week 4.3 new

AN OVERVIEW OF THE SWOT ANALYSIS CATEGORIES

Strengths and Weaknesses are usually internal and within the organization’s control. Common topics:

Financial resources

o Funding from multiple sources, or primarily from one source

o Financial status/stability or instability

Physical resources

o Facility – location, quality, space

Human resources

o Board of directors, organizational leader, staff, volunteers

Technology resources

o Current hardware, software, website, social media

Internal processes

o Salaries, benefits, organizational culture, training & orientation, support

Name recognition

Organization’s history

These can be either strengths or weaknesses, depending on the organization, and some could be both. For

example, perhaps the Executive Director has been there a long time and is well-known, but it ready to retire.

Opportunities and Threats are usually external and out of the control of the organization. Common topics:

Market/societal trends

o General publicity about your issue, current or recent “hot topic” like childhood obesity, domestic

violence, etc.

Economic trends

o Growing poverty levels (for nonprofits, this is an opportunity)

o New businesses in your area, casinos moving in

o Unemployment rates, interest rates (impacts funders)

o Economic downturn or upturn

Funding

o Major funder has shifted focus (or died)

o Changes in state/federal/local grant opportunities

Demographics

o Specific underserved populations in your area: Aging baby boomers, influx of a new population,

etc

Relationships with partners

o Collaboration/competition with other organizations

Political, environmental, economic regulations

o Changes in federal/state laws, government shift in focus of funding, changes in minimum wage laws, etc

Prepared by: Linda Zinke, Adjunct Professor