Anticipating Futures: A Guide to Stress-Testing Organisational Strategies in Civil Society

Today’s civil society operating environment is evolving faster than ever. In this context, organisations need more than a static strategy, they need the ability to anticipate change, adapt and remain resilient, whatever the future may hold. 

Anticipating Futures: A Guide to Stress-Testing Organisational Strategies in Civil Society offers a practical and collaborative approach to exploring uncertainty and strengthening long-term strategic resilience. Through a series of participatory exercises, the guide supports organisations to test their existing strategies against multiple possible futures, identify vulnerabilities and adapt their approaches for greater impact. 

Specifically designed for civil society organisations, the guide helps you to: 

• Explore a range of possible futures and understand what they could mean for your work; 

• Stress-test your current strategy against different scenarios; 

• Identify which elements of your strategy are resilient, which need adapting and where new approaches may be required; 

• Align your team around a shared vision; and

• Build organisational adaptability and strengthen your long-term impact.

More than a set of tools, this guide is an invitation to think differently about the future. Rather than simply reacting to change, it encourages organisations to proactively shape the futures you want to see. 

Whether you are reviewing an existing strategy, preparing for uncertainty or embedding foresight into your organisation, this guide provides a practical starting point for navigating an increasingly complex world.