Accokeek Foundation Strategic Alignment Project 2013 Katherine Birnie Director of Markets, Ecosystem Investment Partners. Adam Burton Project Manager for Clark Energy Group, a sustainability consulting firm. 2 Jocelyn Recht Works in business development at The Advisory Board Company, health care consulting firm, and lives in DC. JJ Smith Entrepreneur and executive coach, resides in Old Town Alexandria. Jessica Walbridge Throws an awesome holiday party (so Im told)! Tracey Moon Laid back, but fearless leader. Project Leader Gregg Couch Works at Accenture, supporting federal agencies solve complex supply chain problems. Georgia Katinas Associate Program Manager at Compass. Pursuing a certificate in Marketing at Georgetown. Deputy Project Leader Meet the Compass Team About Compass Strategic Guidance. Stronger Nonprofits. Compass mission is to inspire the active engagement of business professionals with their local nonprofits to transform communities Compass goals are to: Help Washington-area nonprofit organizations carry out their missions more effectively and efficiently both in the short term and for the long term. Facilitate a strong relationship between select business professionals and nonprofit leaders. Bring the education, expertise and experience of seasoned business professionals to the nonprofit community. Cultivate in volunteers a deep, lasting, and personal commitment to the nonprofit community. Key Facts and Figures: 5 Service Line Offerings: Board Development, Funding Strategies, Strategic Planning, Strategic Alignment, Strategic Partnerships 312 volunteers in the year, supporting 44 projects for 54 nonprofits $4.3M worth of commercial consulting services delivered to local are nonprofits each year. 3 AGENDA 4 I.Project Overview II.Vision and Mission Evaluation & Recommendation III.SWOT Overview IV.Organization Structure Recommendations V.Program Area Recommendations VI.Employee Communication Plan VII.30, 60, 90 Day Action Plan for Immediate Impact VIII.Measurement and Evaluation IX.Comparable Organization Insights X.Additional Resources in Full Report Project Approach Three phases drive the Compass Strategic Alignment project Interview & CollectAssess & CompareRecommend Familiarize ourselves with the Accokeek Foundation and its mission. Interview Board members, staff and external stakeholders. Generate list of all current and future programs/initiatives. Compare Accokeek Foundation with other comparable organizations. Outline long term goals and vision for the Foundation based on Phase 1 interviews. Define opportunities to better align the Foundations current and future options with its Mission and long-term goals. Review findings and recommendations with Board and staff. 5 Phase 1Phase 2Phase 3 October - JanuaryFebruary - MarchApril - May Organizational Review Strengths and Weaknesses STRENGTHS WEAKNESSES 6 o Tendency to start projects and not follow through o Lack of visibility o Timing of the receipt of funds o No focus on doing one thing very well o Silo thinking o Desire to be innovative can result in doing things too quickly o Tendency to over-commit staff o Access and handicap access o Donor relationships o Lack of expertise on staff o Balancing staff workload o Cultivating new board members o Lack of presence in Accokeek community o No financial process o Staff o Colonial Farm o Relationship with schools o Foodways program o Mt Vernon viewshed o Good use of consultants o Relationships with governments o Investments funds and reserves o Adaptability Organizational Review Opportunities and Threats OPPORTUNITIES THREATS o Expand the audience o Make the site more user-friendly o Show more than one perspective o Present the whole as one system o Boat dock o Stability of National Park Service o Lack of plans for NPS abandonment o Tendency to sit on maintenance issues o Operating costs up faster than revenue o Salesmanship on funding o Cannibalization of funding o Overextending staff o Losing focus 7 o Location on the Potomac River o Breeding program and exchanges o Different funding streams o Building on government relations o Partnering with Alice Ferguson o Accokeek Community Farm A New Accokeek Vision and Mission Clear and Concise Messaging for All A world devoted to land stewardship. 8 Accokeek Vision Statement The mission of the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park is to foster an understanding of how land shapes people and people shape the land, over time. From the historic view shed of Mount Vernon, the Accokeek Foundation provides world-class education programs in the areas of cultural history, land preservation, and agriculture. Accokeek Mission Statement 9 Education Past PresentFuture Piscataway African American Colonial Farm Nature Trails Farmer Training Land Stewardship Modern Farm Sustainability Land Preservation Farming Accokeek Vision A world devoted to land stewardship. Viewshed A Unified View of the Organization Weaving together the Past, Present and Future, through Education Organizational Recommendations 11 Organizational Structure Alignment of Activities and Clear Responsibilities 12 Responsibilities Delegation and Reporting President/CEO VP of Institutional Advancement 1.Setting the annual (and longer term) objectives and goals for the Accokeek Foundation along with the board. 