Clarify Your Strategy
Strategic planning is essential for local public media organizations navigating constrained resources, changing community needs, and an increasingly complex operating and funding environment. A clear, realistic plan helps station leaders focus priorities, align people and resources, make informed tradeoffs, and move forward with confidence - even when conditions are uncertain.
Cohort Update
Earlier this year, Local News Catalyst offered a free strategic planning cohort opportunity for small and mid-sized public media organizations. The application window has now closed, and 30 stations are currently participating in a year-long strategic planning process.
Participating stations are focusing on:
- Clear priorities and realistic goals
- Alignment between mission, operations, and finances
- Practical next steps that can be implemented with existing capacity
As this work progresses, selected lessons, insights, and tools will be shared on this page so that other stations can benefit from what’s being learned.
Ways to Engage in Strategic Planning
Even though the cohort application process has closed, stations still have options for engaging in structured, effective strategic planning.
Work with Public Media Company
Public Media Company works directly with local public media organizations on strategic planning engagements tailored to their size, context, and challenges. This approach is well suited for stations seeking deeper facilitation, board engagement, or customized support related to strategy, governance, financial sustainability, and organizational alignment. Other local and national
Stations may also choose to work with other local or national providers to support their strategic planning. What matters most is finding an approach and partner that fit your organization’s size, capacity, and goals.
Use a Lighter-Touch Planning Approach
Stations may also be interested in a lighter-touch option such as PlanPerfect, the same strategic planning platform supporting the current cohort work.
This option allows stations to work through a structured planning process independently, without the time or cost of a traditional consulting engagement, while still benefiting from a clear framework and guided tools. Stations working with PlanPerfect may also receive selected insights and guidance emerging from the cohort work as it progresses.
Take Advantage of Free Resources
Local public media organizations can also strengthen their planning work by drawing on free, self-serve resources that support clearer thinking and better decision-making.
As a starting point, Public Media Company offers a large library of free webinars on strategic planning, scenario and contingency planning, budgeting, and financial sustainability, with practical frameworks stations can apply on their own. The Local News Catalyst Resilience Hub also includes related tools and guidance.
- View PMC webinars (strategic planning, contingency planning, budgeting, etc.)
- Review and download the resilience guide
In some cases, a board member or trusted community member with relevant experience may also be able to help facilitate planning work at little or no cost, especially when paired with clear frameworks and shared resources.
Why Strategic Planning Matters
Strategic planning helps local public media organizations navigate change, prioritize limited resources, and protect essential local service. It gives leaders, staff, and boards a shared roadmap - aligning mission, operations, and finances, and supporting decisions grounded in data and community needs.
Done well, strategic planning also helps organizations prepare for uncertainty through scenario and contingency planning, connect budgeting to priorities, and stay focused on what matters most as conditions evolve.
If you have questions or would like support as you think about developing or refreshing a strategic plan for your organization, please contact us - we’re happy to help you explore options.