MBHP Strategic Plan - Metro Housing...

MBHP Strategic PlanJuly 2016–June 2021

MBHP Strategic Plan July 2016–June2021

MBHP Board of Directors

Steven Rioff Board Co-Chair

Cynthia Lacasse Board Co-Chair

Next Street

Susanne Marzi Cameron Clerk

State Director, Massachusetts Citi

Nader AcevedoExecutive Vice President

Hispanic American Institute

Kevin BoyleSenior Vice President, Commercial Real Estate Division

Citizens Bank

Patrick CentanniExecutive Vice President

State Street Corporation

Lyndia DowniePresident and Executive Director

Pine Street Inn

Janet FrazierPresident/CEO

Maloney Properties, Inc.

Elizabeth GruberSenior Vice PresidentCommunity Development

Bank of America Merrill Lynch

Langley KeyesProfessor EmeritusMassachusetts Institute of

Technology

Joseph KriesbergPresident/CEO

MACDC

Terry Saunders LaneLane Consulting ServicesSenior Fellow, Center for Social Policy

University of Massachusetts Boston

Mary-Anne Morrison

Peter MunkenbeckConsultant

Munkenbeck Consulting

Jeffrey H. PackardVice PresidentSenior Managing DirectorReal Estate Finance Group

John Hancock Financial Services

Esther Schlorholtz Senior Vice PresidentDirector of Community Investment

Boston Private Bank & Trust Company

Charles M. SmithVice President SBA Specialist

Eastern Bank

Donald E. VaughanPartner

Burns & Levinson, LLP

Michael Widmer

MBHP Senior Staff

Christopher T. NorrisPresident/Executive Director

Susan NohlDeputy Director

Rev. Anne M. RousseauChief Financial Officer

Keith AbbottDirector of Human Resources

Brunette Beaupin-JaramilloDirector of Leased Housing

Howard ClaymanDirector of Informational Technology

Kate FultonDirector of Housing Supports

Kevin DonaherDirector of Inspectional Services

Steve FarrellDirector of Communications, Development and Policy

MBHP Strategic Planning Committee

Board members: Jeffrey H. Packard Committee Co-chairSusanne Marzi Cameron Committee Co-chair

Lyndia Downie

Langley Keyes

Cynthia Lacasse Board Co-chair

Terry Saunders Lane

Mary-Anne Morrison

Steven Rioff Board Co-chair

Esther Schlorholtz

Staff members: Regine Chrispin HCEC Manager, Housing SupportsBetty Clark Program Manager, Leased HousingSteve Farrell Director of Communications, Development & PolicyJohn Hillis Continuum of Care Program Manager, Leased HousingCarlos Hoffens Inspections SupervisorChris Norris MBHP Executive DirectorSteve Sacco ControllerLynne Vasconcellos Assistant Director, Housing Supports

Consultant: Diane Gordon

Acknowledgments

Approved December 9, 2015 MBHP Strategic Plan 1

I. Background

Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) is a regional nonprofit founded in 1983 that administers rental assistance and provides housing supports in Boston and 32 surrounding communities. During 2010, the organization developed a strategic plan to cover the years 2011–2015. Near the end of the prior plan’s implementation, MBHP embarked on a new planning process and hired Diane Gordon to facilitate the process beginning in April 2015. The planning process was led by a 17-member Strategic Planning Committee comprised of members of the staff and Board of Directors.

To set the context for the future, MBHP engaged in a review of its prior efforts and took stock of its current position and the environment. The process included:

• A review of reporting documents from the prior five-year plan.

• Discussions about MBHP’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats with the entire staff and the Strategic Planning Committee.

• A survey completed by the Board of Directors.

• A review of the fall 2014 communications audit and feasibility study which pulled together information from more than 30 external community members and partners.

• An analysis of data and review of it in a mid-term report.

The major findings from the review process and the organization’s collective reflection on the environment led to the following conclusions that have helped guide the direction set forth in this plan.

SWOT analysisOrganizational findings

Strengths

• Services and programsMBHP is recognized for its strong reputation and excellence in preventing homelessness, increasing housing stability, and transitioning families who are homeless from shelters to more stable housing.

MBHP delivers quality services and programs to its clients both through its own efforts and through an extensive network of partners. MBHP treats all clients with respect and dignity, and has shown flexibility, durability, and innovation in responding to the needs of constituents.

