WHAT IS A VISION STATEMENT?

Vision is your statement of your future. What will be your PRIMARY focus in a particular time frame you specify. Vision can be general but the more specific it is, the more easily you can focus on the end goal. Many organizational visions are two to three years out. Farther, and the environment may change too much. Closer, and there isn’t enough time to work out long range plans. Vision should change every time you plan for your future. Vision is shared and pursued by the organization but is not a public statement. Sample vision statements can be structured as follows:

  1. By _____ (time) ________ (organization) will be the ________ (position or role) in the _________ (geographic area) [If your primary goal is to define new publics to serve]
  2. By _____ (time) ________ (organization) will serve ________ (# of people or growth rate) in the _________ (geographic area) [If your primary goal is to grow]
  3. By _____ (time) _________ (organization) will grow its board to ________ (# of people or growth rate) and fundraise/create an endowment of _________ (% of its operating funds) [If your primary goal is to increase funding/board strength]
These vision statements are structured to be very specific for organizations that feel specificity is important. Vision statements can also be written to be general and broad holding up an ideal, as opposed to a specific goal, in mind. For example:
  1. We at __________ (organization) seek to make/create/provide _____________ (an
    ideal) for _________ (a group of people or individuals) in order that ___________
    (another ideal) is accomplished.

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