Featuring +BOX
For some nonprofit leaders, a strategic planning process is a “should do.” For +BOX’s Founder & Executive Director Wesley Burt, it was a “must do.” The three-year-old nonprofit established at the beginning of the pandemic had developed an innovative solution to a healthier food assistance program – fresh, nutritious boxes of food distributed to students in North County San Diego schools. Yet, the small burgeoning nonprofit was looking for alignment, consensus, and a path forward to expand its program and impact.
+BOX found what it was looking for in a five-year strategic planning process facilitated by an SVP team. Lead Partner Tom Watlington and Partners Richard Bockoff and Nathan Hershkowitz guided the nonprofit in a six-month engagement that included three distinct phases of the strategic planning process. Using a variety of digital tools and in-person facilitation sessions, the SVP team brought +BOX’s staff and board together to share their passion and ideas for the organization’s future. At the conclusion of the project, the nonprofit reached consensus around its vision, goals, and strategies to achieve impact.
The strategic plan now has a fresh stamp of approval from +BOX’s board of directors. The exercise has produced more than a document to put on the shelf. Burt reports that the strategic planning process has already informed the way +BOX speaks about its strategic growth when communicating with potential stakeholders. The organization is now able to quantify its impact and value the cost of their programs when considering community partnerships. Additionally, +BOX is enthusiastic about its goal to prioritize staff retention as it creates its budget for the coming year.
“Our engagement with SVP was invaluable. +BOX is an early state nonprofit, and SVP was able to guide our board and team toward a shared vision for the future and a strategic plan to get there…the leadership on the project was fantastic and our team Is delighted with the outcome.” - Wesley Burt, +Box Founder & Executive Director
The strategic planning process has given this young nonprofit a roadmap to grow its impact and achieve its goal of driving healthy change in the San Diego food support system.