Introduction to Strategy Selection

MODULE INTRODUCTION (2:46) Identify, evaluate, and select strategies to pursue.

About This Module


imagePrep: 6+ hr | Module: 6+ hrimageTeam: 5-10


The Strategy Selection module is designed to help conservation teams develop and align on a quality set of strategies, so that they are positioned to achieve their desired outcomes for people and nature. This set of strategies should be complete (encompass all defined objectives), compelling (address the core challenges), and feasible (possible to implement). 

This module is helpful for teams undertaking a thorough strategy refresh, or developing a new set of strategies for a geography, business unit, or thematic area. 

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    • A strategy table describing the set of strategies selected for implementation and rationale for those strategies.
    • How do we generate a quality set of candidate strategies that are aligned with our objectives and the 2030 Goals, and responsive to our planning context?
    • How do we compare the projected impacts, feasibility, and relevance of candidate strategies?
    • How do we align on a quality set of strategies that are positioned to maximize conservation impact?
  • The primary participants are the core planning team. The ideal group size is 5-10 people to incorporate multiple perspectives (including policy and marketing expertise) while also enabling all participants to fully engage. This may include only internal staff, or both internal and external participants. Teams will also need a facilitator—ideally, someone from outside the planning team—who has completed training on this module. Feedback can be obtained from additional TNC staff and interested parties to ensure the core team considers a range of values and perspectives.

  • The time commitment for this module varies widely depending on team needs and the depth of analysis required. Teams should anticipate multiple work sessions spread across one week to one month. We will refine these time estimates as more teams complete this module.

  • A team is ready for this module when they have a) aligned on objectives, b) identified core challenges, and c) developed a plan to engage interested parties. These prerequisites can be achieved by completing the Defining Objectives, Situation Analysis, and Interested Parties modules, respectively.

  • All teams complete the same first step for this module.   

    • Setting the Context: Establishing focus on team objectives, the 2030 Goals, core challenges, and leverage points for intervention.

    Each team then moves forward with one or more of the following steps, depending on need. 

    • Strategy Idea Generation: Developing and aligning on a set of candidate strategies. 
    • Strategy Evaluation: Evaluating candidate strategies with regards to their potential conservation impact, feasibility, and fit for TNC.
    • Strategy Selection: Reviewing the strengths and limitations of candidate strategies and selecting those with the greatest expected impact.

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