By Gail Dexter Lord and Kate Markert

Chapter 1
WHY Conduct a Strategic Plan?
1.1 Forces of Change
1.2 Understanding Your Cultural Organization
1.3 The Significance of Foundations Statements
Case Study 1.1: The Guggenheim Bilbao Strategic Vision 2020
Case Study 1.2: Why do you Need Libraries Anyway? The County of Los Angeles Public Library Strategic Plan: A Case Study
Case Study 1.3: Soft Power and The Gardiner Museum's Strategic Plan
Chapter 2
WHEN to Conduct a Strategic Plan
2.1 Professional Standards
2.2 New Director
2.3 New Circumstances
2.4 New and Renewed Facilities and New Location
2.5 Readiness Checklist
Case Study 2.1: It's Time for Strategic Planning at the Whitney Museum of American Art
Case Study 2.2: A New Strategic Direction for the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture
Chapter 3
WHO AND WHAT: The Structure of Strategic Planning
3.1 Leadership
3.2 Facilitation
3.3 The Ten Steps of Strategic Planning
Case Study 3.1: Tafelmusik's Strategic Plan for Acoustical Excellence
Case Study 3.2: Benefits of Strategic Planning in Science Centers
Chapter 4
HOW: Methods of Engagement
4.1 Principles of Strategic Planning
4.2 Internal Assessment
4.2.3 Using Technology
4.3 External Assessment
Case Study 4.1: Why Strategic Planning for Cultural Organizations Needs to Include the City
Case Study 4.2: How Art League Houston Engaged Communities
Chapter 5
From Problems to Strategies
5.1 Thinking Strategically
5.2 Identifying Key Issues
5.3 Comparison and Benchmarking
5.4 Construction of Scenarios
Case Study 5.1: The Role of Strategic Planning in Formalizing and Communicating the Changing Role of the Toronto Zoo
Case Study 5.2: A New Governance Strategy for the Tom Thomson Art Gallery
Chapter 6
From Strategies to Goals: The Strategic Planning Retreat
6.1 Setting Realistic Objectives for the Retreat
6.2 The Retreat Agenda
6.3 Retreat Report
Case Study 6.1: Creativity is Center Stage in Strategic Planning for Roundabout Theatre Company
Chapter 7
From Goals to Objectives and Tasks
7.1 Strategic Planning Workbook
7.2 Facilitating the Staff Process
Case Study 7.1: Henry Ford Estate - Fair Lane: A 21st Century Blueprint for an Iconic Historic Home
Chapter 8
Implementing the Plan
8.1 Detailing the Plan
8.2 The Financials in the Plan
8.3 The Budget and the Plan
8.4 Alignment with the Organization's Long-Range Plans
8.5 Alignment with Human Resources Strategy
8.6 Alignment of Staff and Board
8.7 The Public Dimension: Communicating the Plan
Case Study 8.1: A Great Garden of the World -- Our Planning Story
Chapter 9
Evaluating the Strategic Plan
9.1 The Board's Role in Evaluation
9.2 Involving All Board Committees
9.3 Staff Roles in Evaluating the Plan
9.4 The Bigger Question: Are These the Right Goals? Or, Is It Time for a New Plan?
Case Study 9.1: Measuring What Matters in Strategic Planning
Case Study 9.2: Using Metrics to Further Alignment at Hillwood
Chapter 10
Conclusion: What Can Go Wrong and How to Fix It