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SOAR Analysis š¦
What is it?
SOAR stands for Strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations, and Results. Itās a strengths-based strategic planning framework that shifts attention from gaps and threats (like SWOT) to whatās working and what could be.
How it works.
SOAR, simply put, is a framework to audit your aspirations. At the start of a project or organisational re-positioning, ask yourself, or your team, the following questions:
Strengths. What do we do exceptionally well? What resources or skills set us apart?
Opportunities. What trends, partnerships, or gaps could we leverage?
Aspirations. What is our vision for the future? What difference do we want to make?
Results. How will we measure success? What are the key indicators of impact and progress?
This isnāt rocket science, and many of you will already be doing some form of this. But Iām always saddened to learn how little time leaders are able to carve out for strategic thinking. A friendly reminder:, the possibility of mission creep is very real. Iām seeing a lot of well-meaning, well-established NGOs at the moment fail to realise that their futures are being eaten by smaller, more-focused nonprofits and/or shifts in funder priorities. Regular reflection is vital.
When to use it.
Youāre a media NGO advocating for press freedomā use SOAR to leverage your global network and an upcoming summit to amplify impact.
Youāre a foundation trying out participatory grantmakingāuse SOAR to uncover your role in fostering equity by setting clear aspirations and plans for shifting power to grantees.
Youāre a misinfo nonprofit scaling an education programāSOAR can guide you to identify successful teaching models and align them with opportunities in new underserved regions.
Youāre a climate action coalition pivoting strategiesāSOAR helps you turn advocacy wins into expanded campaigns tied to measurable carbon reduction goals.
Youāre a community arts initiative building partnershipsāSOAR may bring clarity as you co-develop new creative ideas with folks on the ground.
Why it works.
Mission-driven organisations often struggle to balance execution (outputs) and impact (outcomes).
SOAR helps clarify both by rooting strategy in vision and values while staying action-oriented. Personally, I find SOAR energises teams much more than other strategic frameworks developed for corporate settings. And SOAR is inherently collaborative and inclusive - that builds buy-in and shared ownership among communities, teams and partners.
Get started.
Gather your team: Involve key stakeholders, including staff, beneficiaries, and partners. Use the SOAR categories as prompts to explore strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results collaboratively. Identify priorities where your strengths and opportunities align with your aspirations and measurable results. Then develop action steps, ensuring each one ties to a clear outcome.
Take it to the next level.
Use the āOpportunitiesā section to brainstorm future scenarios and what-if strategies. Map how emerging trends or risks (like AI, policy changes, or market shifts) could amplify or challenge your strengths.
Use SOAR as a decision filter. Focus only on projects that leverage strengths, seize key opportunities, and align with aspirations while delivering measurable results.
Create a living team document of your strengths, updated quarterly. Think beyond internal capabilities to include community assets, partnerships, and intangible resources like reputation or trust.
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