• Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ

Powering Nonprofits to Fuel Positive Change

773.804.8589
info@bigbuzzideagroup.com
Big Buzz Idea GroupBig Buzz Idea Group
  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ
Making a Case for Strategic Planning

Making a Case for Strategic Planning

By Guest Blogger: Kimberly Bares President, PLACE Consulting “I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I see now I should have been more specific.” — Lily Tomlin It’s that time of the year when organizations reflect on the past year’s successes and misses and begin the process of preparing for 2017. Based on my experience in leading strategic planning with dozens of nonprofits, the best of them use their strategic plan to guide that evaluation. What do you do, though, when your organization doesn’t see the value in the process or thinks it’s a waste of time or money? I’ve...

Check Out These Recent Posts

  • Leveraging AI For Time Management
  • Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change
  • Tips for Nonprofit Success
  • DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025
  • Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?
  • Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses

Sign up for Insights newsletter

Select list(s) to subscribe to

Tag Cloud

501c3 Appreciation Association Association Management Big Buzz Idea Group Board Members Board of Directors Communication Communications Core Values Culture Development Digital Marketing Donations Donors Event Planner Event Planning Events Executive Director Funding Fundraising Goal-Setting Gratitude Leadership management Marketing mission Networking Nonprofit Nonprofit Board Members Nonprofit Leadership Nonprofit Management Nonprofit Organization NPO Organization Organization's Culture Outsourcing pandemic Productivity Social Media Sponsors Sponsorship Staff Strategic Planning Virtual

