Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast Episode Summary

Episode: Why Your Annual Plan Must Help You Say No
Host: Brooke Richie-Babbage
Date: October 7, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode of the Nonprofit Mastermind Podcast, host Brooke Richie-Babbage tackles the critical—yet often overlooked—role of constraint in annual planning for nonprofit organizations. Rather than focusing solely on ambition and vision, Brooke urges leaders to construct annual plans that set clear, strategic boundaries. By embracing this intentional “no,” nonprofits can avoid overwhelm, prevent burnout, and advance their missions with focus and sustainability.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The True Purpose of Annual Planning

• Planning season is not just a visioning exercise—it should be about realistic focus.
• “What are we going to do next year?” is only half of the essential planning question; the more powerful half is, “How will our plan help us say no?”
  • [02:13] Brooke: "So no is actually more important in your plan than yes."

2. The Invisible Cost of Always Saying Yes

• Many nonprofit leaders default to yes, enticed by the excitement of new initiatives and the pressure to meet urgent needs, funder demands, or internal ambition.
• Every “yes” extracts a cost—team energy, brand clarity, money, and momentum.
• Unbounded to-do lists lead to chaotic, unsustainable work environments.
  • [04:51] Brooke: “Every single yes costs something. I’m gonna say that again. Every. Single. yes. costs something. And when your annual plan is built without filters, every single yes becomes a future stressor that you then have to find a way to afford.”

3. Why Most Annual Plans Fail

• Plans often fail not from lack of vision, but from being overloaded—“aspirational without being protective.”
• Many plans are essentially rearranged wish lists, rarely answering “what will we NOT do?”
• The absence of explicit guardrails leads to scope creep and burnout, despite good intentions.
  • [07:55] Brooke: “If your plan doesn’t explicitly help you say no, then it’s not a strategic annual plan. It’s just an overwhelming to-do list, in fact.”

4. Vision Without Constraint = Overreach

• Vision is essential, but visions need constraints and boundaries to be actionable and sustainable.
• Nonprofit teams often fall prey to “cognitive simplification,” underestimating the hidden labor and the human cost required to “do it all.”
  • [11:08] Brooke: “You will achieve your ambitious, bold goals if you also add filters. ...You need a sharper plan for 2026.”

5. The Three Filters for a Sharper Annual Plan

Brooke introduces three “filters” designed to translate your ambitious wish list into a focused, executable strategy:

a. Strategic Alignment Filter

• Ask: Does this goal or activity move us measurably closer to our 1–2 highest priorities in our strategic plan?
• At least 85% of annual plan items should clearly align with these priorities.
  • [13:57] Brooke: “You want to make sure that your goals and your activities in your plan are explicitly aligned with your current priorities.”

b. Team Capacity Filter

• Do we have the energy, time, and skills to do this well?
• If not, plan for upskilling, reallocating time, or adjusting the goal’s scope.
  • [14:24] Brooke: “If the answer is no, it doesn’t mean don’t include the goal. It does mean that you want to build into your plan how you will fill in whatever the gap is...”

c. Opportunity Cost Filter

• If we say yes to this, what are we delaying or derailing?
• Every yes is a no in disguise. Make implicit trade-offs explicit and own what may have to wait.
  • [15:24] Brooke: “Every yes is a no in disguise... What might we not be able to do?... Which goals contradict one another?”

6. Protective Pre-Mortem: A Practical Planning Step

• Before finalizing your plan, hold a “pre-mortem” discussion to anticipate stress points:
  • What quietly assumes more (superhuman) effort than we have?
  • What will ‘fall off’ first if we get behind?
  • What feels exciting but distracts from our top goals?
• Brooke emphasizes regularly revisiting these filters—not just annually, but quarterly.
  • [17:41] Brooke: “Revisiting these questions in some shape or form. Quarterly. What in our plan quietly assumes more effort than we have?... Which of these goals or activities are we going to let go of first?... What parts of this plan feel really exciting but actually distract us from our top goals?”

Memorable Quotes

• [03:58] “A plan that helps you say no with clarity and conviction and confidence, not guilt. A plan that sets you up to lead with focus and strategy and purpose. Three of my very favorite things.” —Brooke Richie-Babbage
• [04:51] “Every single yes costs something. I’m gonna say that again. Every. Single. yes. costs something.” —Brooke Richie-Babbage
• [07:55] “If your plan doesn’t explicitly help you say no, then it’s not a strategic annual plan. It’s just an overwhelming to-do list, in fact.” —Brooke Richie-Babbage
• [13:57] “You want to make sure that your goals and your activities in your plan are explicitly aligned with your current priorities.” —Brooke Richie-Babbage
• [15:24] “Every yes is a no in disguise.” —Brooke Richie-Babbage
• [17:50] “What in this plan quietly assumes superhuman effort? What will be the first to fall if we get behind?” —Brooke Richie-Babbage

Timeline of Key Segments

• 00:02 – 03:58: Planning season; the importance of asking “how will our plan help us say no?”
• 03:58 – 07:55: The dangers and invisible costs of “yes by default”; why we default to yes; consequence of plans without filters.
• 07:55 – 13:27: Why annual plans fail; vision without guardrails; need for explicit constraints.
• 13:28 – 17:41: Introduction and explanation of the three planning filters; strategies for applying them.
• 17:41 – End: The pre-mortem exercise; practical tips for sustainable and strategic planning.

Takeaways for Nonprofit Leaders

• Annual planning is most powerful when it helps you say “no” with confidence, not guilt.
• Build in constraints and check alignment with your highest strategic priorities.
• Use the three filters—strategic alignment, team capacity, and opportunity cost—to turn wish lists into focused strategies.
• Regularly revisit and refine these filters throughout the year.
• Ambitious goals are achievable when paired with protective boundaries.

Useful for: Nonprofit founders, executive directors, board members, and anyone responsible for setting and executing annual plans in a social impact organization.