The act of strategic planning is one sign that a nonprofit organization has achieved a level of maturity separating it from other nonprofit organizations.  Rather than living from day to day, the leaders of a “mature” nonprofit make a conscious decision to attempt to take control of its future rather than leaving it to the vagaries of happenstance.  This course, therefore, takes strategic planning down to the practical level hence the use of the adjective “practical” which is taken from the title of the key text we will use: “Practical Strategic Planning” authored by William P. Anthony.  The use of the word practical refers to the goal of our process which is to produce a document that is useful rather than taking the form of an abstract document that once completed will simply stay on a desk top or bookshelf.  The course will instead produce a useful document that is specific and plans across the major systems of programming, human resource, business, and resource development.  The major course objective will be to equip its participants with the tools necessary to translate generalized program goals into reality.