SkywaySolutions
StrategicPlanRecommendationsfortheAnnualMeetingFinalReportJanuary2016
SkywaySolutions BusinessPlanRecommendations Page 1
TableofContents
PartI:Context� Introduction 3� PlanningProcess 4
PartII:Vision� VisionStatementofPlan 6� Board’sRole 7� Staff’sRole 8� ResourcesNeeded 9
PartIII:Goals&Strategies� OrganizingThemes 11� MissionFocus 12� FinancialSecurity 13� MeasurableImpact 14� ThoughtLeadership 15� OrganizationalEffectiveness 16
PartIV:Implementation� ImplementationProcess 18
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PartI:Context
Introduction
SkywaySolutionshasimprovedthequalityofcommunitydialogueinSkywayWestHillforthelastfiveyearswithgovernmentandresidents,championingnewideasandcatalyzingprojects.Ithasbroadenedthedefinitionofpublicspacebyembracingarangeofsites,issuesandarenas.WhenSkywaySolutionswasfounded,itstoodrelativelyaloneinitsfield–thoughnotwithoutmodelsandprecedent–toprovidethink-tank-likeplanningservicesfocusedexclusivelyinSkywayWestHill.TransformingfromacommunitygrouporganizedbyPomegranateCenterandKingCountytocreateanagendaforrevitalization,yearswentbywithsmallprojectsbutnodeeperimpactandoraccountability.FoundingBoardMembers,AnthonyShoecraft,IlondaPalacios,MicheleSavelle,KlausLiebetanz,SavinaMontgomery,PaulPatuandMichaelMajeed.MuchhaschangedsinceSkywaySolution’sinceptionin2009.Skywayhasexperiencedtheincreaseoforganizationsconcernedwiththequalityofourhealthandaccess,manywhichhavetakenonsimilarissuesandevenadoptedplanningmethodsSkywaySolutionshasbroughtforward.SkywaySolutionsitselfisamuchdifferentorganizationtodaythanitwaswhenitwasfoundedintoanonprofit,withpaidprofessionalleadershipofstature,agrowingBoard,andatrackrecordthathassetastandardforcatalyzingprojects.YetSkywaySolutions’impactandreputationislargelyunknown.ItisnowtimetocarefullylaunchSkywaySolutions’continuingroleinSkywayWestHillandweembarkedonaLeadershipretreatin2012todriveaStrategicPlanningprocessin2014thatplottedacourseforitsfutureatakeymomentinitsevolution.JenniferMooreandMichaelMajeedfacilitatedthisprocess,buildingonearlierplanningworkbyFoundingBoardMembers,gatheringawiderangeofinputsthatprovideaplatformfortheBoardandnewstaffleadershiptomakecriticaldecisionsaboutdirection.Whatfollowsisanambitiousvision,embracedbyarangeofstakeholders,andatacticalroadmapfortheorganizationtorealizetheseaspirations.
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AnEngagedandInclusiveProcess
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StakeholderInterviews
VisionSession
SkywaySolutions:AgendaforRevitalization(2009)Membersvoted
tobecomeanonprofit(2010)
7 Board2 Staff3Funders3PotentialPartners
(Feb-June2015)
Board&Staff
DraftedBusinessPlan
(June2015)Prioritization&TacticalPlanning(July-November
2015)
BoardEndorsement(January2016)
EarlyImplementation&Fundraising2016
FullPlanImplementation2016-2020
LeadershipRetreat(January2012)
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PartII:Vision
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VisionStatement
ThisVisionofthisplanisrootedinthefollowingcoreconcepts,whichwereechoedbytheBoard,StaffandKeyVolunteersthroughouttheyears:
1. ThereisahealthytensionbetweenSkywaySolutionsmission,whichemphasizespurpose,andthe
organization’saspirationalvision,whichconcentratesonthefutureandservesasacatalysttoBuildCommunityandHonorDiversity.
2. Thevisionelementsofourbusinessandstrategicplanemergedinclude“catalyst,transformative,impact,
actionable,systemicchange,totransformSkyway.Ourcommunityworkfocusesonsustainability,equity,cultureandothereffortstostrengthenourneighborhoodsthroughhousing,neighborhoodschoolsandsocialenterprises.
3. Divingdeeperintocommunitydevelopmenttoidentifyproperties,takeonpredevelopmentactivitiesand
begintoshapeandbuildapipelineofinvestinginourcommunity.BecommittedtocreatinganequitableandsustainableSkyway.
Usinganationallyrecognizedmodel,SkywaySolutionscantransformSkywayWestHilltobenefitandbuildbettercommunitythroughinnovativesolutions.