2.Developing written expectations for reporting from direct reports status operations, formalized quarterly goals and tracking, budgeting process and management of budget for operations, etc. 3.Developing a high-level execution plan to achieve objectives, review with direct reports, and provide direction for the development of execution plans from their respective areas. 4.Communicating and strategizing with direct reports on finance, operations issues, fundraising challenges, and providing guidance or assistance with resolution. 5.Acting as the face of the Accokeek Foundation in the community. Interacting and building relationships with key partners, the National Park Service, political circles, local organizations, etc. 1.Aligning marketing, volunteer, membership and development initiatives with the goals set by the President/CEO through the creation of a strategic execution plan. 2.Clearly defining the quarterly and annual goals for each functional area under the VP of Institutional Advancement that incents the needed behavior to align with the overall objectives. 3.Developing a strategic fundraising plan in collaboration with the Development staff that taps into a broader community, corporate community, and foundations. 4.Assisting marketing with a strategic plan that addresses organization marketing, program specific support, and event planning and execution. 13 Responsibilities Delegation and Reporting VP of Finance 1.Translating the strategic direction provided by the President/CEO into an overall interpretive education experience via the programs that comprise the Accokeek Foundation at Piscataway Park. 2.Integrate educational components, both interactive and self-guided, through every aspect of the programmatic efforts of the Accokeek Foundation team to improve the overall visitor experience. 3.Evaluate all current programs for improvements and modification based on the integrated story telling of the European American, African American, and Piscataway histories. 4.Developing relationships with schools and other educational groups 5.Overseeing site management and general operations in accordance with compliance bodies or other requirements. 1.Providing overall financial direction and reporting of the Accokeek Foundation. 2.Developing clear HR processes and procedures including assisting the managers with job description templates, goal setting, and performance measurements. VP of Education & Visitor Experience 14 Organizational Recommendations 1.Implement an annual budgeting process for each program and the organization as a whole that corresponds to the organizations prioritized goals. 2.Teach program managers how the Accokeek Foundations finances work and give them responsibility for budget management within the above-mentioned annual budgeting process. 3.Put in place quarterly financial reviews with staff to review actual to budget and to discuss implications and contingencies for the differentials. 4.Build accountability into the process: build managers that own their budgets, and hold them accountable for doing so (this may require some additional training and professional development.) 5.Align annual planning for the Accokeek Foundation as a whole with the fiscal year calendar. 6.Align with development to provide financial goals for fundraising at the organization and program levels. 7.Track employee compensation as a percentage of total revenue and ensure that it continues its current trend toward the industry average (see Appendix item D.) Financial Recommendations 15 Organizational Recommendations 1.Align fundraising goals with programmatic goals and involve program leads in fundraising that relates to their programs. 2.Consider additional revenue streams through ticket sales for events, education programs, site rental, sale of animal products, heirloom seeds, etc. 3.Develop the board to do more active fundraising from private sources. Begin a discussion of best practices for boards in nonprofit fundraising and ways for members to augment the fundraising capabilities and financial security of the organization. 4.Discuss with Compass an additional engagement to develop capacity and ownership of fundraising through the board. Fundraising Recommendations 16 Organizational Recommendations 1.Provide staff with more oversight and consistent communication. (See Appendix item E.) 2.Evaluate all roles and skill sets to ensure that right staff is in right roles. 