Highlights from the Strategy Peer Network in 2025

One of the perks of my job is being the admin of the Strategy Peer Network. For one hour every month, I connect with strategy leaders in charities navigating a challenging environment. I see their resilience first-hand and help create a space for peer-to-peer learning, honest conversation, and mutual support.

Strategy can often feel like a solitary discipline, yet the issues we face are collective. The Strategy Peer Network brings together strategy leads and thinkers across the social sector to share learning, tackle common challenges, and explore emerging trends.

By connecting peers, we aim to strengthen strategic thinking across organisations and ultimately improve impact for the communities we serve.

“I have really valued being part of the Strategy Peer Network which allows me to network with similar organisations and strategy colleagues in an informal way and learn from NPC staff members through the meetings. I have also enjoyed the newsletters which expands my horizons on what’s possible through my work. Thank you! “

Strategy Peer Network member, Summer 2025

As we close out 2025, it’s a great moment to reflect on the conversations and learning shared through NPC’s strategy peer network. This year, we covered a wide range of topics—from adaptive planning and lived experience to systems thinking and policy integration. Here are some highlights:

Starting the Year: Insight and Adaptation

We kicked off in January by exploring how organisations can embed regular insight loops into their strategy processes. Members shared approaches like six-month learning meetings and “deep dive” discussions to keep insight flowing across teams. The emphasis was clear: adaptive strategies thrive when insight is not an afterthought but a core part of decision-making.

February built on this theme with a focus on centring lived experience. NPC’s Charlotte Lamb introduced findings from our research on meaningful involvement. The takeaway? Lived experience should sit alongside strategic work, not as a separate project. Organisations shared creative ways to bring voices into board conversations and governance, reinforcing that inclusion strengthens both culture and impact.

Spring: Theory of Change and Strategic Clarity

In April, we revisited one of NPC’s most popular resources—Theory of Change in Ten Steps. Our principal for theorising change, Jessica Weir, reminded us that theory of change is more than a diagram; it’s a process for aligning activities with outcomes and impact. The network discussed nested theories of change and how these can link organisational priorities to delivery plans, creating coherence internally and clarity externally.

March and May sessions tackled practical challenges: how to balance long-term ambitions with short-term roadmaps, and how to resource strategy implementation effectively. From blended project management models to clear initiation criteria, members shared lessons on keeping strategy actionable without losing sight of the bigger picture.

Summer and Beyond: Measurement, Systems, and Policy

June’s session brought measurement into focus. We debated OKRs versus KPIs and explored alternative frameworks like “visionary, strategic, and tactical results.” The conversation highlighted the importance of making measures meaningful and using them to drive dialogue, not just compliance.

In October, the lens widened to systems thinking. Our principal for systems change, Daisy Carter’s provocation—“No single organisation working alone can ever achieve its mission”—sparked rich discussion on planning beyond organisational boundaries. Participants reflected on where they sit on the systems strategy spectrum and what it would take to move towards more collective approaches.

Finally, November closed the year with a deep dive into policy and strategy. We explored how policy can be integrated as a lever for change rather than treated in isolation, and why adaptive strategies and horizon scanning are essential in a shifting policy environment.

I’ve been attending for just under three years now and it’s been really invaluable so it’s great to be able to continue to attend.

Hardev Singh Grewal, Senior Strategy & Planning Manager, NSPCC

Looking Ahead

Across all sessions, one theme stood out: strategy is not static. It’s a living process shaped by insight, collaboration, and courage to adapt. As we move into 2026, the Strategy Peer Network will continue to be a space for honest conversation and shared learning.

Thank you to everyone who contributed this year. We look forward to building on these insights together.