The goal of this workbook is to provide a framework for African-American congregations of 50 - 500 members to use in developing a strategic plan.

Exercising proper stewardship involves making decisions about your assets and your opportunities. These decisions, if made only for the moment and without consideration of their consequences, can result in poor stewardship. Planning involves anticipating as much as possible the future impact of current decisions, much more than it involves future decisions, so that we can invest our resources (finance, personnel, programs, ministries, facilities, reputation) effectively.

The foundation for planning is the Church's vision - a clear and challenging picture of the future. A strategic plan will help a congregation align its goals and objectives with the vision of the church. It provides a basis for unity of focus, motivation, stewardship, assessment and communication.

Strategic planning is an on-going process of direction-finding that provides a context for the future in making present decisions. It is a process that looks outward as well as inward and is focused on keeping the Church in step with the changing environment - both internal and external.
Adrienne Heard has a BA in Personnel Management from Michigan State University, an MBA in Management and Finance from the University of Dayton and an Ohio SBDC CBA (Certified Business Advisor(R)) designation from the University of Toledo. Adrienne Heard established a career in business administration with a number of Fortune 500 companies as well as with not-for-profit and privately-held firms.

Heard Management was formed in 1993 to provide these planning and staff development services on a consulting basis. Heard Management is a minority female owned sole proprietorship consulting firm specializing in management consulting services which include business plans, strategic plans, action plans, management accounting, standard operating procedures, training & development, coaching and problem solving. Using training and experience from a variety of workplace settings, Heard Management develops management tools to help organizations succeed. The emphasis is on "Procedures to Prevent Problems".