3.Develop more accountability measures for staff and hold the staff accountable. Staff Development Recommendations 1.Formalize marketing team and roles and responsibilities. Articulate to staff what marketing does and does not entail. 2.Review current marketing approach and discuss needed changes and next steps to best align resources with desired goals. 3.Develop a fully integrated and executable marketing strategy. 4.Work with VP of Education & Visitor Experience to improve the visitor experience through materials, signage, weekend presence, etc. (See Appendix item F.) 5.Develop an audience segmentation matrix (who you are trying to attract) and aligned outreach methods (how you will capture them.) Marketing Recommendations Program Specific Recommendations Recommendation Areas Public Access Educational Programs Livestock Colonial Farm Agricultural Programs/ Eco-System Farm Land Conservation 18 Education Programs Connecting people with the land and its history Offerings Mission: to teach and educate visitors about how people have shaped the land, and the land has shaped the people InterviewsAudience/Demographics 19 Lisa Hayes President MaryAlice Bonomo Manager Education & Visitor Services Gabi Tayac Board Member Myra McGovern Board Member Mark Wright Board Member Students from school field trips Local community members Families Unique audiences for custom programs Apprentices & Professionals: Farmers; Conservationists; Museum Theatre Educational Programs - primarily National Colonial Farm Field Trips Interpretive Programs for General Audiences (Pumpkin Ash; Follow the Food; Sustainability; Specially Themed) Special Programs & Events (Monthly, annual & seasonal offerings for all ages Specialized & Professional Programs (Beginner farmer; Immigrant farmer; Museum theatre Internship; Chesapeake conservation) Key Findings Recommendations Identify each programs target audience and number of visitors; communicate this to all staff to ensure common vision Create system to capture program attendance and analyze any gap with the above on a regular basis Create system to capture feedback on program value and efficacy Create program evaluation tool to measure alignment with mission and ability to replicate for long-term impact; require all new ad hoc programs be evaluated prior to implementation Consider expanding weekend staff presence to engage visitors Develop plans for potential partnerships to increase impact and achieve synergies (e.g. Alice Ferguson, school districts, etc.) Key strengths: engaged staff and significant site School field trips, particularly to the Colonial Farm, are Accokeeks hallmark education programs, but attendance has declined in recent years Custom education programs replicated rarely raises questions around scalability and long term impact Partnerships result in niche programs and have potential to extend Accokeeks reach Opportunities for outreach to local and more distant (DC) audiences Agricultural Program Jean Wallace Douglas Center for Agricultural and Environmental Stewardship and the Robert Ware Strauss Ecosystem Farm Offerings Mission: to teach and inspire people to use principles and practices of sustainability in agriculture and everyday life InterviewsAudience/Demographics Future o Accokeek Community Farm (agricultural expansion) Laura Ford Vice President Allan McCurry Board Chair Jim Potts Board of Directors Marietta Ethier Board of Directors Beginning farmers with a focus on young farmers, and those under-served by existing USDA programs CSA and farmers market customers Workshop, course, and forum attendees interested in sustainable agriculture and seeking learning or convening opportunities Visitors to Accokeek Foundation grounds Current o Organic vegetable operations o CSA, Farmers Markets o Farmer training o Apprenticeships, coalitions, assistance o Public training o Workshops, conferences Gene Roberts Board of Directors Kate Clancy Board of Directors Becky Seward Ecosystem Farm Manager Molly Meehan Community Outreach Coordinator 20 Key Findings Recommendations Hire an Executive Director for ACF, and establish procedures for clearly separating it fiscally and in governance Determine the next evolution of the Ecosystem Farm site Improve the visitor experience at the Ecosystem Farm site to better integrate it into the overall educational program and visitor experience including with the Colonial Farm and livestock Evaluate the potential for a partnership with Alice Ferguson Fdn There is a dearth of local agriculture to meet demand, and Accokeeks agriculture work seeks to address this void by training new farmers. Current Ecosystem Farm program has run