Coffee, niches, and the purpose of a charity strategy
Nov 4, 2024
2 min read
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It’s been a fun first few weeks of Amplify Science.
I’ve been having a succession of coffees – real and virtual – with lovely and fascinating people across the sector.
It’s been brilliant to have your feedback – thanks!
I’m pleased I've found a bit of a niche... tailored strategic support for health and research charities, informed by expertise in science communication, influencing and fundraising.
I need to do better though at articulating why charities need a research or organisational strategy, and what they should expect to get out of it.
So here are a few thoughts… some pretty obvious, some maybe a little less so.
· Strategy is about change – responding to change (like the pain of the national insurance hike), but also engineering change, to reshape your organisation for the future.
· It’s also about choices… being explicit about how you will prioritise, and what you will or won’t do.
· And for a health charity, strategy is something you do with (never just for) your community… always putting your beneficiaries right at its heart.
· All these contribute to the central aim of a charity strategy, to have impact… to make a concrete difference to people’s lives.
And a couple of things that maybe get less attention.
· A strategy should have a narrative. It shouldn’t be a series of disconnected activities and goals, but an argument for the type of organisation you want to become.
· And finally, your strategy is one of your most valuable engagement tools. Don’t stick it in a (real or virtual) draw. Use it to rouse your staff, volunteers and community, and to engage your supporters with stories about your people, passions, ambitions and impacts.
That’s the approach to strategy I’m trying to take. If you’re interested, get in touch!
