Strategic Planning
NESA planners have helped organizations conduct meaningful, engaging planning exercises that range from one-day to several-months in length. For example, we have worked with private retailers who wish to increase their market share, and non-profit organizations that want help building on past their successes to move effectively into the future. NESA stays abreast of strategic planning theory and best practices, and has exceptional interpersonal and communication skills that lead to authentic dialogue, reflection and, ultimately, strategic plans that are collaboratively created and owned.
NESA planners have helped organizations conduct meaningful, engaging planning exercises that range from one-day to several-months in length. For example, we have worked with private retailers who wish to increase their market share, and non-profit organizations that want help building on past their successes to move effectively into the future. NESA stays abreast of strategic planning theory and best practices, and has exceptional interpersonal and communication skills that lead to authentic dialogue, reflection and, ultimately, strategic plans that are collaboratively created and owned.
Capital Appeals Project (CAP)The CAP provides representation to all indigent defendants sentenced to death in Louisiana. CAP staff also contributes to legal defense in ongoing capital trials, provides training and consultation for capital defense attorneys, engages in public outreach and education on issues relating to capital punishment, and advocates for continued improvements in the criminal justice system.
In 2012, CAP enlisted NESA to develop a 2.5-year strategic plan focused on goal planning, internal communication, effective resource allocation, benchmarking and measuring progress, and strengthening org cohesion and collaboration across teams. Over a six-month period, NESA Principal Don Sawyer worked with the staff through a number of activities that included appreciative enquiry, mission statement review, multiple one-on-one and small group interviews, review of organizational models of similar programs, and designing a 30-month plan to meet articulated goals and objectives. |
Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship
The Fairhope Unitarian Fellowship strategic planning session, held in April of 2015, is a good example of a single-day strategic planning workshop that, even in this abbreviated format, can result in significant outcomes that bring a non-profit together in reflecting on the organization’s past, assessing current strengths and challenges, creating a common vision, setting goals and objectives, identifying and prioritizing specific activities that will move the organization toward its goals, and developing an action plan for engaging the membership.
Facilitated by Don Sawyer, the session was interactive, participatory, and enjoyable. A year later, the strategic plan has become a catalyst for rejuvenating the Fellowship and involving the congregation in meaningful activities that are meeting the measurable goals set during the session. |
Askew’s Marketing ResearchNESA worked with Askew’s foods, a small grocery chain, to help them gain a better understanding of their current and potential clients. This included a study of new customers’ shopping patterns, product preferences, lifestyles, service requirements, values and media use. NESA used this new information to help Askew identify and adjust to the needs, preferences and patterns of current and potential customers, while attracting shoppers from competing supermarkets.
Our work included one-on-one customer interviews, focus groups, employee interviews, phone interviews and research. The result: After completion and introduction of the report, Askew’s sales have increased by more than 10 percent annually. |
