How Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance Used PlanPerfect to Develop a Living Strategic Plan That Guides Their Growth

“It’s really been a game-changer for Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance because now we have structure around all the really good work we’re doing and a path forward to accomplish what we want to get done!  We know our priorities  and who is responsible.”
— IFHA Board Vice Chair & Strategic Planning Committee Chair, Lisa Casey

Summary

Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance (IFHA) is a rapidly growing nonprofit advancing affordable housing and community development in Immokalee, Florida. In just two years, IFHA has expanded from a small, volunteer-led effort into an organization securing major funding and delivering on their mission with multiple apartment buildings completed and additional development underway.

As IFHA began attracting larger foundation grants, funders asked for a strategic plan, a succession plan, and evidence of sustainable governance. Using PlanPerfect, IFHA launched a board-driven strategic planning process that combined stakeholder discovery, AI-supported synthesis, and a practical implementation system for tracking objectives over time. The result was a plan the organization could act on immediately—plus a structure that strengthened accountability, increased board engagement, and improved credibility with major funders.

The Challenge

IFHA’s impact was growing faster than its internal structure could support. The organization was making an impressive impact on its community. As major funders took an interest, they began asking for more formal infrastructure, such as a strategic plan, succession planning, and proof of internal capacity to sustain growth. 

This led Casey to seek out PlanPerfect to find a solution for IFHA to document where the organization was going, a system to keep their team aligned as it grew, and a way to show funders their capacity as an organization. 

The Solution

IFHA adopted PlanPerfect to support both the development and tracking of their strategic plan. The discovery tools were instrumental in creating the plan with their board, and now, they are using the software’s tracking features to keep the board aligned, engaged, and pushing the organization forward. 

How IFHA Used PlanPerfect

Starting with a smaller plan

IFHA started with a short-term, smaller plan designed to work for them as they developed a more robust, long-term plan. They created goals for this period and used the survey tools to understand how board members and other stakeholders felt about the organization. This set them up for success as they moved into a more intensive strategic planning process. 

“We started by putting a small plan together to prepare for our strategic offsite.   This is what we need to get started in June, so that we can create a strategic plan in October.” 

Discovery

Casey used the AI-assisted survey tools to easily generate questions, then edit and add new ones as needed. Once someone completed the survey, the AI chat feature followed up with clarifying questions, providing greater insight into people’s suggestions. For example, one respondent said, “I think we should do more collaboration with other agencies.” Then, the chat followed up with: “Which agencies would you like to see more collaboration with?” This turned general feedback into an actionable next step. 

“We got more information from the people we were surveying than we would have if we didn’t have the AI component available to this software.”

They received survey results from almost every targeted stakeholder. Instead of Casey manually synthesizing the responses, the AI insights and SWOT analysis provided an automatic, in-depth analysis. This saved Casey valuable time reviewing the survey results. They efficiently identified three key target areas that stakeholders raised, which they used to guide the building of their strategic plan. 

“The best part about the whole system was that I was able to have  AI give me a synopsis of what people stated in their survey.”

Strategic planning sessions

Casey facilitated two strategic planning sessions to create their three to four-year plan. She distributed the SWOT analysis and survey summary before the meeting, so the session could use the information as a shared foundation to work from. These tools supported a strategic planning process that was “very collaborative, where people were engaged.”

For each of the three issue areas the surveys showed, they had a breakout group where they discussed what needed to be done to address each issue. They then prioritized the goals for each issue area and input them into PlanPerfect.

“In previous strategy sessions that I’ve been involved with, we generally focused on larger stretch goals. During the IFHA strategy session, we focused more on tactical goals, creating excitement about the results-driven roadmap that detailed what we needed to accomplish.  We are holding each other accountable to make sure we get things done.” 

Ongoing usage

Now, they are reviewing the dashboard in every or every other monthly board meeting to keep track of their 17 objectives for the year. One objective is already complete, hiring a Development Coordinator, and they have 8 in progress. “Some of the objectives we’re going to be able to close out rather quickly. As we close them out, we will backfill them with other goals and objectives .”

IFHA is using PlanPerfect’s software exactly as it was designed to be used: to create a flexible plan that adapts to the needs of the organization, meets the organization where they are, and creates an engaging planning process. The software has supported them in generating board excitement, securing funding, and establishing credibility in the nonprofit sector. 

“It’s wonderful. We didn’t have anything like this. Our board members and funders are very excited about it.”

The Results

Board engagement

Casey cites one of the most important organizational shifts since implementing PlanPerfect: robust board engagement. The tracking system allows for a clear division of responsibilities and visibly shows where the organization is in achieving its goals. 

“When you publish your goals and where you want to go, it’s much easier for people to say, ‘I’d like to help out with that.’  People feel empowered to step up and make a difference.  The board process is much more engaging if you're more involved than just going to a monthly board meeting.”

PlanPerfect gives us a quick and easy way to communicate where we are going, get board members more engaged, and hold ourselves accountable for results. Our board members know what’s going on, and they like it.”  

When board members feel empowered and excited to make a tangible impact on the organization, growth follows. IFHA shows that easy, visible tracking and consistent check-ins while updating the system help members to see the impact they can have on their organization. 

“Where I find the most value in the system is that the people on the board say, ‘Wow, oh wow, this is good. We did a great job, and it’s all right there.’ They feel pride in what they're doing.  We feel  we’re on the right track, and feel more engaged.”

Credibility

After finalizing their strategic plan, two foundations reached out asking for IFHA’s strategic plan. Because of PlanPerfect, they were able to easily export their plan as a Word Document or PowerPoint and send it along with grant applications. Having a robust, easy-to-access strategic plan has helped the organization demonstrate their strength to foundations and donors and continue to develop their impressive reputation within the nonprofit sector. 

“The biggest thing that PlanPerfect helped us with is that it gives us credibility, and it shows foundations and funders that we are an organization that has put thought and planning into achieving our goals. It gives us credibility, and we’re getting major funders.”

Funding and Growth

In 2025, IFHA raised $4.5 million; completed three apartment buildings and a playground; began development on more apartments, a community center, and a soccer field; hired a full-time staff member, and began the search for their second employee. This demonstrates remarkable growth supported by expert strategic planning resources that propelled their mission forward and expanded their reach. 

“ We are an early-stage organization, growing and maturing. I’d say we’re moving into the adolescence stage.   PlanPerfect is providing important tools to help us grow our organization and take us to the next level.”

Recently, a large funder visited and asked to see IFHA’s strategic and succession plans, and they had them readily available in PlanPerfect’s software. “Without a strategic plan, IFHA might not have received the donation.”

About Immokalee Fair Housing Alliance

IFHA is eliminating the crisis of substandard housing in Immokalee. By actively building a future based on a vision to provide secure, affordable, hurricane-resistant rental housing that strengthens the community by fostering health, education, dignity, and financial stability. Their 10-acre development plans include: 128 rental units, a playground, a soccer field, a community center, and more. 

They are a largely volunteer-led organization with one full- time staff member and are in the process of taking on another. 

About PlanPerfect

PlanPerfect sets a new standard for nonprofit strategic planning and enterprise risk management by providing access to social-impact-specific professional planning tools. We are transforming how organizations fulfill and scale their missions and adapt to change by integrating strategy, risk, and organizational intelligence into a seamless planning experience. With PlanPerfect, organizations create stronger alignment, fulfill their mission more effectively, communicate their value clearly, and raise the funds they need to sustain and grow their work.