It is the size of the organization matters more than for-profit or non-profit status in determining the aims, steps and activities in the Strategic Planning process. And small non-profit and for-profit organizations have the same manner of conducting business and planning activities. But they differ from larger non-profit and for-profit organizations.

Nevertheless, non-profit and for-profit organizations have characteristic distinctions in relation to focus of the planning activities. For-profits tend to concentrate mainly on benefit-maximizing activities. But the non-profit organizations are more concentrated on matters of board development, fundraising and volunteer management. Thus Non-Profit Strategic Planning has special ideas. It concerns keeping in mind the interests of the board, its development and the well-being of its units. Moreover, it is also aimed at laying stress on raising funds. But the other aspects of planning take a backseat.

However, new non-profit organizations need to take down tactical plans on paper and create a formal plan. They can't exclude including all the number of considerations a starter non-profit organization needs to take care of.

For old or pre-existing non-profit organizations Strategic Planning requires preparing a long-term map delineating the sequence of activities over several years. As a rule, a period of 3 to 5 years is covered by a strategic plan. But there are things that have to be presented in the plan. They are the following:

1. The first is mission statement of organization, stating the reason for its beginning and activities.
2. The plan can't be written without vision statement throwing light on what the organization is hoping to become.
3. Values to be adhered to by the organization in the conduct of its activities.
4. Assessment and description of the needs have to be performed by the non-profit organization.
5. It can't go without the organization's immediate objectives.
6.  An assessment of the organization's present status should also be included.
7. The last are strategies adopted to meet the aims and purposes.