Strategic Planning for Action and Accountability (SPAA)

When I launched UnchainedTV as a nonprofit news network for the plant-based lifestyle, I knew a lot about television, but nothing about nonprofits.

Dr. Krista Hiddema’s course taught me what a nonprofit really is, how it should be structured and run and how to explain it to the world through a compelling Strategic Plan. Her course, which includes the latest in AI, is fun, cutting edge and – quite simply – brilliant. It’s been a godsend.”

Krista has a unique gift for presenting complex topics in a clear, structured, and inspiring way.

Her lessons create a warm, engaging atmosphere where everyone feels encouraged to share ideas and ask questions. I’m deeply grateful for the practical knowledge I gained, which I now use daily to drive meaningful change. Krista’s passion and ability to spark creativity and collaboration are truly empowering. She doesn’t just teach—she inspires action, making every session a transformative experience. Thank you, Krista, for your incredible energy and impact!

Top tier organizational development — from mundane to profound!

I write this as someone with 20+ years of nonprofit executive experience, which includes assisting dozens of groups strengthen their content and processes. I expected to glean a few gems from Krista, but WOW — Krista takes training to the next level — top tier! The hands-on aspects of budgeting, board creation, and HR are invaluable (of course). Beyond that, however, I was unexpectedly inspired and energized by Krista’s integrated, philosophical approach. With warmth and enthusiasm, she cultivates a group’s personal brand, leadership, and even theory of change. It’s obvious that she cares deeply about both the people and their missions. Her thoughtful and nuanced training provides a kickstart for immediate gains and sets the stage for long-term success. More than just logistics, Krista’s strategies and use of intention takes the seemingly mundane and makes it uniquely profound.

Participating in the Strategic Planning for Animal Advocacy Program (SPAA) was a transformative experience for Our Honor.

Dr. Krista Hiddema’s expert guidance and the program’s structured framework provided us with the tools we needed to craft a clear, actionable strategic plan tailored to our mission.

As an organization committed to challenging harmful practices in animal production and empowering professionals to advocate for change, we often navigate complex and sensitive landscapes. SPAA helped us sharpen our focus, identify our core priorities, and develop strategies that align with our long-term vision.

One of the most valuable aspects of the program was its emphasis on collaboration and adaptability. Dr. Hiddema’s thoughtful approach encouraged us to assess our strengths and challenges critically while ensuring our goals remained grounded in our core values. The program also inspired us to think creatively about building partnerships and leveraging resources to amplify our impact.

Thanks to SPAA, Our Honor now has a robust strategic plan that serves as a roadmap for achieving our mission. We are more confident, organized, and prepared to create meaningful, sustainable change for animals and the professionals who advocate for them.

We wholeheartedly recommend SPAA to any organization looking to refine its vision and take its advocacy to the next level. Dr. Hiddema’s expertise and dedication to the cause make this program an invaluable resource for the animal advocacy community.

Krista is one of the most inspiring instructors I have ever worked with.

She was always very attentive, she answered many questions which came up, and was able to adapt her classes so that it would meet everyone’s needs, despite that the group was large.


I am also very grateful for Krista’s support in trying to answer difficult questions I had about our organization despite the fact that they were not related to the topics of the class. Krista is simply a very experienced, kind, and inspiring person which I would highly recommend working with!

Krista is a powerhouse of inspiration and intellectual honesty.

Her forward-thinking approach to helping non-profits flourish is a true gift to the animal advocacy movement. In a world stained by systematic violence towards animals, Krista’s refreshing optimism and diverse skill set serve as catalysts to build a more compassionate world.

It was truly an honor to be a part of the Strategic Planning for Animal Advocacy cohort this year, to learn from Krista and Kyle, and to be surrounded by inspiring leaders from around the world all making a positive difference in the lives of animals.

LEAP is the second nonprofit I’ve co-founded, along with my farmed animal sanctuary, Blackberry Creek. Throughout this process I have often thought about how much more impactful the sanctuary could have been in its early years if I would have had access to this course ten years ago when I founded it. The content was helpful and insightful week after week, and there was certainly no “busy work,” which meant each and every class and assignment was meaningful and worthwhile. As a former teacher, I also appreciated the excitement and engagement that the instructors inspired in the cohort, their enthusiasm for our collective work, and the way they created a comfortable environment where we could ask questions and receive feedback.

The guided exploration of our organization’s values, mission, and theory of change was absolutely invaluable at the start of the course, helping us (the board) align our vision so that we could move forward systematically through the strategic planning process. We were able to continually return to those core principles established early on with each decision that needed to be made, to really focus our time and energy on the programs that would advance our mission.

I absolutely believe everyone running a nonprofit organization would benefit from this strategic planning course, and have been telling others in the animal rights, conservation, and sanctuary space that it is most definitely something they should prioritize. They will walk away not only with a clearer vision, but with the critical thinking, organizational, and leadership skills needed to help make that vision a reality. Thank you, Krista and Kyle for the privilege of learning from you and to the Greenbaum Foundation and Vegan Grants for helping each of our nonprofits become better, more efficient stewards of the resources granted us, and more empowered leaders in the movement.