• Program administrationAs the administrator of Section 8 vouchers and other rental subsidies, MBHP is recognized for the high quality of its work and strong internal administrative capacity.

• Relationships


Table of ContentsAcknowledgments 1I. Background 1

SWOT analysis 1Highlights 3

II. Mission and Vision 5MBHP Mission 5MBHP’s Vision 5External Vision for 2026 6Internal Vision for 2026 6

III. Guiding Principles 7IV. Strategic

Priorities, Goals, and Objectives: 2016–2021 8Priority #1: Programmatic 8Priority #2: Field leadership 10Priority #3: Organizational 12

V. Implementation and Evaluation 14

2 MBHP Strategic Plan July 2016–June2021

MBHP has developed strong and reliable relationships with local landlords and property managers throughout the region which allow the organiza-tion to better secure quality housing for the families it serves. MBHP also has extensive relationships with other agencies that provide complemen-tary services to clients, such as employment/job training services.

• Market prominenceMBHP has emerged as the largest regional provider of rental assistance voucher in the state and has also developed a substantial research and policy advocacy capacity.

• AdvocacyMBHP has a unique role in the affordable housing field, combining hands-on experience with in-depth research and data to promote systems change that benefit the housing stability of households, particularly those whose incomes are at the lowest levels.

• LeadershipMBHP staff and volunteer board leadership are dedicated, engaged, and highly competent.

Areas for improvement

• CommunicationMBHP has not always promoted its own success story or conveyed messages about its work in a consistent manner so as to help stakeholders fully understand the breadth of the organization’s impact.

• FundingMBHP’s primary source of funding is government contracts. It also receives resources from corporate and private philanthropies. However, the organization does not have a robust private fundraising infrastructure, and its resource base will need to be broadened and diversified to support the full range of programs it would like to implement.

Funding constraints and program structures have at times limited the organization’s ability to integrate work across departments and be flexible in responding to the needs of its clients.

• Research capacityMBHP has demonstrated strength in research; however, it needs to increase its level of internal capacity to conduct the research it needs to reach its advocacy and leadership goals.

• StaffImprovements in organizational culture and internal communication would strengthen retention and professional development opportunities across the agency. Additional investment in professional development and more opportunities for professional growth will lead to greater job satisfaction and increased engagement.


Environmental findings

• Availability of affordable housing The lack of housing that is affordable for families and individuals with lower incomes has worsened in the region since MBHP’s last strategic plan. Thus, the price of rental apartments is further out of reach for families and individ-uals with lower incomes.

• Family homelessnessThe number of families who are homeless continues to grow, and motels are still used to provide temporary shelter for them when emergency assis-tance shelters have no more capacity. Everyone agrees that this is not an appropriate solution—it is expensive and provides less stability than perma-nent housing, with services when needed, that is affordable.

• Housing policyFederal and state housing assistance and production has not kept pace with the growing housing affordability problem. Thus, waiting lists for long-term assistance, such as the Housing Choice Voucher Program and the Massachusetts Rental Voucher Program, are longer than ever. Funding for administrative costs has also not kept pace with the actual costs of running a program in accordance with best practices.

HighlightsThe review of the external environment in which MBHP operates indicates greater urgency than ever to secure housing that families and individuals with low incomes can afford. Addressing the potentiality and reality of family homelessness is a natural corollary to that lack of affordability.

While housing is the foundation of the organization’s expertise, MBHP recognizes that housing alone cannot support a viable quality of life. Therefore, other forms of social and economic support are necessary for many of our families as we work to link with other economic and service agencies in the community to gain that support.

MBHP has concluded that it is in a unique position to increase its core work while also increasing the number of families that it serves and expanding its leadership through policy advocacy and research that can improve the effec-tiveness of publicly-supported housing programs.

1. Expand services along the housing continuum. Through the administra-tion of federal and state housing voucher programs, MBHP is known for excellence in supporting families and individuals who need assistance to increase their housing stability. Over the next five years, to the extent that resources are available, and in collaboration with service partners across the region, MBHP will expand its services and assistance to an increased number of such families and individuals along the housing continuum: i.e., to prevent homelessness, re-house families who are homeless, and pro-vide stability for them in their new homes.

These new or expanded initiatives will be features of MBHP over the next five years. They build upon and expand the emphases of the prior Strategic Plan that focused on effectiveness and efficiency of core housing and service programs, development of leadership and advocacy, and strengthened staff and Board capacity.

