The Mission describes the organization’s purpose, its reason for being. It is the most broadly focused, and relatedly, the most enduring component of a Strategic Plan. The differences between Mission and Vision may not be well understood by everyone, but there are some important ones. A vision (or a set of Goals) describes the desired future state of an organization, and it has a specific and usually more immediate timeframe. By contrast, a Mission statement is usually not time related. Instead, it is tied to the complete fulfillment of the purpose.

Even so, the Mission may need to change from time to time, for a variety of reasons. As a result, they should be reviewed by governance and leadership periodically (typically every 3 – 5 years, but occasionally sooner if certain circumstances emerge). If it is determined that change is needed during a review, it should be done carefully with an understanding of current style and wording conventions. After all, a Mission is intended to be shared and used broadly by the organization, both externally and internally.