Strategy & Planning

Providing tailored strategies and plans that turn purpose into progress.

Good strategy gives your organisation direction, confidence and a shared sense of purpose.

At Almond Tree Consulting, we help charities, CICs and other non-profits translate vision into clear, achievable plans – practical enough to deliver and flexible enough to adapt.

We don’t write strategies that gather dust. We work with you to create plans that inspire your team, reassure your trustees and build the confidence of funders and partners.

Why Strategic Planning Matters

When everyone understands the plan, energy goes into making a difference – not debating direction

A clear, actionable strategy helps your organisation:

  • Stay focused on purpose and values.

  • Prioritise where to invest limited time and funding.

  • Communicate goals confidently to funders and stakeholders.

  • Make informed decisions and manage risk effectively.

  • Measure impact and celebrate progress

How We Help

We act as collaborators and critical friends, helping you identify priorities, explore options and challenge assumptions constructively.

Common challenges we help address

  • Outdated or missing strategy documents.

  • Unclear or competing priorities.

  • Difficult transitions or post-merger integration.

  • Uncertainty around income sustainability.

  • Lack of clarity on what you won’t do or you might stop doing in the future.

  • Teams or boards losing momentum or focus.

Reviewing or developing organisational strategies – your aims and objectives, the services you’ll provide, the income or funding you’ll need and how to deploy your resources and assets.

  • Business planning that balances ambition with sustainability.

  • Facilitating away days and strategy workshops for boards and leadership teams.

  • Turning strategic goals into operational plans with measures of success.

  • Developing detailed implementation plans to accompany your top-level plan

The strategies and plans we produce are short, clear and practical, communicating what you intend to do in a concise and compelling way.

Our Approach

Review

Understand your current situation, challenges and opportunities.

Recommend

Facilitate discussion and agree priorities with clear, achievable actions.

Strengthen

Support implementation through practical advice, coaching and follow-up reviews.

Not sure where to start with your next plan? Subscribe to our free monthly insights for practical strategy tips and real-world examples.

If you’d like to discuss your organisation’s next phase of development, email julian@almondtreeconsulting.co.uk.

  • "Professional, insightful and reinvigorating – Julian helped us regain clarity and direction...."

    “Commissioning Almond Tree Consulting to undertake a strategic review was thought-provoking and stimulating for our Trustees. Julian’s engagement, professionalism and insight reinvigorated the organisation with clarity and long-term direction.”

    – Grant McNaughton, Hospital Broadcasting Association -

  • "Brought shape, pace and experience – all delivered with a light touch..."

    “I want to put on record my huge thanks to you Julian for your contribution over the summer - for bringing shape, pace, and your experience of charity fundraising and strategy to our work, all delivered with a light touch.”

    – Richard, Amber Crisis Pregnancy Care -

  • "Transformative facilitation that built a stronger leadership team and organisation...."

    “We have worked with Julian to develop our new business and implementation plan.  He is a true professional, reliable, committed and dedicated.  In a very short time, he became fully conversant with the complexity of Southern Brooks.  Through his professional networks he was able to introduce us to projects across the country. His facilitation has transformed Southern Brooks.  We have a new leadership team and organisational structure which will ensure we are able to respond to opportunities and challenges over the next 5 years.”

    – Julie Close, Southern Brooks Community Partnerships -

  • "Julian Lomas of Almond Tree Consulting has twice advised us on our strategy and business planning..."

    “Julian Lomas of Almond Tree Consulting has twice advised us on our strategy and business planning. Each time we have been very pleased with the results, which really helped us to move our organisation forward during a challenging time for the voluntary sector. I value Julian’s enthusiasm and creativity, as well as his reliability and attention to detail. His knowledge of other CVSs and the ‘infrastructure’ sector as a whole has also been of great benefit.”

    - Chris Barrett, Council for Voluntary Service Uttlesford -