Krista is an amazing teacher and advisor.

In her strategic planning class her explanations of extremely important bodies of knowledge for developing organizations were always exceptionally clear and engaging. The structure of the course and the assignments were very well laid out, with the material and assignments from the earlier classes laying a solid foundation for those of the later classes. Krista was absolutely dedicated to helping us through the process, making herself highly available for help outside of the class meetings, responding to all of our questions, and talking to us one-on-one. She drew upon her vast experience in and relationships with organizations in the animal movement to give us invaluable information and advice. Our group found going through the strategic planning process with Krista to be indispensable for our organizational development. I can’t imagine a more helpful strategic planning class for nonprofits in the animal movement.

This is an incredible opportunity for animal advocacy organizations to craft and follow a specific mission.

Through Strategic Planning for Animal Advocacy Program (SPAA) we were able to better focus our programmatic work and create an effective structure to the organization that will allow us to carry out our mission and work more effectively. Dr. Hiddema’s immense knowledge of program development and fundraising resulted in a well structured course that guided us to create a strategic plan that will not only be useful for us, but a way to showcase our work to potential funders. The value of this course and working through our organization in this way can on be overstated.

We wholeheartedly recommend this course to any organization wanting to improve its mission, value, and effectiveness.

Working with Krista Hiddema has been an invaluable opportunity.

The time spent working with her felt like being involved in a personalized Master Class. The tools and resources, along with her approach and methodology assisted us in shaping a solid foundation for our organizational structure and strategy. The skills I developed in our sessions are ones that I will employ from here on out, because they are effective and logical. “Class” was work, highly involved, engaged work and it was fun and personable. But to reiterate, it’s advanced level development. Anyone looking to develop and soundly structure their organizational strategy, Krista and her services are the best.
I’m grateful for the experience.

My advocacy career has had some defining moments, and joining SPAA was a major one.

You can truly sense the years of careful planning that Krista and Kyle poured into this program. The AI features, designed and passionately taught by Kyle, are invaluable tools specifically crafted for animal advocacy. Combined with the comprehensive resources, guest speakers who are leaders in the field, and the focus on building both skills and community, SPAA offers a truly transformative experience. Krista has a gift for nurturing growth; she planted a seed in each of us and patiently cultivated it throughout the year. The result? We emerged as stronger vegan activists, more effective organizations, and better people. Sharing this journey with passionate advocates from around the world was incredibly inspiring. SPAA has equipped me with the tools and knowledge to make a stronger impact for animals.

Krista is beautiful in and out, her beauty isn’t just physical but it’s defined by her kindness and how much she loves to empower women in animal advocacy spaces.

I am honored to have been a beneficiary of her knowledge at least twice i.e. designated person training and strategic organisation master class training. My knowledge on safe space policy, fundraising, human resource management, and organisational development has improved a great deal. I highly recommend her to any organisation looking to grow in animal  rights advocacy.

I thoroughly enjoyed Strategic Planning for Animal Activism and learned a lot from the experience.

The eight-month program was thoughtfully designed and covered a wide range of important topics for nonprofits, helping our organization think more clearly and strategically about how to improve our impact. It was challenging to balance the coursework alongside day-to-day work responsibilities, but it was worth it, and I already miss the lectures, office hours, and conversations.

Krista and Kyle were a true joy to learn from. Both bring expert knowledge and experience and share complex topics in a way that is engaging and easy to understand. Krista brings invaluable insight from her remarkable career in the movement. She understands so many facets of animal advocacy and nonprofit leadership, and she has an exceptional ability to help organizations find clarity and direction. During office hours, she was fully present, generous with her time, and deeply committed to ensuring everyone felt supported, and she thoroughly answered each question. Kyle was also very helpful during his office hours, and we could not have completed our strategic plan without the AI tools Kyle shared with us. Krista and Kyle have fun and make the course fun; they are a great team!

Most importantly, the course helped us envision a more effective and impactful future for our work. We are truly fortunate to have Krista and Kyle supporting the movement with their talent, experience, and dedication.

This strategic planning course is sure to help you elevate your organization to a level needed to achieve its vision, mission, and fundraising goals.

Krista brings her expertise and personal experiences to this course, sharing what works and what doesn’t work, in a very open and candid manner. Participants are made to feel welcome and all opinions and input are welcome, ensuring you take away useful information that can be implemented into your organization’s specific plan.

I had the privilege of attending Dr. Krista Hiddema’s Strategic Planning for Animal Advocacy course in 2024, and it was truly transformative.

She teaches concepts that are absolutely critical yet often overlooked in the nonprofit space when it comes to building effective, impactful organizations.

Dr. Hiddema has an exceptional ability to break down complex ideas into clear, engaging, and highly actionable insights. Her teaching style makes it easy not only to understand the material, but to confidently apply it in real-world contexts. Beyond her expertise, she is an incredibly kind and supportive educator who genuinely cares about her students’ success.

I feel fortunate to have learned from her and would highly recommend her to anyone looking to strengthen their strategic thinking and impact in the advocacy space.