Organizations often struggle to maintain momentum toward ambitious goals, this becomes particularly difficult when also navigating shifting political landscapes and economic uncertainties. One solution is establishing well-crafted intermediate goals that serve as both milestones and motivators.
Our journey to close the racial wealth gap faces this same challenge. How do we turn our long-term aspirations into coordinated, actionable steps that drive real progress?
Research shows that shorter-term goals provide individuals and groups with vital psychological benefits, building the confidence and resilience needed for ultimate success. Yet despite having loyal staff, plentiful funding, and strong strategic plans, many organizations still face these common obstacles:
Leadership teams communicate targets inconsistently
Staff members lose connection to the broader mission
Stakeholders become frustrated without clear progress markers
Resources drift toward short-term priorities
Leading organizations have successfully applied proven frameworks for implementing intermediate goals in their strategic planning. These goals establish clear metrics for measuring progress, helping organizations demonstrate impact and adjust strategies. Consider RWJF's "Culture of Health" initiative—it links three ambitious lifetime goals to intermediate markers across seven interconnected systems. The initiative sets concrete objectives, such as expanding access to nutritious food and reducing regional health disparities. Integrating these lessons across decades of shifting social landscapes requires dynamic consideration of coalition membership.
Actively Broaden Your Base
Meaningful change requires engaging stakeholders even when their interests don't perfectly match our ultimate goals. Our team brings together philanthropies, municipalities, financial institutions, and community organizations—each with their own timelines and priorities. When stakeholders see their clear contributions to step-by-step progress, they stay engaged and invested in long-term outcomes. For partners whose long-term goals align with ours, research shows that small wins strengthen the core elements that sustain social movements. For partners seeking shorter-term mutual benefits—whether to influence elections or protect assets—well-designed intermediate goals help us make the most of these brief collaborative windows.
Roadmap to 2045: Building an Inclusive Economy
Our primary objective is to achieve population-proportional wealth generation across racial and ethnic groups by 2045. Below is our framework for maintaining momentum and tracking progress.
2025-2029: Establishing Foundations
In this initial phase, we will develop and validate scalable models to expand access to capital and asset-building opportunities.
Demonstrate correlation between alternative indicators and loan performance
Document best practices for scaling cooperative ownership models across diverse markets
Secure adoption of new models by partner financial institutions
2030-2034: Scaling Impact
During this period, we will expand successful programs and address systemic barriers.
15% increase in minority homeownership rates in target metropolitan areas
50% increase in minority fund managers across venture capital and private equity
30% reduction in racial disparities for small business loan approvals in target markets
2035-2044: Systems Change
Building on lessons from similar strategies, this final phase will focus on institutional transformation and sustainable impact.
Minority-owned businesses representing 20% of GDP in target regions
Standardization of equitable lending practices across the financial sector
Integration of alternative credit assessment methods into mainstream underwriting
Five Steps to Setting Effective Intermediate Goals
1. Explicitly Define the Long-Term Goal
Create a concrete, measurable target aligned with your organization's mission. Make clear connections between short-term actions and long-term impact.
2. Identify Key Leverage Points
Map the essential systems, stakeholders, and resources needed to achieve your goal.
3. Develop Intermediate Milestones
Define milestones by working backward, allowing flexibility for strategic shifts. Establish clear accountability and progress tracking systems.
4. Engage Stakeholders Continuously
Build strong partnerships with community members, policymakers, and funders throughout the process. Stay alert for valuable strategic alliances - even temporary ones.
5. Actively Monitor, Evaluate, and Adjust
Consistently assess and refine your strategy's effectiveness.
Building an inclusive economy demands unwavering commitment over decades. Well-crafted intermediate goals create a robust framework for sustaining momentum, showing impact, and adapting strategies. Each milestone serves as a stepping stone toward transformative change—allowing us to celebrate progress while keeping our eyes on the ultimate prize.