“While housing is the foundation of the organization’s expertise, MBHP recognizes that housing alone cannot support a viable quality of life.”


2. Expand the focus on addressing family homelessness. Over the past several years, MBHP increased its work in the area of fami-ly homelessness through programs such as Section 8, MRVP, Residential Assistance for Families in Transition (RAFT), HomeBASE, and the Home-lessness Prevention and Rapid Re-housing Program. The agency has been recognized for excellence in preventing homelessness, re-housing families, and moving them out of motels to more permanent housing. Giv-en the persistence of family homelessness, MBHP intends to work closely with current and new partners to give high priority to its efforts to reduce homelessness among families, and to expand its work with others working in this field by sharing information, knowledge, and effective strategies.

3. Link housing support to other services and resources. MBHP recognizes the central role housing plays in building a sustainable, quality of life. Yet, the organization also understands that housing alone is not enough. Families and individuals need jobs that pay a living wage, access to quality medical and behavioral health care, affordable and quality child care, and access to transportation. Over the next five years, MBHP will expand its work as a link to other services and resources that families need and will intensify its efforts through its own work and through partnership to help its clients build economic and social stability.

4. Increase role in public policy advocacy. Combining its unique position as an on-the-ground provider of housing vouchers and services with research about the effectiveness of its programs, MBHP has already proven to be an effective advocate for public policies that improve the lives of its clients. MBHP has already become a provider of information about what’s going on in the field and what works best through education, forums, publications, and traditional and social media. It has been a constant presence when state housing policy has been debated and formulated. Over the next five years, the agency will increase its public presence to advocate for improved public policies that affect individuals and families who have lower incomes.

5. Increase role as a source for research on program effectiveness and recommendations for best practices. MBHP’s research has been unique in the field and a source of information and deliberation for state policy makers. Over the next five years, the organization intends to increase its role as a ‘thought leader’ by being a central resource for research on topical issues for families trying to stabilize their housing situation. By increasing its research capacity on best practice models and disseminating the lessons it gleans, MBHP will continue to influence the work of others in the housing field.

6. Move to a new office location. To better serve its clients, to meet the need for additional office space, and to increase the predictability and stability of office space costs, MBHP intends to purchase office space in Mission Hill and develop new coloca-tion sites across the region.


II. Mission and vision

MBHP mission

MBHP’s mission is to ensure that the region’s low and moderate income indi-viduals and families have choice and mobility in finding and retaining decent affordable housing; all of MBHP’s programs and initiatives are designed to encourage housing stability, increased economic self-sufficiency, and the enhanced quality of the lives of those served. To achieve its mission and to promote efficient service delivery, MBHP works collaboratively with a broad array of service provides and neighborhood-based organizations. MBHP is the state’s largest regional provider of rental housing voucher assistance, and serves homeless, elderly, disabled, and low- and moderate-income indi-viduals and families. The region spans Boston and 32 surrounding communi-ties. MBHP believes everyone deserves a place to call home.

MBHP’s vision

A vision statement is the long-range picture of what the organization wants to look like and what it wants to accomplish. It is akin to an artist’s rendering of the realization of the organization’s mission. MBHP’s vision statements for both the external world and for its organization are ambitious. It has set a ‘best case’ as a touchstone and an aspirational guide for its work and it will use its considerable strengths and reputation to address inevitable challeng-es that will arise. MBHP also recognizes that external factors can impact the extent to which the vision can be realized.

The vision statements look forward ten years. The specific priorities, goals and objectives described in Sections IV, however, are positioned for a five-year timeframe, a more realistic approach to setting and achieving goals that are measurable and meaningful.

About MBHPMetropolitan Boston Housing Partnership (MBHP) is a leading nonprofit dedicated to connecting the residents of Greater Boston with safe, decent homes they can afford. MBHP empowers families and individuals to move along the continuum from homelessness to housing stability.

Serving more than 20,000 households annually, we work seamlessly to bridge the gaps among government, nonprofits, and corporations to continually increase our impact.

With more than 30 years’ experience piloting and implementing housing programs, we have solidified our position as an industry-leading expert on navigating the affordable housing field.


