By Chris Stevenson, Consultant, and DeVon Hankins, Strategic Partner for Operational Performance & Innovation

You’ve heard it before and we’ll say it again: “If you fail to plan, you plan to fail.”
It’s true; we believe strategic planning is at the heart of every mission-driven organization’s success. But even if you have everyone’s energy and buy-in around planning, many leaders and their team members face a disappointing result: hours spent crafting detailed plans, only to see the finished product sit unused with little or unfocused progress toward achieving their carefully crafted goals. We’ve heard this story time and again, so we’ve teamed up with Causey, a revolutionary online platform designed to simplify, streamline, and supercharge strategic planning.

Why Causey Matters
Causey isn’t just another planning tool—it’s a solution for the common hurdles that derail even the most well-intentioned strategic plan. Whether the plan is overly complex, the team isn’t behind it, or it’s difficult to track progress, Causey provides practical, innovative ways to ensure your organization not only accurately records its plans but executes them successfully.

1. Turning Vision into Action
   One of the biggest pitfalls nonprofits face is overreaching without sufficient resources. Causey’s built-in goal measurement and progress-tracking features empower organizations to set realistic goals and adjust strategies as needed. By breaking down big-picture visions into manageable steps, Causey keeps teams focused on what’s achievable while maintaining momentum.
   The Speed Art Museum, whose team recently completed a strategic planning process with Ashley|Rountree’s facilitation, is leveraging Causey.
   “We are excited to have a tool to help us document the great progress we are making with our plan,” said Catherine Surratt, Chief Operating and Business Officer at the Speed.
2. Simplifying the Complex
   It’s easy for strategic plans to become overly complex, filled with jargon and lengthy explanations that overwhelm teams. Causey offers a simple, intuitive structure for documenting Pillars, Goals, Initiatives, Action Items, and Assignments. This clarity not only makes plans more accessible but ensures everyone on your team knows what they need to do and why it matters.
3. Engaging the Entire Team
   The best plans involve input from the whole team. Causey makes collaboration seamless, allowing team members to access, view, and contribute to the plan. This collective engagement ensures the final strategy reflects diverse perspectives, builds buy-in, and fosters a sense of shared ownership.
4. Empowering Champions
   Every successful plan needs champions—individuals who drive progress and keep teams accountable. Causey allows you to assign champions to specific goals, metrics, or action items. Automated reminders and tracking tools keep these leaders informed and motivated, creating a culture of accountability and enthusiasm.
5. Measuring Success
   Tracking progress is essential to any strategic plan’s success. Causey enables regular reviews, goal scoring, and updates for boards and staff to ensure everyone is aligned and aware of where the organization stands. By focusing on a manageable set of metrics, your team can clearly see where progress is being made and where adjustments are needed.
   

Celebrating Wins
Our Ashley|Rountree team knows that celebrating milestones is vital to maintaining a positive and motivated team. Causey helps organizations highlight achievements along the way, reinforcing success and inspiring teams to push for more.
“Causey is the planning software we needed to ensure we are keeping our museum’s activities on schedule and within budget,” said Erika Holmquist-Wall, chief curator at the Speed. “I’m really looking forward to using the reporting features to keep us aligned and as a way to celebrate our success.”

Transforming Strategic Planning Together
Our partnership with Causey allows Ashley|Rountree to bring the latest in strategic planning technology to nonprofits, making it easier than ever to create actionable, trackable plans. Together, we’re empowering organizations to achieve their goals with clarity, collaboration, and confidence.

Ready to transform your approach to managing and monitoring your strategic plan progress? Give us a call to learn more, we can schedule a demo, or assist you in uploading your strategic plan. Our partnership with Causey allows us to offer discounted subscription rates to our clients. Let’s work together to turn your strategic vision into measurable success.

To learn more, please contact DeVon Hankins at dhankins@ashleyrountree.com