Visioning, Theory of Change and Strategic Planning

A Theory of Change (TOC) is an important element of strategic planning for nonprofits, yet many nonprofits don’t develop theirs.  There are several steps between the specific actions they take and the outcomes they seek.  The Theory of Change is a way to capture your key assumptions and make an explicit link between actions and outcomes.

We’ll discuss what TOC is, how you develop one, and how it helps make your strategic plan truly strategic.

About Barry Horwitz

Barry Horwitz specializes in helping clients grow in a strategic and sustainable way.  His career has been diverse and varied, spanning a broad range of industries, organization types and sizes, both domestic and international.

In his nonprofit work, Barry has facilitated strategic planning, marketing and business plan development for organizations ranging from national in scope (such as Charity Navigator and two divisions of the American Nurses Association) to local/ regional (such as Chimes International, Inc., The Benjamin Franklin Institute of Technology, and the Conservation Law Foundation).

As a consultant with The Boston Consulting Group, Barry helped Fortune 500 companies assess competitive situations and develop growth strategies. As a co-founder and chief operating officer of a venture-backed Internet startup, he raised more than $12 million in venture capital and led the company’s expansion for three years.  As a VP of marketing and strategy for a billion-dollar retail chain, he developed the growth strategy for the core business while also initiating the launch of a new business division.

Barry earned his MBA from Harvard Business School and his bachelor’s degree in economics from Colby College.  An avid tennis and squash player, he lives in Newton, Massachusetts with his wife and empty nest.