External vision for 2026

Notwithstanding the fiscal and political challenges at both the federal and state levels that impact its ability to do its work, in the year 2026, MBHP envisions that more individuals and families in Metropolitan Boston with lower incomes will have increased housing security and economic stability, contributing to a better quality of life for them. Increased access to stable, decent, and affordable housing, combined with the tools that build econom-ic stability, will mean greater housing stability. Governmental public policies and regulations will be more consistently aligned with these goals and, as a result, more families and individuals with lower incomes will live in housing they can afford. Motels will be a reduced means of temporary shelter, and the overall number of families and individuals in the shelter system will have been reduced. Getting to a world in which the above picture is an accurate one will require hard work on the part of all those concerned with housing affordability.

Internal vision for 2026

In the year 2026, MBHP will be a recognized industry-leading expert in navigating the affordable housing field for individuals and families with lower incomes. Using a holistic, tailored, flexible, and cross-agency comprehensive approach, MBHP will effectively achieve positive outcomes for those who utilize its services, provided that adequate funding and support are available. MBHP’s professional, knowledgeable, and responsive staff members will be known for exhausting all avenues to resolve clients’ concerns, through both direct programming and strategic partnerships with service providers. As practitioners and advocates, MBHP will combine hands-on experience with in-depth research and data to effect system change. With greater capacity to conduct research on best practice models, MBHP will be regarded as a leader in the field and seen as a source of knowledge for what works and what doesn’t work in addressing the issues of housing instability for families and individuals with lower incomes. Diversified and sustainable sources of revenue will enable MBHP to meet its mission and goals. MBHP will be a responsive and nimble organization, with the capacities to adjust to an ever-changing environment in the provision of the highest quality services to its constituencies.


Guiding principles are important considerations that may impact operations and outcomes of an organization, and therefore influence goal-setting across priority areas, as appropriate. MBHP has selected four principles that will influence all of its work. By including these principles in the strategic plan, the organization is committing resources to ensure that it adheres to these principles in the agency’s day-to-day work.

1. Effectiveness Achieving meaningful results for clients is of the utmost importance. To continually ask if the organization is achieving those results and whether they are the right kind results, MBHP intends to structure its work and its organization to set meaningful measures, to understand what is working and what isn’t working, and to learn from the data to make the necessary organizational and programmatic changes to ensure that services make a difference in the lives of its clients.

2. Good stewardshipMBHP has been fortunate to partner with public and private entities that provide the organization with the resources it needs to meet its goals and vision. The organization is dedicated to ensuring good stewardship of these resources and to using them wisely and efficiently. MBHP also intends to engage in constructive dialogue with its public and private part-ners to better meet the needs of its clients.

3. FlexibilityMBHP understands that people come to the organization with an array of strengths and challenges and that one size does not fit all. Moreover, for those who may benefit from several different services to reach their own goals, it is vitally important that MBHP provide a seamless bridge between government resources and services provided by MBHP or other agencies. This requires a high degree of flexibility and adaptability to tailor approaches based on the needs of clients and the community. Adopting a flexible approach is also important for MBHP to enable it to respond to changing dynamics, program requirements, and needs at the local, state, and federal levels. In all that the organization does, it is committed to using best practices developed either from its own work or from others.

4. Integration – internal and externalFor its clients to have a seamless experience, MBHP must be highly integrated to break down silos within and across departments and programs, ensuring easy access to all appropriate resources. It is equally important to continue to work closely and effectively with others in the field who have services to offer clients that the agency does not provide. As such, the organization is dedicated to forming and sustaining deep partnerships to both provide services and to measure the impact of their combined efforts to achieve outcomes for families and individuals. Close ties and integration also extend to the organization’s work with funders, policy makers, landlords, and property owners.

III. Guiding Principles


MBHP has set three overarching strategic priorities that serve as an overall structure for its work over the next five years. Although the vision is crafted to look out 10 years, MBHP recognizes the need to establish priorities, goals, and objectives for a shorter, five-year period. The priorities are framed in terms of outcomes that MBHP hopes to achieve over the next five years. Pri-ority number one is focused on MBHP’s programmatic work to improve the lives of clients in the community. Priority number two is focused on MBHP’s role as a leader and public policy advocate. Priority number three is focused on MBHP’s organizational goals it must achieve to reach its community-wide vision. Taken together, MBHP believes that working toward these three prior-ities will further enable the agency to reach its ambitious vision for the future.

