Understanding Agile Principles for Non-Profit Strategic Planning
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-agstrpladptch-02
This material forms part of the NEYA Global knowledge architecture. Institutional, organizational, professional, training, consulting, curriculum, program design, or implementation use requires an active license from NEYA Global
Explore Architecture →
Module Overview →
Request Institutional Access →
About the Article
Agile methodologies, once confined to software development, now inform organizational strategy across diverse sectors. This article explores how their foundational principles—collaboration, adaptability, responsiveness to change, and prioritization of human interaction—can enhance non-profit strategic planning. It argues that agile thinking allows organizations to remain mission-focused while navigating uncertainty, especially in low-resource environments. Through case illustrations from community development, pandemic response, and disaster relief, the article demonstrates how iterative planning and participatory engagement improve adaptability, resilience, and accountability. By bridging management theory and field practice, it highlights both opportunities and tensions in adopting agile frameworks within donor-driven, accountability-focused systems, offering scholars and practitioners a structured pathway for integrating agility into mission-oriented strategy.
Key Topics
- Agile methodologies
- Non-profit strategic planning
- Adaptability and resilience
- Stakeholder collaboration
- Iterative learning cycles
- Organizational responsiveness
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Understanding Agile Principles for Non-Profit Strategic Planning. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-agstrpladptch-02
References
Beck, K., Beedle, M., van Bennekum, A., et al. (2001). Manifesto for Agile Software Development. Agile Alliance.
Bryson, J. M. (2018). Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations (5th ed.). Jossey-Bass.
Chambers, R. (2014). Rural Development: Putting the Last First. Routledge.
https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315835815
Ebrahim, A. (2003). Accountability in practice: Mechanisms for NGOs. World Development, 31(5), 813–829.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(03)00014-7
Ebrahim, A. (2010). The many faces of nonprofit accountability. In D. Renz (Ed.), The Jossey-Bass Handbook of Nonprofit Leadership and Management (3rd ed., pp. 101–123). Jossey-Bass.
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Agile Strategic Planning: Adapting to Change. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/agile-strategic-planning-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Strategic Planning for Social Impact. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/strategic-planning-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Leadership in Mission-Driven Organizations. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/leadership-mission-driven-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Stakeholder collaboration and engagement in non-profit strategic planning. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-agstrpladptch-06
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Iterative planning cycles in agile strategic planning for non-profits. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-agstrpladptch-05
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Scaling agile across non-profit organizations. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-agstrpladptch-09
Mintzberg, H. (1994). The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning. Free Press.
Rigby, D. K., Sutherland, J., & Takeuchi, H. (2016). Embracing agile. Harvard Business Review, 94(5), 40–50.