RE the question about long range planning; I'd suggest finding someone
    who is trained to facilitate LRPing. (Leading group thinking process)
    It is important that those who end up  budgeting and raising money for
    the plans, be very involved in making the plans (read "buy into" the
    plans) or the process will remain just that.  How long does it take or
    how long is it "good for"...depends on how big the plans are and how
    long it takes those who make the plans to develop funding to accomplish
    what is planned.  I believe that LRP is at least to some extent a
    continual process, tho obviously the effort put in to a good process
    can be done constantly.  Seems to me that at the point (18 mo. to 5 yrs
    ?) when the plan no longer seems to include that which people would
    like to be working on, is time to revise and update it.