Priority #1: Programmatic Enhance and exand programs and services to individuals and families with lower incomes to increase their housing stability and economic resiliency.

Goal 1: Increase housing stability and access to quality affordable housing for families and individuals in Metropolitan Boston with lower incomes who are facing instability in their current housing situation or who are at risk of homelessness.

Building from its strength and reputation, MBHP will continue to prioritize services and resources that connect families and individuals with lower incomes with rental subsidies and access to decent housing as a foundation for their future. MBHP is known as an effective administrator of Section 8 vouchers and other rental subsidies. This program will continue and expand as resources allow. For those families or individuals at risk of homelessness or facing other instabilities, MBHP’s services will ensure that clients gain access to the resources they need to avoid temporary shelter and to find and maintain a stable home.

MBHP’s priority is to prevent future homelessness and to create an envi-ronment where families and individuals can gain access to and retain stable housing. By working with a wide range of property owners, and working to instill both the spirit and letter of fair housing regulations and expectations, MBHP will ensure that the housing its clients move to is of the highest quality -—a place that they can call home.

MBHP has the capacity to continue its stellar administration of vouchers and other forms of rental assistance. It intends to work effectively with public agencies through the day to day functioning of making this system work for families and individuals. If public resources are increased, MBHP has the capacity to expand this service and effectively distribute resources to families that need them.

MBHP also understands that currently there is not a sufficient supply of hous-ing that clients can access and afford. To address this issue, MBHP intends to work with property owners and policy makers to increase the supply of

IV. Strategic Priorities, Goals, and Objectives: 2016–2021

Goal: Increase housing stability and access to quality affordable housing for families and individuals in Metropolitan Boston with lower incomes who are facing instability in their current housing situation or who are at risk of homelessness.


housing opportunities for families and individuals with lower incomes both in the urban areas within its footprint, and in communities where MBHP clients have not historically had access. The unique role of property owners in particular will play a special role in the increase of access to stable hous-ing. MBHP is committed to building upon its past successes and long-term partnerships with more than 4,000 property owners by continuing to provide superb supports for them and the families with whom MBHP works.

Objectives:

1.1 Increase housing stability for families and individuals with lower incomes by providing rental subsidies, case management, and housing search services, continuing stellar administration of federal and state housing voucher programs, increasing efficiency in filling vacancies, and working closely with property owners and a range of community partners.

1.2 Increase the number of decent homes MBHP clients can access and can afford by expanding partnerships with property owners, expanding the number of homes property owners make available to MBHP clients and advocating for increased production of housing for families and individu-als at the lowest income levels.

1.3 Increase the number and/or type of communities in which housing op-tions exist for clients by establishing new relationships with property owners and establishing new ones which constitute such a valuable resource to make homes available and through implementation of the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing Rule.

Goal 2: Ensure greater housing security and access to secure, safe, and affordable housing for families who are homeless in Metropolitan Boston.

Family homelessness in Massachusetts is an increasing challenge for com-munities across Metropolitan Boston and across the Commonwealth. As of mid-2015, there were approximately 4,500 families who are homeless in the state’s emergency assistance shelter system, including 1,300 who had been placed in motels, compared to 2,651 families in emergency assistance shelters and motels in July 2010. MBHP has proven successful in supporting families to move out of motels and secure housing that they can afford, with or without the support of a voucher. For those who are homeless, the prior-ity is to help families navigate the system to obtain housing and to serve as a resource, as needed, to remain housed when difficulties arise. Through a combination of services, MBHP’s ultimate vision is to decrease family home-lessness, eliminate the need for motels as temporary shelter, and reduce the overall number of families in the emergency assistance shelter system.

Objectives:

2.1 Increase housing stability for families who are homeless by providing access to rental subsidies, supporting clients with case management services, and working with property owners to make units available to families who are homeless.

Goal: Ensure greater housing security and access to secure, safe, and affordable housing for families who are homeless in metropolitan Boston.

For each priority, MBHP has identified general goals and more specific objectives. Strategies and measures of success will be developed during the implementation planning phase.


Goal: Advocate for public policies at both the state and federal level to be more consistently aligned with the needs of families and individuals with lower incomes for stable housing and increased economic self-sufficiency.

2.2 Reduce the length of stays in motels for families who are homeless by providing access to rental subsidies and working closely with families to support their move from a motel to a more stable living situation, even when vouchers are not available.

