Richmond upon Thames

Council for Voluntary Service

Business Planning

Introduction

Purpose

This is a series of 8 factsheets designed to:

• Give you a broad understanding of planning
• Develop your planning skills
• Provide you with a practical step by step route to create a plan for your organisation

Are These Factsheets For Me?

The factsheets are intended for anyone who needs to lead or to take a significant part in the planning process in their organisation, predominantly trustees and key staff.

Overview of Content

quick links: the 8 factsheets are:

Each factsheet is broken down into a number of bite-sized sections, beginning with an introduction and ending with a short review. They also include selected references to other useful resources, and links to them if they are online.

Pre-requisites
Overall, these factsheets assume no prior knowledge. If there are factsheets on subjects you already feel confident about, you do not have to work through them. However, it is suggested that you scan them briefly to confirm your knowledge and to refresh your memory as later factsheets refer to the content of earlier factsheets.

Outcomes
At the end of this series of factsheets, you will have:

• A plan for your organisation
• The skills to lead planning in your organisation in future years

Further Help
If you:

• Are unsure whether the factsheets are what you need
• Have questions not answered by a factsheet
• Want further clarification on any point
• Would like help applying a factsheet to your organisation’s particular situation
• or for any other reason would like to discuss your needs with an Adviser, please click the contact link below. The Adviser is available to help by phone, post or e-mail.

Click here for contact information

To view a section, please click on it in the list below.
(Please note the Factsheet titles are not links). If you would like to download a compressed zip file with all documents in the 8 Factsheets series, click on this link to the zip file.

Fast Download: Business Planning Factsheets in Zip format 2837 kb

CONTENTS

Factsheet 1: Introduction to Planning

There are six documents in this factsheet series.
Each link below opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (55 kb)
Section 1: What is Planning and Why Should we Plan? (111 kb)
Section 2: What Planning Entails (66.5 kb)
Section 3: How Long Planning Takes (55.5 kb)
Section 4: Why are We Planning? (57.5 kb)
Section 5: Review of ‘Introduction to Planning’ (56 kb)

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Factsheet 2: Preparing to Plan

There are ten documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (56 kb)
Section 1: Planning to Plan (56 kb)
Section 2: Preparing the Organisation - (54 kb)
Section 3: Choosing People to lead the Process (54 kb)
Section 4: Finding the Time (53 kb)
Section 5: Activity: Breaking the Vicious Circle (74 kb)
Section 6: Setting a Timescale (53 kb)
Section 7: Activity: Who, What, When, How (70kb)
Section 8: Monitoring the Timetable (52 kb)
Section 9: Review of ‘Preparing to Plan’ (53 kb)

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Factsheet 3: Review

There are nine documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (79 kb)
Section 1: Why Review? (78 kb)
Section 2: Carrying Out a Review (83 kb)
Section 3: Summarising the Review (76 kb)
Section 4: Factsheet Review (134 kb)
Section 5: Activity: SWOT (88 kb)
Section 6: Activity: PESTLE (88 kb)
Section 7: Activity: Network Review (98 kb)
Section 8: Activity: Portfolio Analysis (98 kb)

Factsheet 4: Deciding the Future 1:
What is Needed and What Shall We Do?

There are six documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (57 kb)
Section 1: Introduction – Weaver’s Triangle (64 kb)
Section 2: Need (77 kb)
Section 3: On a Mission (132 kb)
Section 4: Values and Beliefs (57 kb)
Section 5: Review of ‘Deciding the Future 1’ (57 kb)

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Factsheet 5: Deciding the Future 2:
How Will We Get There and How Will We Know?

There are four documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (57kb)
Section 1: Strategic Aims and Outcomes (88 kb)
Section 2: SMART Objectives and Outputs (96 kb)
Section 3: Review of ‘Deciding the Future 2 (56 kb)

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Factsheet 6: Developing the Detail

There are seven documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window. Two of these documents have other resources linked to them.

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (56 kb)
Section 1: Defining the Costs – Budget and Cashflow (72 kb)
Section 2: Defining the Structure – Organisational Chart (55kb)
Section 3: Risks and Risk Management (88kb)
Section 4: What makes a Realistic Plan? (62 kb)
Section 5: Linking to your Fundraising Strategy (106 kb)
Section 6: Review of ‘Developing the Detail’ (53kb)

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Factsheet 7: Writing Up

There are four documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (46 kb)
Section 1: Writing for your Audience (82kb)
Section 2: Structure of a Plan (62 kb)
Section 3: Review of ‘Writing Up’ (45 kb)

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Factsheet 8: Using the Plan

There are four documents in this factsheet series.
Each link opens a word document in a new window

Section 0: Factsheet Introduction (47 kb)
Section 1: Using the Plan (61 kb)
Section 2: Making the Plan Happen (50 kb)
Section 3: Review of ‘Using the Plan’ (45 kb)

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