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TheBoard’sRole
Toachieveourvision,theBusinessandStrategicPlancallsforinvestmentsintalent,content,marketingandcommunications.TheBoardmustplayacentralroleindevelopingtheresourcestoachievetheseambitiousgoals:
� TheBoardmusttakeresponsibility,togetherwithstaffleadership,formeetingthegoalsofthisPlan.The
ExecutiveCommitteewillensuresufficientfundsareallocatedintheannualbudgetforplaninitiatives,assignresponsibilityforBoard-driventasks,regularlyreviewprogressandenablecoursecorrectionsifnecessary.
� EmpowerandsupporttheExecutiveDirectorinassemblingateamthathasthein-housecapacityand
expertisetoimplementpolicyanddeliveronprojects,andeffectivelypromoteandstewardtheorganization.
� TheBoardwilldevelopandstewardtheresourcesneededtosupportSkywaySolutionsanditsvision.Board
memberswillworkwithleadershipstafftoincreasetheimpactoffundraising,collaboratewiththeLeadershipTeamonnewpartnershipdevelopmentandongoingcultivationandstewardshipofSkywaySolutionsimportantinstitutionalfundersandpartners.
� UndertakeacoordinatedandstrategicBoarddevelopmentandrecruitmentefforttogrowthevoluntary
leadershipandbringnewskills,expertise,resourcesandconnectionstodevelopSkywaySolutions.
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TheStaff’sRole
Toachieveourvision,theBusinessandStrategicPlanscallsforinvestmentsintalent,projectmanagement,realestate,housing,marketingandcommunications.ToachievetheambitiousgoalslaidoutinthePlan,thestaffwill:
� Useworkplansasatoolfordevelopingannualoperatingplansandtotrackingprogress.TheLeadershipTeamwillfacilitatemid-yearprogressreviews,andintegrateamendmentsoradjustmentsasneeded.
� DevelopandaddvoluntaryexpertiseintheareasidentifiedbytheExecutiveDirectorasthemostpressingissuesinthecommunity,aroundwhichprimaryprojectsarefocusedoverathree-yearperiod.
� Addprojectmanagementandcoordinationcapacitytosupportdualprojectapproachandfee-basedservicedelivery.
� Drivecommunityleadershipandownershipbybuildingacoreofresidentsasleaders.
� Benefitfromadditionalmarketing,communicationsandbrandingexpertisetoelevateSkywaySolutionsprofile,impactandsustainability.
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UnderwritingtheVision
CriticalInvestments OutcomesInputs
ClearVision&Purpose
StrategicPlanRoadmap
Capacitybuildingandseedfunding.Thestaff,infrastructureandreservefundingtoenablefuturegrowth.~$650,000/3years
Brandawareness.Brandandproductdevelopmentandpromotion.~$175,000/3years
GreaterVisibility
ACommittedBodyofStakeholders
Knowledgesharing.Conferences,speakingengagementsandpartnershipdevelopment.~$175,000/3years
Together,theBoardandStaffwillrealizetheVision.AcomprehensiveFundraisingCampaignforSkywaySolutionsistheproposedvehicle,raisingapproximately$3.5moverthreeyears($1minnewfunding)tosupportoperatingexpensesalongwithtargetedinvestmentsinstrategicinitiatives,specialprojects,andfinancialsecurity.
IncreasedImpact
EnhancedStability
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PartIII:StrategicGoals
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Goals&Strategies
FivemajorgoalscamefromourStrategicPlanprocessJanuary2014,andfromextensiveinterviewswithBoard,staff,fundersandotherstakeholdersthroughout2015forthisprocess.Aunifyingmessagethatarticulateswhoweareandwhatsetsusapartfromothersinthecommunity.
1. BuildCommunityLeaderstofocusonmission.
2. BuildCommunityOwnership-acquire,develop,preserveandmanagepropertyforcommunityownership.
3. FinancialSecurity.Fiscalstabilitythroughabroaderrangeoffundingstreams,e.g.earnedincome,philanthropicfunding,etc.
4. InternalCapacity.Buildthoughtleadershiptoenhancelocalandnationalrecognitionforcreativeandeffectiveapproachestosolvingourcommunitychallenges.
5. OrganizationalEffectiveness.OperationalbestpracticestooptimizeBoard,StaffandCommunitycollaborationandeffectiveness.(BuildingaCollectiveImpact)
PrioritizationandplanningsessionswerethenheldwiththestaffandBoardrepresentativestodevelopthestrategiesandtacticsthatsupporteachofthesefivestrategicgoals.Thesegoalsareoutlinedonthefollowingpages.
