Charting a Bold Future: The Launch Pad's Strategic Planning Journey
Industry: Nonprofit
Location: Chattanooga, TN
Service: Strategic Planning Services
Results:
Created a 5-year strategic plan rooted in community and stakeholder insight
Strengthened board engagement and clarity on future vision
Increased strategic planning confidence by 33%, with a 9.6/10 satisfaction score
About The Launch Pad
The Launch Pad, a Chattanooga-based nonprofit dedicated to helping women reclaim their lives from addiction, engaged Bridge Innovate to lead a comprehensive strategic planning effort. The goal: to create a clear, actionable strategic roadmap to expand their impact while remaining grounded in their mission of healing, sobriety, and recovery.
The Challenge
After years of steady growth and an increasing demand for services, The Launch Pad faced a pivotal moment. Their leadership team knew that future success depended on thoughtful, mission-driven planning that aligned community needs, operational capacity, and long-term vision. They sought a strategic planning process that would deeply engage residents, staff, board members, and community partners alike—one that would not only surface big ideas, but also forge a path to bring those ideas to life.
The Solution
Bridge Innovate led The Launch Pad through a three-phase strategic planning journey:
Phase I - Charter the Project
We partnered with the Sponsor Team to clarify goals, timelines, and success measures—ensuring a strong foundation for collaborative work ahead.
Phase II - Research Phase
This phase focused on inclusive insight gathering:
• One-on-one sessions and group workshops with residents, staff, board, and community stakeholders
• A SWOT survey and analysis of internal trends
• External scans of peer organizations and emerging best practices in recovery-focused nonprofits
This broad input grounded the plan in real needs and opportunities.
Phase III - Design Phase
In a series of working sessions, we helped The Launch Pad team synthesize insights, prioritize key strategy drivers, and co-create a shared vision of the future. The process culminated in the articulation of bold strategic initiatives designed to expand holistic care, strengthen operations, and ensure long-term sustainability.
The Results
The result is a five-year strategic plan that balances aspiration with action. The Launch Pad now has a unified roadmap to guide decision-making, align resources, and engage stakeholders across the organization and community. The plan sets the stage for expanding services, deepening impact, and launching more women into whole and healthy lives.
The team involved in the strategic planning effort displayed significant growth throughout. During the Strategy Design Session, we were able to capture understanding scores reported before and after the session, focusing on key areas in the strategic planning process. One of the participants remarked on the experience:
Your team is terrific! You had the patience to work with a large group of passionate board members and staff and lead them through the process of discerning the critical next steps for The Launch Pad. The research done by your team was a critical part of getting everyone focused on what best practices and growing tools needed for future success. Thank you so much for your hospitality and making each of our voices heard and respected. I am incredibly excited to see this plan executed and to see where we are in five years!
Growth Scores
Overall Satisfaction Score: 9.6 / 10
Average Pre-Workshop Understanding: 7.0 / 10
Average Post-Workshop Understanding: 9.3 / 10
Average Participant Growth in Understanding: 32.85%
*self-reported score by participants on 05.09.25
Need help getting started with a strategic planning effort for your nonprofit? Contact us to learn more about our services.