Environmental Scanning

Environmental scanning is an initial step in the strategic planning process. According to the Peter Drucker Foundation for Nonprofit Management, environmental scanning is a process for discovering and documenting facts and trends in the environment that are likely to affect the organization in its future work. Before embarking on a plan for shaping their future work, Project LAUNCH grantees first need to determine what services and supports children and families need to reach their full potential, what services and supports already exist, and what gaps need to be filled.