The Free and Fair Elections Foundation of Afghanistan (FEFA) has sought since 2005 to develop and pursue a long‐term strategic plan. While FEFA has succeeded in establishing itself as Afghanistan’s only national domestic election monitoring organization, the broader democracy and governance agenda has proved more difficult to pursue.

Between the elections of 2005 and 2009, the organization was able to implement several initiatives. However, these activities were pursued in an ad hoc manner and were to an extent a response to donors and the purposes for which donor funding was available.

Conscious that the grander goal of democracy building requires a longer‐term focus and engagement, FEFA secured the support of its international partners – particularly UNDP and NDI – to facilitate the development of a strategic plan. Beginning in October 2009, UNDP‐ELECT facilitated initial planning discussions among FEFA senior staff. These discussions were advanced in January 2010 through a week‐long NDI‐facilitated workshop, again with FEFA senior staff. The following conclusions were arrived at during the January workshop, which was held at FEFA’s office, and which built on the strategic planning discussions held in October 2009.