Your Chapter Strategic plan is the cornerstone of all of your members and leadership's time, work and care. You cannot be effective without one. It is your compass and will keep the Chapter on track over time to its goals.
Below are tools to help your Council develop a strategic plan. Chapter Affairs can also faciliate a plan, please contact chapters@acc.org for more information.
Strategic Planning
A goal consists of your purpose and objective.
Strategy is the long-term action plan to reach goals.
Strategic plans are broadly-defined plans aimed at creating a desired future. They encompasses action plan(s). Strategic planning serves a variety of purposes in organization:
- Clearly defines the purpose of the chapter
- Provides a baseline from which progress can be measured and establish a
mechanism for informed change when needed.
- Establishes realistic goals and objectives consistent with that mission in a defined
time frame within the chapter’s capacity for implementation
- Communicates goals and objectives to the organization’s constituents (members)
- Ensures the most effective use of resources though a prioritization process
- Develops a sense of ownership of the plan and bridges staff and Chapter Council
- Produces great satisfaction among planners around a common vision
- Increases productivity from increased efficiency and effectiveness
- Solves major problems
An action plan consists of the specific steps that must be taken or activities that must be performed well for a strategy to succeed. It is included in the strategic plan.
Tactics are near term actions taken to solve specific problems or accomplish specific goals. These are elements of an action plan.
Success is the accomplishment of an intended purpose.
Attached please find a goal 
worksheet to help you on your way to success.
Example:
The D2B program sought to reduce time the door-to-balloon goal interval to no more than 90 minutes.
The hospital enrollment project was a successful phase of the program.
The D2B program is a part of an ongoing strategy of many projects directed at the goal of improved clincal outcomes in heart failure.
9 Steps To A Strategic Plan
No matter the kind of organization — whether you educate, advocate or do quality improvement work, as the saying goes — “if you fail to plan, then you’re really planning to fail.”
Creating a strategy can mean the difference between your Chapter surviving, thriving or being irrevlant.
So what is strategic organizational management?
Very simply, it’s the process of defining the goals and objectives for your Chapter and creating an action plan so you can reach them. Then follow the plan.
How do you create a strategic plan for your Chapter?
1. First, know what your vision for your organization is. If there were no barriers, nothing stopping you from taking your Chapter as far as you could — what would that look like? How would you change your state, country or world?
2. Next, identify your Chapter's core operating values? What are its guiding principles? In other words, why do you exsist and how are you valuable?
3. Now create a 3 to 5 year plan. Your long-term plan is based on the broad objectives that will help you get from where you are now, to where you want to be. Take into account your enviroment, and think outside of the box when deciding how to serve your constituency. (Strategic Plan)
4. Develop a plan for this year. These are the specific objectives you plan to accomplish this year that will lead you closer to your long-term goals. (Action Plan)
Remember to be “SMART” when setting your annual goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-oriented). Include a list of the barriers that are stopping you from getting where you want to go. Figure out what resources you’ve already got, and what resources you need to get you past those barriers. And then create an action plan that clearly lays out how you will achieve your goals. Involve key staff and leaders with this part of the planning process.
5. Create a set of milestones or benchmarks. This is very important, so that you can measure your progress. Think in seasons or quarters, and set realistic goals. Hold the organization to them.
6. Share the plan with everyone. Your annual strategy is the roadmap that will make sure everyone ends up at the same destination — but to be effective, everyone needs the same map! It is also a marketing tool for your members to understand what the Chapter does.
7. Put the plan into action. Now that you have the roadmap, it’s time to begin the journey.
8. Check your progress. Just like any trip, you need to check the map every now and then; to be sure you’re still on the right road. If something isn’t working, the sooner you figure it out and make the necessary adjustments, the sooner you’ll be back on track.
9. Follow the same cycle next year. (Dream, Plan, Act, Check).
Creating a strategy and following it will ensure that you enjoy the journey as much as getting to your final destination.