No one plans to fail… they just fail to plan. Do you have a plan for your ministry? A good plan helps you understand what you need to do to accomplish your goals and helps you make decisions about time, staff, and finances. Planning allows you to do things now to make these future events a reality. But how do you develop a plan? There are two basic types of plans – strategic plans and action plans. Strategic plans (or master plans) are documents that establish ministry objectives for several years and determine the direction of your ministry. Often these plans are made in special planning meetings by the senior leaders with input from various stakeholders. Action plans are plans to carry out specific parts of the overall strategic plan. These include plans for programs and events, such as camps, conferences, training events, or other projects. Below are some resources from CIVICUS that can help you plan more effectively.