Planning for the future

By Karla McAvoy, NAPFA Chair


Every few years, the NAPFA Board of Directors devotes time and energy to updating the organization’s strategic framework. It’s our roadmap for the association’s priorities for the coming years, so it is one of the board’s core responsibilities. In the latest effort, the volunteer leaders involved in the process approached their work with more energy and focus than ever.

The board began developing the 2022–2025 framework in the summer of 2021 and adopted it during our meeting in late June 2022. We engaged in robust planning sessions, reviewed audience research, and thoughtfully considered NAPFA’s stakeholders. I am incredibly proud of the board’s work.

Guided by NAPFA’s “Mission Statement,” “Vision,” and “Core Values,” the board selected three strategic drivers for focus in the coming years: 1) advocacy, 2) diversity, equity, and inclusion, and 3) professional excellence.

Advocacy

Our initiatives around advocacy will strengthen NAPFA’s public policy impact at both the federal and state levels; increase consumer awareness of the benefits of working with a fee-only, fiduciary financial planner; and focus on making fee-only planning more accessible to a broader population.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion

We will strive to ensure that the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion are integrated throughout NAPFA. We will also work to diversify NAPFA’s membership by fostering a welcoming environment for all.

Professional excellence

With the goal of serving as the premier resource for fee-only planners, we will expand the breadth of resources available to help members improve their business, behavioral, and cultural competencies. We will also strive to provide a portfolio of education that meets the needs of the learners of both today and tomorrow.

Next steps

Adopting the framework is only the beginning of our journey. The board finalized the strategic framework by outlining specific outcomes expected for each area. Future NAPFA boards will use these expected outcomes to guide their decision-making and measurement of our progress. As our new chair, Jeff Jones, takes the helm on Sept. 1, I am sure we will continue to learn more about the framework and our progress toward realizing its outcomes.

Enjoy the rest of the summer!