Goal 3: Increase economic stability for families and individuals in the Metro-politan Boston region with lower incomes.

MBHP recognizes that families who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or facing other housing insecurities, need more than a stable roof over their heads to sustain a good quality of life. The organization also understands that many families and individuals need support services and access to other resources to be able to stay in secure housing. Through its various programs and services, and in close coordination with strategic partners, MBHP will expand its support to its clients to help them increase their incomes, obtain public resources to which they are entitled, and achieve other important outcomes such as improvements in medical and behavioral health, employment, and education, that will help them reach their own life goals. Much of this later goal of increased access to services will be the result of an expansion of MBHP’s already-existing network of relationships with community-based providers. For all of the families and individuals MBHP works with, this dual approach of combining stable housing as a platform, with the access to services that build economic stability, will support families and individuals to achieve a greater quality of life.

Objectives:

3.1 Increase employability for clients through partnerships and MBHP programs that provide access to job training, financial management, and other skills and resources clients need.

3.2 Increase life sustaining outcomes for clients such as improved medical and behavioral health conditions and secure affordable child care through partnerships that link clients to necessary services and programs.

3.3 Increase income for clients participating in economic stability programs and services.

Priority #2: Field leadershipRaise the profile of MBHP as a leader in the field and an effective public policy advocate in support of the needs of families and indi-viduals with lower incomes.

Goal 1: Advocate for public policies at both the state and federal level to be more consistently aligned with the needs of families and individuals with lower incomes for stable housing and increased economic self-sufficiency.

Both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the federal government provide valuable financial resources to families to help them move out of poverty and create greater stability in their lives. MBHP has worked

Goal: Increase economic stability for families and individuals in the Metropolitan Boston region with lower incomes.


cooperatively with government at all levels to provide access to these valuable resources and to make them more suitable to the needs of its clients. Through its research, on-the-ground experiences, and partnership with the government, MBHP has consistently recognized and articulated the barriers that limit the ability of families and individuals with lower incomesto move out of poverty. Lack of resources for housing subsidies is a central issue, but so is the failure to coordinate among those programs that do exist, as well as the lack of a consistent vision of the remedy for the problem of housing insecurity. To address this and other barriers, MBHP will continue to prioritize research combined with advocacy to promote regulations and policies that will further assist families and individuals to reach their goals. In addition, MBHP will work with the private sector to advocate for policies that support its vision.

Advocacy objectives:

1.1 Effectively utilize research MBHP conducts to promote public policy advocacy platforms and advance systesm change.

1.2 Reduce barriers and improve conditions for clients by advocating for specific public policies.

1.3 Increase availability of appropriate funding to support families who are homeless to leave temporary shelters and motels.

Goal 2: Strengthen its thought leadership role in Massachusetts as a con-vener, educator, and catalyst to raise awareness of community housing needs and promote best practices.

Through MBHP’s dual approach of on-the-ground experience with fami-lies and individuals, and its research on issues impacting its constituents, MBHP has proven successful at surfacing issues of importance, developing best practice models that better serve clients, and influencing the practices of others. This includes raising awareness among the general public, the media, and funders. Over the next five years, the organization is committed to continuing to be an innovator, piloting new initiatives, researching new solutions, assessing the effectiveness of its programs, and working with partners to promote effective solutions for families and individuals.

Objectives:

2.1 Increase awareness of community housing needs and influence best practices among others in the field through research, education, forums, publications, and traditional and social media.

2.2 Increase recognition for MBHP as a leader in the field of housing services and promoter of best practices by the media, public policy leaders, and partners.

Goal: Strengthen its thought leadership role in Massachusetts as a convener, educator, and catalyst to raise awareness of community housing needs and promote best practices.


Priority #3: OrganizationalEnsure that MBHP has the resources and internal structures to reach its overall vision.

Goal 1: Continue to strengthen MBHP as an organization to become even more nimble, thriving, and innovative with the human and financial resourc-es needed to reach its vision and goals.

MBHP is committed to creating and sustaining a staff culture of learning and excellence. To fully support the needs of its constituencies, its staff will reflect the diversity and culture of the people it serves and MBHP’s commitment to excellence. MBHP is committed to fostering a culture of innovation and an environment that supports open communication, increasing sustainable and diverse sources of funding, and to having the communications methodologies and governance structures needed to reach its goals. It is also committed to its own ‘public learning,’ which will both inform its practice and its research.

