Purpose & Strategic Importance
Every National Society operates in a unique environment. Strategic planning processes must reflect the realities of that environment — whether stable, fragile, dispersed, or recovering from crisis. A process that is not adapted to context risks producing a plan that is unworkable or quickly outdated.
Activities & Decisions
Key considerations
- Stability of the environment – Stable settings allow for broader consultation and longer-term strategies (4–6 years). In unstable contexts, shorter timeframes (2–3 years) and lighter processes are more realistic.
- Humanitarian and political situation – Conflict, crises, or major social change often limit the time and space available for planning, requiring simpler approaches.
- Geography and scale – In small island or dispersed countries, limited resources and high costs of gathering people may require innovative methods (e.g. digital consultation, branch autonomy).
- Organisational situation – If recovering from crisis (e.g. integrity issues, new leadership), the process may need to prioritise rebuilding trust and transparency as much as setting priorities.
- Experience with planning – A first-time process may be experimental, requiring more external support and learning by doing.
Variations in Practice
Examples from National Societies
- Stable context: broad stakeholder engagement, longer-term strategy, more ambitious priorities.
- Conflict or instability: urgent need for a short plan (18–24 months), focus on neutrality, operations, and managing influxes of funding.
- Small islands: reliance on digital tools, prioritisation of activities that can be resourced locally, stronger branch autonomy.
- Post-crisis integrity challenges: focus on participation and transparency to rebuild confidence.
First-time planning: simpler, experimental approach, often with peer or partner support.
“Focus on bringing people together to rebuild relationships and develop shared understandings. Transparency and participation were essential in restoring trust in the Society.” — National Society emerging from crisis
📎 See also: Timing and Budgeting Realistically and Deciding Transparently.