Client Massachusetts Association of Public Health Nurses (MAPHN)
Practice Area Strategic Planning
Incorporated in 1998, MAPHN is a statewide professional organization primarily representing public health nurses (PHNs) working in local health departments. The organization’s historic mission has been to support and advocate for PHNs by promoting education, fostering connection, and elevating the profession’s impact. However, MAPHN faced significant internal structural hurdles, severe financial management concerns, and a shifting public health landscape following the COVID-19 pandemic. BME Strategies collaborated with MAPHN to create a strategic planning process (2027–2031) centered on building group cohesion, transitioning the organization’s work to reach a broader audience, and solidifying a scope of work focused heavily on state-level advocacy.
MAPHN was confronting a critical inflection point characterized by several overlapping internal and external challenges:
Over a six-month process from September 2025 to February 2026, BME led a structured approach to visioning, designing, and finalizing a new strategic plan. Our approach focused on three interconnected areas:
BME conducted an environmental scan reviewing prior budgets, bylaws, and meeting minutes, alongside a comprehensive SWOT-IE Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats, Inclusion, and Equity). Engagement included 11 interviews, 2 focus groups involving 21 individuals, and surveys of 88 members and 3 partner organizations.
To address steering committee tensions, BME hosted a highly successful, full-day in-person retreat to facilitate team and trust-building activities. A Trust Survey was utilized to assess baseline trust and establish a foundation for group cohesion, while individual commitments added accountability and buy-in.
To resolve role confusion, BME recommended differentiating MAPHN’s offerings from the LPHNC program. BME advised that MAPHN focus on state-level advocacy, formalized mentorship, and expanding membership to school nurses and VNAs, allowing the LPHNC program to exclusively focus on education, training, and informal mentorship. BME also recommended transitioning to a hybrid chapter model with virtual participation to reduce geographic barriers.
By directly addressing the organization’s hardest challenges, BME helped MAPHN successfully transition from an informal networking group into a cohesive, professional trade organization.
“I think this process is going to help us elevate, which is the full goal, and there’s zero chance we would have gotten to this point. So we’re extremely grateful.”
— Tiffany Benoit, President, MAPHN