its course with limited ability to continue farm operations on-site. Opportunity to scale with Accokeek Community Farm, with goal of being financially self-sustaining. Colonial Farm & Livestock Program Connecting people with the land through a living history museum Operating farm with crops & livestock Demonstration gardens with plants/herbs from around the world Foodways program Field trips & special events Operating farm with crops & livestock Demonstration gardens with plants/herbs from around the world Foodways program Field trips & special events Offerings Mission: through a living history museum visitors can experience what farming life was like for a family in the area in the 1770s Interviews Students/Schools through field trip programs General audience, local community, occasional travellers from outside the area Students/Schools through field trip programs General audience, local community, occasional travellers from outside the area Audience/Demographics 21 Matt Mattingly Program Manager, Colonial Farm Polly, Livestock farm Lisa Hayes President Wilton Corkern Angela Barnes President Emeritus Marketing Key Findings The Colonial Farm has changed over the years from an original intent of being an heirloom seed and heritage livestock preservation program to a larger scale living history museum focused more on the life of a 1770s European American farming family. Interesting and valuable additions have been made to the Colonial Farm, namely the Foodways program. Integration with the other Accokeek programs is not as strong as it could be. The demonstration gardens have been neglected. The livestock program is attractive to visitors and has potential to continue to improve Recommendations Expand and emphasize the multi-cultural, holistic approach to the historic farm. Prioritize signage and creating self-guided tours as interpreters are not always present. Clearly define a purpose for the demonstration garden and ensure that it is maintained. Document knowledge of interpreters Explore heirloom seed-selling as a potential revenue stream Continue to pursue partnerships with other breeders and farmers in the area Research and consider selling animal products as a revenue source Integrate both programs into the overall Accokeek Foundation better Land Conservation Program Conservation Easement stewardship and land acquisition Offerings Mission: to permanently protect the 100 square mile view shed from Mount Vernon InterviewsPartners Future o Future acquisitions and easements Lisa Hayes President Wilton Corkern President Emeritus Lindsay Smith Consultant Maryland Environmental Trust Mt. Vernon Conservation easement grantors Conservation organization partners including public entities (planning departments, etc); partner local land trusts; partner regional orgs (TNC, TPL) Current o Conservation easement co-holding arrangement with MET o Including LaCrone Acquisition o Participation in regional planning and conservation coalitions o Work with National Park Service o Conservation Advocacy 22 Key Findings Recommendations Do not assume the significant liability for an easement co-holding program without extremely thorough due diligence and ability to bear the legal and financial risks Leverage Accokeeks educational platform as a powerful tool for educating a diverse audience about the importance of conservation Accokeek provides a unique perspective within conservation circles has a diverse constellation of partners (interpretation, historic preservation, etc.) relative to the straight conservation groups Easement co-holing program is relatively new: risks and liabilities, and partnership arrangement with MET, should be evaluated on an ongoing basis Public Access Sites Connecting visitors with the natural beauty of Accokeek Offerings Mission: to engage visitors with the land, and preserve the picturesque Potomac shoreline facing historic Mount Vernon InterviewsAudience/Demographics Key Findings Recommendations Brandon Burton Site Manager Trey Thomas Site Caretaker and NPS Ranger Gerald Datcher Facilities Manager Fishing pier is extremely popular with local enthusiasts, siting that even on a snowy day in January, fisherman can be found utilizing the pier and its view. Birdwatchers frequent trails All facilities are open to the public daily during regularly operating hours. Additional signage throughout the Accokeek Foundation for educational and directional purposes. Work with NPS to relocate the sign at Livingston and Biddle Repair/replace picnic tables/shed and continue partnerships with youth or outdoor organizations to seek volunteers to assists with grounds upkeep Pursue expansion of tail systems Consider development of more recreational opportunities on the grounds to drive higher number and frequency of repeat visits Fishing pier is most frequented, with steady traffic year-round. Locals may think of the land as the National Colonial Farm because of youth visits and not as much as a place for recreation. Cost structure for public access sites is largely upfront during installation, followed by routine maintenance costs going forward. 