The strategy lifecycle recognizes the magnitude of the problems we’re tackling and offers a structure to develop strategy, allocate resources, implement grantmaking, capture and share data on progress, reflect on lessons learned, and course-correct, as necessary. Essential to this process is ongoing dialogue with our grantees and partners, early in the planning process and throughout the strategy lifecycle.
Develop/Refresh: Although not common at this stage of the foundation’s growth, new strategies may be developed when a major external change requires a fundamentally different approach. In a strategy refresh, an existing strategy is more thoroughly examined to reflect on progress made, define goals, and agree on a path forward.
Execute: Each strategy includes a plan for execution—the investments, partner relationships and resources needed to achieve intended results. Immediately after a strategy is developed, the focus of work is on executing.
Measure: In order to understand what’s working and what isn’t, investments and execution are regularly measured to track our progress. We seek to measure, to learn, and to improve at every step along the way.
Review/Adjust: Strategy reviews allow us to reflect on progress, priorities, and problems that need to be resolved. We review our strategies and execution annually with leadership—these reviews give us the chance to make adjustments based on what’s happening on the ground and what we’ve learned. Strategic adjustment and fine-tuning informed by grantee feedback is critical to ensuring that our view of the world accurately reflects changes in the environment and evolution of our partners.