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MissionFocus
� EnsureSkywaySolutions’Missionandcorevaluesreflectourpurposeandorganizationalprioritiesandpresentasimple,unifyingmessagethatarticulateswhyweexistandwhatwedotoachieveourvision.
� ClearlyandconsistentlypromotetheMission,distinguishingitsvaluerelativetootherorganizationsconcernedwithsimilarissues,andasanationalmodelforbestpracticesincommunityplanning.
� RefreshSkywaySolutionsbrandandidentitytoreflectourimpactlocally,andregionally.
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FinancialSecurity
� Useaprojectselectionprocesstopromoteadvancedfundraisinginitiativesandsecuremulti-yearfundingcommitments.
� Developanearnedincomeplatformtoleverageourtalentandmethodologyfornewtechnicalassistanceandrevenuesaswellasfee-basedservices.
� Developandgrowmajordonorengagementthrough:(1)acampaignthatcelebratescommunitythroughartswhileraisingresourcestounderwritestrategicplaninitiatives,(2)increasedvolunteersprojects,and(3)arevisedannualbenefitstrategy.
� ExpandfundraisingusingtheStrategicPlanasatoolforresourcedevelopment,identifyingprospectswhoseprioritiesalignwithmulti-yearprojectsanddeepeningrelationshipswithpotentialpartners.
� Explorepartnershipopportunitiesthroughthelensofequityandgreaterfinancialsecurity.
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InternalCapacity
� Developuniversalprojectframework,metrics/performanceindicators,evaluationtoolsandaprocessthatallowSkywaySolutionsanditspartnerstomeasureprogramperformanceandimpact.
� Establishclear,impact-orientedgoalsforeachprojectthathelpSkywaySolutionsmeasureandproveprojectsuccess.
� Introduceandlearnanewapproachtoprojectselectionandacomplementarystrategyforhousingandmixeduseprojects.
� ExploreinstitutionalandorganizationalpartnershipsthatpotentiallyexpandSkywaySolutionshousingdevelopmentimpact.
IncreasedVisibility&ThoughtLeadership
� Designalocally-focusedstrategythateducatesabroadrangeofconstituenciesaboutspecificaccomplishmentsandourlongtermimpactinSkywayWestHillandalsoleveragesvolunteersandprojectpartnersasambassadorstoincreasevisibility.
� BuildBoardandstaffwithnecessarymarketingandcommunicationsexpertisetoraiseawarenessofourwork.
� Developandimplementastrategytoincreasetheorganization’sprofilelocallyandregionallythroughspeakingengagements,promotionalopportunitiesfeaturingresidentsandaconferenceorsymposiumthatistiedtoourProjectWork.
OrganizationalEffectiveness
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� FocustheBoardonbestpracticesingovernanceincludingempoweringtheExecutiveDirector,supportingandoverseeingStrategicPlanimplementation,attractingresourcesandgeneratingconnections.
� LaunchaBoardDevelopmentworkplanandlearningtooptimizetheroleoftheBoardinadvancingtheplanandsecuringtheresourcesneededtounderwritethevision.
� FocusonlearningGovernance,RealEstateManagement,ProjectManagementandFundraising.
� Reallocatestaffresponsibilitiesandrevisitorganizationalstructuretosupportenhancedexternalrelationsefforts(marketing,communications,fundraising,strategicpartnershipdevelopment).
FoundingBoard- WorkingBoard- Mostlycomprisingfriendsandcolleaguesofthefounder
- Heavyonprogramexpertise
Planning/BoardDevelopment- Toachievescaleandsustainability- Focusonbalancingboard/staffroles- Activateastrongcommitteestructure- Expandvoluntaryleadershipwithdiverseskills,expertiseandreach
Best-PracticeOrganization- BoardhiresastrongED,approvesbudgets/policy,setsdirection,secures/stewardsresources
- Workdonebyengagedcommittees- EDempoweredtoassembleteamthatimplementspolicyanddeliversservice,andtocreatetheoptimalboard/staffrelationshipforsuccessfulfundraising
It’svastlyeasiertoattractandretainsolidVolunteersandahighlyqualifiedstaffwithbalancedBoard/staffroles
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PartIV:Implementation
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ImplementationProcess
� WeneedtohireandordevelopaProjectDirectorresponsibleforimplementing,maintainingandupdatingtheStrategicPlanspreadsheet;initiatingmid-yearprogressreviews,andintegratingamendmentsoradjustments.
� AllstaffandtheBoardwillusetheStrategicPlanspreadsheetasaworkingdocumenttodevelopannualtasksandtotrackprogress.
� RefertoBusinessPlanforreference
� RefertoStrategicPlanforreference