Grameen Foundation India: Strategic Planning Process

Background

Grameen Foundation (GF) is a leading global nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering the world’s poorest population, with a particular emphasis on women, to create a world without poverty and hunger. Grameen Foundation leverages digital technology, data, and a network of people in the field to provide the world’s poorest with access to essential tools and resources such as financial, health, and agricultural products and services, enabling them to elevate their everyday realities and achieve better lives.

Business Problem

Grameen Foundation required a comprehensive, evidence-based growth plan for Grameen Foundation India (GFI), its largest operating entity, to clearly define a path to GFI becoming financially self-sustaining. Grameen Foundation sought a consultant with experience in strategic planning in the nonprofit/social enterprise space to deliver a strategic plan that considered competitive analysis, fundraising, programmatic and financial stewardship, and compliance with organizational development needs.

Solution

Callan Consulting performed a multi-stage strategic planning process, starting with a brainstorming workshop to identify GFI’s objectives and requirements for success, followed by an extensive internal and external discovery phase consisting of dozens of interviews with key Grameen Foundation and GFI team members as well as donors, partners, and ecosystem players. Next, Callan Consulting conducted a mid-point workshop to review discovery findings and develop a strategic direction, share a gap analysis, and outline a strawman plan. After creating a draft plan, Callan Consulting hosted one final workshop to review the plan and gather input from Grameen Foundation before finalizing strategy development and presenting to the Grameen Foundation board.

Results

The new strategic plan served as a foundation for Grameen Foundation to implement a series of substantial changes to clarify Grameen Foundation and GFI’s personnel and organizational focus, which were instrumental in GFI’s ability to source and secure more sizeable projects. Since the beginning of the project in 2020, GFI’s overall revenues have approximately doubled, putting it well on track for financial sustainability.

Client Feedback

“Callan Consulting did a tremendous job coming in and understanding the nuances of the Grameen Foundation India organization. Callan Consulting helped us develop the plan for the Grameen Foundation’s various entities to work more efficiently as a team globally and locally. In a donor market where some organizations are giving locally, and others are giving globally, a defined strategy for engaging the target audience is crucial. Callan Consulting was pivotal in helping Grameen Foundation foster global synergy, which led to winning more substantial deals.’’