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ToP® Strategic Planning

Weave facilitation methods into a full planning process
your group will actually execute.

Two days. A complete strategic planning methodology. The natural next step after ToP® Facilitation Methods.

ToP® Training / ToP® Strategic Planning

Strategic planning doesn't have to be intimidating. ToP® Strategic Planning breaks the process into manageable pieces so you can trust the methodology and trust the group. The same framework works for teams, organizations, collaboratives, and communities.

Why This Course

A complete strategic process. From vision to execution.

Ready to help organizations, coalitions, and communities move beyond action plans to navigate more complex change?

In ToP® Strategic Planning, you'll weave individual ToP® methods into a comprehensive, step-by-step approach that guides groups through their most important strategic questions — from vision to execution.

Strategic planning doesn't have to be intimidating. This course breaks the process into manageable pieces so you can trust the methodology and trust the group. The same framework works for teams, organizations, collaboratives, and communities — and the thinking shapes how you approach strategy in every area of your life.

What You'll Leave Able to Do

Concrete skills. Ready Monday morning.

You don't just leave with notes. You leave with specific capabilities you can use in the meetings and processes you're already leading.

Help groups creatively visualize and agree on their ideal future.

Move past the abstract "where do we want to be" conversation into shared, vivid agreement on what success looks like.

Help groups honestly confront their most stubborn blocks to success.

Surface the underlying contradictions that keep getting in the way — the things groups usually talk around instead of through.

Align groups around powerful, innovative shared intentions.

Strategic directions that move the organization forward — not committee-speak that nobody owns.

Define measurable goals the group actually owns.

Goals that come from the group rather than imposed on it. The ones that actually get pursued.

Commit groups to accountable plans of action.

Action plans that don't sit on a shelf. Built so the group can implement them — and adjust them when reality changes.

Who This Is For

Built for the people who lead the work.

Board members and executive directors
Senior administrators
Managers and team coordinators
Facilitators, trainers, and consultants
Organizational change agents
Community change strategists
Project and team leaders
Policy analysts
Human resource professionals
Community leaders
The Format

How the course actually runs.

Duration

Two full days, in person. 16 contact hours.

Delivery

Small cohort size with hands-on practice on real strategic scenarios.

Approach

You leave not just understanding the process — but confident in your ability to lead it.

What's Included

Everything you need to build the skill.

Your registration includes everything you need to put the methods to work — during the course and after it.

📘

The official ToP® Strategic Planning step-by-step manual and resource guide

A comprehensive reference you'll use long after the course ends. The methods, the designs, the templates, and the examples — all in one place.

🤝

One hour of coaching with one of your course trainers

Scheduled within 90 days of course completion. Bring a real challenge — a session you're designing, a group dynamic you're navigating, a process that's stuck — and we'll work through it together.

🌾

Access to the Great Plains ToP Community of Practice

Quarterly gatherings of ToP® practitioners across the region. Keep your skills sharp, learn from others, stay connected to the work.

Credentials & Continuing Education

Credit where credit is due.

CTF Pathway

ToP® Strategic Planning is one of the two core courses on the path to the Certified ToP® Facilitator (CTF) credential — the international professional standard for ToP® practitioners.

Continuing Education Hours
13.5
CHES/MCHES
14.5
AICP
14
PDU
Prerequisites

ToP® Facilitation Methods (TFM) is required.

This course builds directly on the Focused Conversation and Consensus Workshop methods — you'll weave them into a full planning process, so you need fluency with both before starting.

What Participants Say

From people who took this course.

The ToP Strategic Planning course provides a well-defined, concrete method to guide a strategic planning process while still building in flexibility to accommodate the unique needs and dynamics of the group.

Lesley Reeder
Senior Consultant in Healthcare

Simply amazing. Totally participatory by design without having to silence or purposely amplify the participants. It is a structured process that if followed will prove to be successful.

Ian Johnson, MBA
Workforce Development Director & Independent Consultant

This training provides the framework for doing strategic planning that includes all voices from an organization — from the CEO to the boots on the ground — and values all voices equally.

Jessica Seberger
Health Program Manager
Pricing

Tiered pricing. Built for who you are.

Pricing is tiered based on organization type and budget — so participants from small nonprofits and large corporates pay rates that match their context. Choose the tier that fits.

Corporate / Large Nonprofit (>$5M)
$1,250
Public / Government
$1,050
Individual / Mid-sized Nonprofit ($1–5M)
$950
Small Nonprofit / Student
$650

Student rate available with valid student ID. If pricing is a barrier — please reach out. We want the right people in the room.

Upcoming Cohorts

When the next cohort starts.

No public cohort scheduled at the moment. Join the waitlist and we'll let you know as soon as the next one is announced — or reach out about an in-house cohort for your team.

Join the Waitlist
Common Questions

Asked & answered.

Do I need to take ToP® Facilitation Methods before this course?+
Yes. TSP weaves the Focused Conversation and Consensus Workshop methods into a full planning arc — you need fluency with both before starting. See ToP® Facilitation Methods.
How long does a real strategic planning engagement take?+
A complete TSP-style engagement typically runs as a multi-day retreat or a phased process over 4–8 weeks, depending on the size of the group and the complexity of what they're planning. The course teaches you the design of the process — you adapt the timeline to the engagement.
How is this different from traditional strategic planning?+
Traditional strategic planning often produces a document. ToP® Strategic Planning is built to produce a plan the group actually owns and executes — because the group itself co-creates every part of it. The phases are designed to keep the energy and ownership in the room, not in a binder afterward.
Does this qualify for continuing education credits?+
Yes. CHES/MCHES (13.5 hours), AICP (14.5 hours), and PDU (14 hours).
Will I be able to lead a strategic planning retreat after this course?+
Yes — that's the explicit aim. You leave with the design, the methods, and the practice you need to lead a planning process. Your one hour of post-course coaching is often used to design a real upcoming engagement.
Can my organization run an in-house cohort instead of sending people to a public one?+
Yes — in-house cohorts work well when you want a leadership team or a full board to share the same vocabulary and method. Reach out about an in-house cohort.
What's included in the price?+
The official ToP® Strategic Planning manual and resource guide, one hour of coaching with one of your course trainers (scheduled within 90 days), and ongoing access to the Great Plains ToP Community of Practice.

Ready to build the skill?

Whether you're ready to register for the next cohort or you'd like to talk through whether ToP® Strategic Planning is the right fit — both paths are open.