Strategy
Ross Strategic has an outstanding track record of helping foundations, non-profits, and local, state, and federal agencies chart their strategic direction. Our assistance ranges from facilitating one-day highly interactive strategic retreats to developing comprehensive, actionable strategic plans. Strategy truly suffuses everything we do.
We tailor every process to client's needs using effective brainstorming techniques, collaboration tools, and facilitation strategies. We believe that strategy development is a process (not just a product) requiring commitment and on-going attention to achieve desired results. We help our clients establish institutional capacity to carry out processes and implement plans after our contracts are completed.
Helping Organizations Reach Their Full Potential
Our staff are system thinkers, public policy experts, researchers, and planners with decades of experience in helping organizations chart their strategic direction. Learn about our approach to strategic planning and recent project examples in this fact sheet.
Related Projects
University of Minnesota Energy Transition Lab Strategic Planning
Ross Strategic led a strategic planning process for the Energy Transition Lab (ETL) at the University of Minnesota to guide its next five-year phase of work and expansion. Working with a project team and stakeholder advisory committee—and drawing on a series of interviews and interactive workshops—the Ross team helped ETL identify priority areas of focus to contribute to the Midwest’s transition to a clean energy future and key functional areas (e.g., research, policy advising, strategic communications) as it sought to be a bridge between university researchers and Midwest policymakers. In addition to developing a comprehensive strategic plan, the Ross team worked with ETL leadership and staff to craft a workplan and schedule to guide five years of implementation.
Washington State Energy Strategy Advisory Committee
Ross Strategic led facilitation of the Advisory Committee which convened to advise on the state’s 2021 energy strategy, a deep decarbonization roadmap for Washington. The committee was composed of 26 members representing a broad spectrum of public and private sector interests. Over the course of a year, they discussed policies and actions for fair and reasonable prices, economic growth, and pathways to meet the State’s goal of net zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. The Ross team designed and facilitated a series of in-person and virtual meetings to move committee members through a process of scoping, identification, analysis, and prioritization.
Oregon Department of Energy Strategic Plan
Ross Strategic developed a multi-year strategic plan for the Oregon Department of Energy (ODOE) to align the Department’s actions with the goals described in the state’s 10-Year Energy Action Plan. We collected information from individual teams through a series of working sessions, translated the information into a map of work areas, and then examined and refined the work areas to identify gaps and opportunities. We then worked with ODOE leadership to identify specific strategies and actions to meet ODOE’s goals and responsibilities, develop measurable outcomes, refine progress indicators, and confirm timelines for action.
University of Texas Energy Institute
Ross Strategic developed a five year strategic plan for the Energy Institute to bring strategic focus and attention to key areas that sustain and enhance the ability of the Institute to fulfill its mission. The strategic plan sought to identify strengths and weaknesses, ascertain opportunities, and sharpen thinking around strategic options to lay the groundwork for the future course of the Institute. In addition, Ross Strategic helped the Institute to craft new mission and vision statements and more closely align its website and branding with the University of Texas.
Prince William County Service Authority Strategic Plan
Ross Strategic helped an executive team and staff from PWCSA articulate a bold vision for the future with Six Areas of Excellence and a clear set of actionable steps to reach their goals. The Strategic Plan created a framework for annual business goals and ensured that every department’s day-to-day operations not only support near-term business needs but also remain well aligned with the mid- to long-term outcomes the Service Authority strives to achieve.
McKnight Foundation Strategic Planning and Strategy "Refreshes"
Ross Strategic has worked with multiple programs–from climate and energy to the arts–to help the McKnight Foundation create new program strategies and refresh existing strategies as new priorities have emerged. Anchored in a "What? So What? Now What?" process of learning and direction-setting, these strategic planning efforts have helped program teams chart a shared course and helped them communicate funding strategies to their board and external partners.