Turning Good Intentions Into Action: How to Set SMARTIE Goals for Your Nonprofit That Matter

If you work in a nonprofit or are part of a coalition, chances are you’re juggling a lot. Partnerships, community engagement, and funding cycles. It can get overwhelming. And with so many moving parts, setting clear, meaningful goals is essential. 

You’ve probably used SMART goals to help focus your efforts: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. They’re a great starting point.

But here’s the truth: Traditional SMART goals don’t always reflect the values at the heart of our work, equity and inclusion.

That’s where SMARTIE goals come in.

SMARTIE goals add Inclusive and Equitable to the well-known SMART framework, helping mission-driven organizations align their goals with their values. Whether you're building a grassroots movement, working in direct service, or facilitating a multi-sector coalition, SMARTIE goals ensure you're not just getting things done, you’re doing them in a way that centers people, shares power, and ensures everyone’s voice is valued and heard.

What Are SMARTIE Goals?

Let’s break down the full SMARTIE acronym:

• Specific: Be clear and detailed about what you want to achieve.
  Example: “Increase community member participation in monthly meetings.”

• Measurable: Include metrics to track progress.
  Example: “Track attendance and aim for a 25% increase over the next 6 months.”

• Achievable: Make sure the goal is realistic, given your time and resources.
  Example: “Host meetings in accessible community spaces with language interpretation.”

• Relevant: Align the goal with your mission and strategic priorities.
  Example: “This supports our goal to deepen community leadership in decision-making.”

• Time-bound: Set a clear deadline or timeframe.
  Example: “Achieve this by the end of the fiscal year.”

• Inclusive: Ensure those impacted by the goal, especially historically marginalized groups, are part of the planning and implementation process.
  Example: “Invite and co-create meeting agendas with BIPOC residents and youth voices.”

• Equitable: Address systemic barriers and intentionally redistribute power.
  Example: “Provide stipends and childcare to remove participation barriers and shift power dynamics.”

Why SMARTIE Matters in the Nonprofit and Coalition World

Nonprofits and coalitions often talk about equity and inclusion, but when it comes to implementation, we sometimes default to what's familiar and funder-friendly. SMARTIE goals help you be intentional and to put your  values into practice, not just preach them.

Here’s what SMARTIE goals help you do:

• Build trust and transparency with community partners.

• Embed equity into your operations, not just your programs.

• Create shared ownership among coalition members.

• Strengthen your case with funders who increasingly prioritize inclusive, data-informed strategies.

SMARTIE Goals Example

Let’s say your coalition wants to increase civic engagement among youth.

SMART goal:
Host 3 town halls in the next 6 months with 100 youth attendees total.

SMARTIE goal:
Co-host 3 youth-led town halls in the next 6 months, with at least 100 attendees from underrepresented communities. 

During the planning phase, ensure planning committees include BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth, provide transportation and food stipends, and compensate youth facilitators for their time to reduce access barriers and elevate leadership.

Notice the shift? You’re still aiming for results, but with intentionality that keeps equity and inclusion a focus of the work

Tips for Setting SMARTIE Goals in Your Organization or Coalition

1. Start with reflection: Whose voices have shaped your current goals? Who’s missing that we need to meaningfully engage?
   

2. Bring people in early: Inclusion isn’t about checking in later after everything is in place—it starts at the planning table.
   

3. Use equity as a lens, not a checkbox: How will this goal shift power?
   

4. Be transparent about progress: Share wins and missteps openly with your community.
   

5. Celebrate process, not just outcomes: Equity work is ongoing. It’s okay to value learning just as much as the end result.

Download the SMARTIE Goals Workbook

We’ve created a free, easy-to-use SMARTIE Goals Workbook for Nonprofits to help you turn your big-picture vision into clear, inclusive, and equitable action steps.

Final Thoughts

SMARTIE goals invite us to do better, not just for the sake of outcomes, but for the people and communities we care about. When you take the time to make your goals inclusive and equitable, you move from transactional efforts to transformational impact.

Because in the nonprofit and coalition space, how we get there matters just as much as getting there.