WealthEngine

In the webinar “Using Analytics For Better Decision Making,” Sally Boucher briefly described “Gap Analysis” as a step in the overall strategic planning process.  The main point was to explain that analytics is infused throughout the entire strategic planning process rather than being a single step in the process, or worse, residing completely outside the planning process. Sally wasn’t able to spend much time focusing on the strategic planning process itself, step-by-step, although that would certainly be an interesting webinar idea for the future.  She did get several questions, however, specifically on gap analysis, so she would like to quickly explain her understanding of the process and how WealthEngine approaches “gap analysis” as part of a strategic planning consultation.

A strategic planning process ideally starts with a review or articulation of an organizations values, vision and mission.  Once these foundational pieces are in place, fully understood, and internalized from the board down, comes the important work of planning – how do we get from where we are, to where we want to be?  Step one is to conduct an audit or assessment of where your organization stands currently – any road map to the summit will be useless if you can’t see the “You Are Here” marker on the map!

Next, the gap analysis – sometimes called a strategic gap analysis – comes into play. A gap analysis measures the difference between where you want to be and where you are today, or where you would be at the end of the year if you make no changes in your business plan or processes.   From the resulting “gap,” your organization can analyze what it needs to do to get from here to there.  In essence, two questions can help guide the analysis:

• What are we doing now that we should stop doing?
• What are we not doing that we should be doing?

Providing answers to those two questions can identify strategic goals and objectives to feed your strategic plan.

A gap analysis can be facilitated as part of the overall organizational strategic plan, which would encompass program delivery, operations, fundraising, administration, finance, etc., or a modified gap analysis can be done in conjunction with a development audit to hone and focus strategic plans within the fund development arena.

Using analytic tools and a structured approach to plan and execute your fundraising strategies will result in greater success and get you closer to realizing your organizations vision.  Here’s to closing the gap in 2012!