Strategic planning is essential for the long-term sustainability of the essential services of rape crisis centers.

Rape crisis centers (RCCs) are essential community institutions, providing critical sexual assault intervention and prevention services. For over 40 years, the Northwest Center Against Sexual Assault (NWCASA) has provided free services to sexual assault survivors and their loved ones in the northwestern suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. NWCASA provides counseling services, medical and legal advocacy, a crisis intervention telephone hotline, professional training, prevention education, and community activism. 

Strategic planning can help clarify vision and mission, guide resource allocation, enhance service delivery, strengthen community impact, improve organizational efficiency, support staff and volunteer professional development, engage stakeholders and interested parties, and secure funding.

Given the evolving funding landscape for sexual violence prevention and the continued need for services, NWCASA reached out to NORC for help in strategic planning to better align their communication and outreach efforts with a refined mission and vision. 

NORC drew upon the experience of our subject matter experts to collect and analyze data to inform the strategic plan.

In 2024, NWCASA partnered with NORC to conduct a community needs assessment to inform their strategic planning effort. NORC conducted a focus group with NWCASA staff, key informant interviews, secondary data analysis, and a survey to gather insight into community awareness and perceptions of the organization and potential areas for growth. Additionally, NORC supported NWCASA team members in gathering additional data from the community to ensure buy-in from all levels of the organization.

Findings were used to build a five-year strategic plan to facilitate implementing and evaluating intervention and prevention services, durable and sustainable fundraising, and board management.