Strategic Planning for Animal Activism
(SPAA)

Attending the “Strategic Plan for Animal Activism” course has been an eye-opening and transformative experience for our organization, Oslo Vegetarfestival.

Thanks to Krista’s and Kyle’s expertise and guidance, we’ve gained a much clearer and more structured approach to planning and execution. The course has helped us identify what we’ve been doing right and, more importantly, what we need to do differently to grow and improve. After completing the course, we feel like we now observe and plan our work with a new and improved perspective—it’s incredibly motivating!

We’ve learned so much about the many facets of running an organization. From creating essential documents to refining our strategies, the knowledge we’ve gained has already had a profound and positive impact on our work and how our team collaborates. The course has also been an inspiration for us to continue fighting for animal rights and promoting the vegan cause with renewed energy.

We are incredibly grateful for this course and the opportunity to participate. After working in the animal rigths movement for many years with different organizations and animal advocates, we are convinced the course could be a game-changer for others as well. We have already wholeheartedly recommended it to other animal advocates in Norway, and hope the course continues so they will have the possibility to attend.

A huge thank you to Krista and Kyle for sharing their invaluable knowledge, to the other participants and guest lecturers for their insights and to The Greenbaum Foundation and Vegan Grants for making this course possible. This course has empowered us to be more effective and impactful in our mission, and for that, we couldn’t be more thankful.

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.

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.

I’ve had the tremendous privilege, honor, and pleasure to participate in the 2024 SPAA course, and I can honestly say that this has been one of the best things that has ever happened to us as a group, and to me personally, since starting my professional work for animals 2 decades ago.

Every serious group in the animal rights / vegan movement should go through this course, and it’s hard for me to fathom how any group could continue to operate, and operate well, without it.

The knowledge imparted by Krista during the course, from her vast experience of working in leadership roles in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors in and outside the movement – aided by AI expert Kyle, guest speakers and the wonderful community of participants – is so well earned, researched, formulated and delivered, that I can now say with confidence that I finally have a good grasp on every aspect of the complex work of running a nonprofit, and especially a nonprofit in the animal rights / vegan field. From crafting and fine-tuning your mission, vision, values and programmatic areas, to professionalizing your board, marketing, hiring, fundraising, and everything in between, this course covered it all and offered the best tools and practices for learning more, and putting it all together into a cohesive Strategic Plan that will serve your nonprofit for many years to come.

SPAA is the absolute “Non-profiting 101” (and 102 and 103…) that you always knew you needed, but did not know where to get. Now we all do, and it’s so accessible (and fun) and free! Run, run, run to sign up for the next one!

Krista is a master at communication.

Krista consistently demonstrated a deep understanding of these subjects and provided invaluable guidance throughout the process. Her expertise and attention to detail were instrumental in ensuring that our policies and guidelines align with best practices to foster a respectful and inclusive work environment. Furthermore, her engaging training sessions not only imparted knowledge but also empowered our team to apply the principles of respect effectively. I highly recommend Krista’s consultancy services to any organization seeking to cultivate a culture of respect and inclusivity in the workplace.

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.

The SPAA class was one of my most significant learning experiences in 2024.

I took on a leadership position in an emerging NGO as their first paid staff member in early 2024 with no formal training on this role. I accepted the position because I love this organization and want to do my very best to help it grow and expand. However, stepping into something new with high stakes was intimidating, and I often doubted myself.

The SPAA class helped me organize my thoughts, set a clear vision, and communicate it effectively. It also taught me budgeting, which initially seemed overwhelming, but now I feel confident in managing it.

I highly recommend the SPAA class to anyone in a leadership position who wants to enhance their skills and abilities.

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.

As a new charity launching on a volunteer basis, our time is very limited.

Dedicating the time to participate in SPAA2024 has been the best use of our time – allowing us to set strong foundations from the get go, and placing us in the best position to grow and begin making impact.

Krista’s SPAA course is a must for any organisation within our movement. By the end of the course, you’ll have a produced a roadmap to propel your organisation forward with clarity.

We are so grateful to have been able to participate in SPAA2024 – Thank you Krista!

SPAA program has brought me a deeper understanding of the vegan global movement and closer to coleagues from fellow organizations and funders.

It has provided us with applicable tips for our growth and up-to-date AI tools as well as how to make them work in our favor. Also, I have gotten answers to specific internal challenges within my organization. Probably the most important was that it helped me to keep myself accountable for doing a strong proper strategic plan that I am sure it will support the Romanian movement closer to a vegan mindset.

Taking the Strategic Planning for Animal Activists course this year was an incredible experience.

Krista is not only an outstanding teacher—she’s also incredibly generous and supportive with her knowledge, as well as fun and kind. The constant support and the creativity behind the resources and the tools created by Kyle were key to achieving the course’s main goal: developing our own strategic plan (We did it! ). When someone teaches with so much love and passion, it truly shows, and it was a privilege to be part of this network.

One of the most valuable lessons I learned is that it doesn’t matter where your organization or movement is right now—whether you’re new or experienced, working with a large team or a small one—it’s always a good time to pause, get organized, prioritize, and move forward. Krista reminded us that “when everything is important, nothing is important” and inspired us to trust that if we all contribute our part, the world can -and will- truly change.

If you’re thinking about joining, don’t hesitate—trust the process. You’ll learn so much, grow your skills, and become part of an incredible community of activists, experts and beautiful people.
The future is vegan ! =)

Being in Krista’s class is a privilege and a blessing. You effortlessly learn about the most intrinsic topics with the most inspiring person you would ever meet in your life.

She is transparent, objective, intense, full of information, references and data, and also full of emotion, love and care for the vegan movement and for her students. You can see the fire in her eyes and heart. For me it is absolutely clear that this is her mission, to capacitate activists so they can be their better versions and create greater impact in the world. I will probably see results of what I have learned for years to come. And Krista, you became a true friend. Thank you so much for being YOU!

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.

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.