Staff objectives

1.1 Identify and utilize resources during the hiring process to maximize the likelihood of a ‘good fit.’

1.2 Increase investment in staff professional development.

1.3 Create ongoing opportunities for staff engagement with each other and in agency-wide strategic decision making.

1.4 Continue to support a strong internal culture of open, honest cross-agency communication and collaboration.

Resource development and communications objectives

1.5 Increase MBHP’s capacity to become a comprehensive fundraising orga-nization by building upon successful foundation and corporate support, with additional focus on individual and major donors, to support program-matic and operational goals.

1.6 Explore the feasibility of fee-for-service models that add revenue and expand organizational capacity.

1.7 Leverage consistency of messaging to proactively strategize communica-tions activities.

1.8 Increase the number and depth of capacity of MBHP ambassadors includ-ing board members, staff members, and clients.

Governance objectives

1.9 Ensure that the Board of Directors’ membership reflects the skills, quali-ties, expertise, and backgrounds needed to oversee and govern MBHP, and is representative of the broad diversity of the Greater Boston area.

Goal: Continue to strengthen MBHP as an organization to become even more nimble, thriving, and innovative with the human and financial resources needed to reach its vision and goals.


Goal: Build the necessary infrastructure and systems to further advance MBHP as an outcomes and data-driven organization that effectively evaluates its work and uses metrics to reflect on and improve its programs and organization.

Goal: Ensure MBHP has adequate space to meet its needs in locations that best serve its clients as well as state-of-the-art technology and the infrastructure systems to meet its programmatic goals.

1.10 Establish communication and feedback mechanisms to enable clients, partners, and staff to provide input into MBHP’s governance and strategic direction.

1.11 Increase MBHP’s Board of Directors’ capacity to raise funds while main-taining its programmatic expertise.

Goal 2: Ensure MBHP has adequate space to meet its needs in locations that best serve its clients as well as state-of-the-art technology and the infrastructure systems to meet its programmatic goals.

MBHP’s new office space will be utilized for maximum impact in locations that serve its clients. Accompanying the move of its primary administration and services to a new location, MBHP is committed to installing state of the art technology, infrastructure, and systems that are required for effective and effi-cient service delivery. Additional colocation of services throughout the region will also be explored.

Objectives

2.1 The new office move is accomplished successfully and maximized for community impact and efficient use of occupancy expenses.

2.2 Increase in access to state-of-the-art technology and infrastructure sup-port and systems, including the systems MBHP needs to maintain excel-lence in the administration of rental assistance and vouchers and other programs.

Goal 3: Build the necessary infrastructure and systems to further advance MBHP as an outcomes and data-driven organization that effectively evalu-ates its work and uses metrics to reflect on and improve its programs and organization.

MBHP is committed to creating the infrastructure to collect and analyze data in service to program and organizational improvements. The organization also recognizes that research that is rooted in actual data will help support its advocacy efforts. To accomplish this priority, MBHP will increase its internal capacity to conduct timely and relevant research, and create its own systems and work with its partners to collect data and measure the impact of shared efforts.

Objectives

3.1 Increase internal systems and capacity to conduct research.

3.2 Increase effective use of evaluation and data to improve programs and MBHP as an organization.

3.3 Increase effective use of data for advocacy.


V. Implementation and Evaluation

MBHP Board of Directors reviewed and approved the strategic plan in December 2015.

The implementation plan will be developed beginning in January 2016, concluding with a plan approved by the Board of Directors in June 2016. The implementation plan will include outcome metrics, strategies/activities, budget and other resources needed, and a timeframe for reaching specific goals and outcomes. When the plan implementation begins in July 2016, MBHP will also have an accompanying dashboard of indicators and a system for reporting progress toward meeting outcomes.

For each of the subsequent fiscal years, MBHP will have an implementation plan prepared and finalized in June.

The implementation years will be as follows:

FY17: July 1, 2016–June 30, 2017FY18: July 1, 2017–June 30, 2018FY19: July 1, 2018–June 30, 2019FY20: July 1, 2019–June 30, 2020FY21: July 1, 2020–June 30, 2021

125 Lincoln Street, 5th FloorBoston, MA 02111-2503

617.859.0400 | www.mbhp.org

everyone deserves a place to call home

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