Insights Blog Archive

  • DIY Event Photos
  • 5 Reasons to Outsource Instead of Rely on Volunteers
  • Client Spotlight: Center for Changing Lives
  • Crisis Management: Are You Ready?
  • From Awareness to Action: Using Social Media to Reach Your Goals
  • Cyber Security: How To Protect Yourself In Today’s “Connected” World
  • The Board’s Hot (Summer) Topics
  • Self-Care: A Necessity for Successful Leadership
  • Nonprofit Event Venues 101
  • Client Spotlight: Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce
  • Want To Retain Your Employees? Wellness in the Workplace Matters!
  • Fresh Funding Ideas Are Blooming
  • The Keys to Presenting Your Nonprofit Online
  • Four Step Process to Building Better Buy-In
  • Is Your Marketing Missing the Mark?
  • Tips for Nonprofit Success
  • Virtual Fundraising: 18 Ideas for Nonprofit Revenue
  • Tips For Meaningful #GivingTuesday Follow-Up
  • Navigating Nonprofit Finances: How to Effectively Manage Your Bookkeeper
  • Making the Most Out of Event Centerpieces
  • 10 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Nonprofit from Cyber Threats
  • Something Good: Building Your Team’s Connection
  • Please Send a Hi-res Copy of Your Logo
  • Keep Your Mission in Mind to Maximize Results
  • Clearer Communication Is the Secret to Better Outcomes
  • Organic Methods to Cultivate Sponsorship Leads
  • Communicating With Your Nonprofit’s Supporters During Times of Unease
  • If You’re Feeling Hopeless of Late, Remember That Your Work Matters and You Do, Too
  • 11 Tips to Make Your Newsletter More Readable
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s Story
  • Organizational Operations Versus Organizational Strategy
  • The Hidden Costs Behind Your Fundraiser
  • 7 Tips for Managing Hybrid Events
  • DEI, DEIB, Equity & Inclusion for All: Ways to Advance the Work in 2025
  • Melissa Lagowski Named Faculty Member at Institute for Organization Management
  • The Importance of Authenticity in Sales and Networking
  • Apply the Spoon Theory to Run Your Nonprofit
  • 6 Tips for Cultivating Gratitude in the Workplace
  • Defining Your Value: Reclaiming Relevance to the Community You Serve
  • Real Progress Requires Intention: What Do You Want to Achieve in 2020 for Your Nonprofit?
  • 9 Lessons Learned from Our First Virtual Conference
  • How Nonprofits Can Use Social Media to Meet Goals
  • Cancelling or Postponing Your Events in Light of COVID-19
  • The Benefits of Outsourcing
  • Make Your Nonprofit Stand Out: Creating Impressions for Impact
  • Never Overlook the Value of Gratitude
  • Tips for Virtual Event Success
  • Chart a Path for Nonprofit Success
  • Transparency and Nonprofit Organizations
  • Tips to Ensure Event Safety
  • Four Pillars to Attracting and Retaining Ideal Employees
  • Outsourcing: The Only Solution To Staffing Shortages
  • Financial Planning for Uncertain Times
  • How to Secure Mega Sponsorships For Your Fundraising Event!
  • Gen Z is the Next Wave of Donors—How Can Nonprofits Engage Them?
  • The Need to Go Beyond Surveys
  • Client Spotlight: Hope For The Day
  • Becoming a Virtual Event Planner in an Instant
  • Conference Call Hero – 6 Tips to Master the Art of Video and Audio Conferencing
  • Engage Your Board – Start with Recruiting and End with A High-Performance Culture
  • 50 Content Promotion Tactics: How to Drive Traffic to Your Next Article
  • 4 Productivity Tips to Elevate Your Nonprofit
  • Our Top Five Free Online Tools for Nonprofit Management Teams
  • Client Spotlight: Old Town School of Folk Music
  • How to Develop Your Nonprofit’s Audience Persona
  • 3 Tips For Maintaining Your NPO’s Digital Assets
  • Are You Leaving Money On The Table?
  • Six Things Your Nonprofit Needs to Know About Sales Tax
  • Leveraging E-Newsletters For Nonprofit Growth
  • 3 Questions to Ask If You Hope to Grow Your Membership
  • The Taxman Cometh (Yes, Even For Your Exempt Organization)
  • Why You Need to Establish Gratitude as a Pillar at Your Nonprofit
  • To Be Successful, Nonprofits and Associations Must Be Forward-Thinking
  • 5 Tips for Prioritizing Your Mental Health in the Workplace
  • 5 Ways to Generate Sponsor Leads
  • Word of the Year: Manifestation
  • Communication Tips to Advance Your Organization
  • Budgeting for Your Nonprofit in Uncertain Times
  • Team Culture Exists Beyond the Office Walls
  • Re-Imagine the Possibilities to Better Serve Your Mission
  • Employee Retention Tax Credit Yields Powerful Opportunity
  • Optimize Your Contact List for Nonprofit Growth
  • Should You Ever Cover Board Member Expenses?
  • Take Time to Evaluate Your Events
  • Networking for Personal and Professional Growth
  • Why Nonprofits Need to Evaluate Their Budgets Every Year
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Named One of America’s Top 100 Small Businesses
  • Nonprofit Hiring: Best Practices for Building Your Team in 2024
  • 5 Secrets to Streamlining Your Administrative Tasks
  • Lessons Learned in Nonprofit Management
  • Silver Linings Discovered Amidst a Pandemic
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: To Package or Not to Package
  • 8 Tips For Leading Productive Meetings
  • The 3 Mistakes I Made Managing a Nonprofit
  • Why Is My Organization Not Growing?
  • Board Nominating: A Better Way
  • How to Hire a Consultant
  • 6 Tips for Healthy Collaboration with Your Board Chair
  • Mastering Client Expectations: 6 Essential Tips for Success
  • Client Spotlight: Cyberjutsu
  • Does Your Mission Have a Compelling Voice?
  • New Year’s Resolutions for Board Members
  • Streamlining Success: Using a Consent Agenda for Nonprofit Board Meetings
  • Innovative Approach to Volunteer Recruitment
  • Client Spotlight: Illinois Theatre Association
  • Four Tactics to Resolve Nonprofit Staffing Shortages
  • Boost Your Daily Productivity
  • How to Rewire Your Brain with Positive Thinking
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part II
  • Why Identifying and Communicating Your Core Values Is Important
  • 4 Ways Outsourcing Your Development Work Can Provide Value
  • Goal-Setting For Successful Events
  • Board or Bored Leadership – Enter the Magnificent Seven
  • Advantages of Donor Database Software for Charitable Organizations
  • Implementing Diversity, Equity & Inclusion at Your Nonprofit
  • An Interim Leader Isn’t a “Temp:” Interim Leadership in NPOs as a Management Profession
  • These Red Flags Scream That You Need a New Bookkeeper
  • Post-Pandemic Event Lessons
  • Life After COVID-19: Next Steps for Your Nonprofit
  • The Compelling Case to Renew
  • Celebrate You and Avoid Nonprofit Burnout
  • A Job Gone Wrong
  • Fundraising: Creating a Straighter Path to Revenue Growth
  • Big Buzz Idea Group Launches Additional Services
  • Nonprofit Form 990: Friend or Foe?
  • Should Sponsorships Include Membership Dues?
  • 6 Tips for Recruiting Ideal Board Members
  • 10 Tips to Cultivate Sponsor Relationships
  • Are You Leading With Impact?
  • Interim Directors Provide Strength in Times of Transition
  • 3 Reasons Why Your Organization Should Use Canva
  • Holding On When You Feel Like Throwing In the Towel
  • Put Some Zing in Your Zoom (Or Any Other Virtual Meeting)
  • Fostering Board Engagement in Virtual Times
  • Best Practices For Nonprofit Management
  • Time to Assess Your Year-End Campaigns
  • How To Secure More Donor Dollars
  • Meet Big Buzz, the Creators of Ribfest Chicago
  • Losing Control? Reclaim Your Time!
  • Seven Tips to a More Productive Year for Your Organization
  • Strategies for Membership Based Associations to Flourish in Face-to-Face Interactions
  • How to Keep Your Visuals On-Brand
  • Securing Help from Your Board: Are You Ready?
  • Navigating Uncertainty: How Nonprofits Can Protect Funding and Advocate for Change
  • Cross-Train Your Team for Better Outcomes
  • Talk to Me! Prioritizing Internal Communications During Times of Transition
  • How to Manage Your Organization During an Election Year Without Violating Your Nonprofit Status
  • How Big Is Your Fire?
  • 2020: A Lesson in Gratitude
  • Leadership Starts with You
  • The Birth of a New Vision
  • Making a Case for Strategic Planning
  • SPONSORSHIP 101: Growing Nonprofit Revenues
  • Spend Less. Do More. Your Guide to Effective Outsourcing
  • Big Buzz Has COVID-19 Resources For You!
  • What’s Your Nonprofit’s First Impression?
  • Why Your Nonprofit Needs Brand Guidelines
  • Grateful for Nonprofit Leaders
  • Leveraging AI For Time Management
  • Promotion Ideas to Benefit Your Nonprofit – Part I

Contact Us

Want more info? Have a question? Send us an email and we'll get back to you, asap.

Send Message
Spark the growth and power of your organization. Schedule your FREE consultation today. Let's Connect

CONTACT INFO

  • Big Buzz Idea Group
  • 4055 W. Peterson Ave., #105 Chicago, IL 60646
  • 773.804.8589
  • 773.804.8986
  • info@bigbuzzideagroup.com

Connect with us

Proud Member:

© 2021 — Big Buzz Idea Group

  • Home
  • Our Team
  • Clients
  • What We Do
  • Case Studies
  • Blog
  • Join the Team
  • Contact
  • FAQ