23 Current o Saylor Grove Fishing Pier o Canoe/Kayak Landing o Blackberry Trail o Riverview Trail o Persimmon Trail o Bluebird Trail o Pawpaw Trail Future o Boat Dock o Connect with Pumpkin Ash Trail Execution Plans 25 Measures 50% of staff can: Explain new Vision and Mission Explain program goals Explain need for change Measures 75% of staff can: Articulate need for change Explain impact to their jobs Measures 75% of staff can: Explain changes to the operating model Explain program objectives and how programs are measured Explain how programs areas are intertwined Measures 90% of staff can: Explain benefits of change to the organization Awareness Understanding Buy Commitment Activities Define Case for Change Sanitize Report for Staff Distribution Identify changes to orgs and jobs Develop On-going Communication Plan Activities Discuss Strategic Alignment Plan and Case for Change with Staff during one-on-ones Discuss Impacts to Staff roles and responsibilities Activities Staff should be operating within new org structure Set objectives for personal performance Define metrics for program area performance Solicit feedback on what is, and is not, working with new operating model Activities Measure employee performance under new operating model Track program area performance Assess overall impact to the organization Using best practices to gain awareness and support for organizational change at the Accokeek Foundation 2 Months4 Months8 Months Employee Communication Plan How to engage staff along throughout the change process 26 Measurement and Evaluation Keys to success for continued program improvement Staff Job Descriptions that are not self-written Quarterly Goals assigned to all staff members that align with organizational objectives Regular Status Meetings at all levels Quarterly Goal Reviews at all levels 27 Insights from Comparable Organizations Qualitative Findings Other organizations are generally more focused and targeted than the Accokeek Foundation. Their missions are more defined which can foster improved organizational cohesion and progress tracking. Other organizations have more visitor friendly websites that include information about local attractions and trip planning. The team found many ideas for increased visitor outreach such as music festivals, holiday events, site rentals, summer camps, collaboration with scouts, etc. Other organizations appear to collaborate more closely with local school districts. 28 Insights from Comparable Organizations Quantitative Findings The Accokeek Foundations reliance on government grants and investment income are financial risks Government grants are greater than 50% of revenues There is opportunity to expand the Accokeek Foundations program service revenues. Currently, the Foundation receives significantly lower program revenues per employee than its peers (approximately 4% of the average.) Excluding government grants, the Accokeek Foundations fundraising efficiency (approximately $7.5 dollars raised per dollar spent in 2012) is higher than many of its peers. This presents an opportunity to devote more resources to fundraising and expand revenue. Compass Recommendations Report Additional Topics Provided in Full Report 29 Program Evaluation Scoring Tool Template for systematically evaluating whether a new program or idea aligns with Accokeek's mission and vision, and whether it advances Accokeek's goals in a sustainable way. Business Justification Template for New Programs Existing Accokeek Foundation tool for evaluating the addition of new programs. Benchmarking and Competitive Analysis Helpful insight based on research of comparable organizations SWOT Analysis Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats analysis Visitor Experience Firsthand write-up of the visitor experience 30 30, 90, 180-Day Action Plans Within 30 DaysWithin 3 monthsWithin 6 months Finalize new org structure Prioritize what to address short term vs long Develop staff presentation Schedule staff meeting and communicate changes Create the master execution plan Begin recruiting for new positions have at least 2 potential candidates Begin executing the employee communication plan Complete all new job descriptions Meet 1:1 with each employee to communicate expectations Staff should be able to articulate the new structure, their roles, performance goals Execution plan should be underway and operating New budgeting process followed prior to new fiscal year Planning for calendar 2014 should be complete