools aimed at building consensus, depending on client needs. Because SI is not a direct program implementer, we can support strategic and program planning and design without risks to procurement integrity and organizational conflict of interest, further helping our clients accelerate their planning processes.

Working closely with dozens of clients and their stakeholders, SI has supported a multitude of clients, from local and national governments to philanthropies and multilateral institutions, to develop effective strategies and program designs. These products have included predictive scenarios, measurable results (at the strategic and programmatic levels) that can be monitored and evaluated over time, and the basis for deploying staff and other resources for lasting impact. SI has developed consultation methodologies, landscape analyses, and gender-sensitive designs that have enabled our clients to progress from strategy to implementation with increased buy-in and stakeholder ownership. In addition, as acknowledged experts, SI staff have trained hundreds of USG and other professionals in strategic planning and program design.