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Brittany StrongDeanna Davis

WHAT IS STRATEGIC PLANNING?

• A set of procedures that help organizations and communities to align their priorities with changing conditions and new opportunities.• Larger framework for organizational change over the short term.

• Increased emphasis on organizational learning and strategic management.

• Shift in management philosophy from reactive crisis management to proactive strategic management.• Defensive vs. Offensive

• Change from plans being an end-goal document to plans becoming the first step in a larger process of change.

• Strategic planning is:• Short-term• Collaborative• Inclusive

KEY ELEMENTS OF STRATEGIC PLANNING

E X T E R N A L FA C T O R S

• Decreased funding

• Changing social, political and economic priorities

• Increased competition

• Societal demographic, social political, and economic changes

• Changing regulatory requirements

I N T E R N A L FA C T O R S

• Change in leadership and high turnover

• Conditions of stagnancy, crisis, or loss of focus

• Rapid increases or decreases in demand for services

STEPS IN STRATEGIC PLANNING

1. Clarify the agency’s mission and developing a future vision of the agency. Develop a vision statement.

2. Survey the external environment and competition Ongoing process; includes identifying threats, promising

practices, and what has worked for others.3. Assess the internal operations and client services

Determine the quality of services delivered from multiple perspectives.

Include staff from all levels.4. Develop a plan that includes strategies , tasks, outcomes,

timelines and implementation steps. This plan should link to regular operations. Develop indicators to track progress.

STRATEGIC PLANNING

S T R E N GT H S• Logical and linear

process of change

• Evaluate agency both externally and internally

• Consider best practices

• Better understanding of organization due to inclusion of all staff members.

W E A K N E S S E S• Financial and human

resources must be provided

• Often plans are approved but not implemented

• Organizational climate may hinder process

• Collaborative process can be time-consuming

WHAT IS OPERATIONS/PROGRAM PLANNING?

• Specific action steps of strategic plan with projected outcomes, due dates, and people responsible for completing the work.

• The major elements of program planning are design and implementation

OPERATIONS/ PROGRAM PLANNING CONTINUED

OPERATIONS/PROGRAM PLANNING VS. STRATEGIC PLANNING

Strategic planning is the framework by which we understand operations/program planning.

Operations/program planning outline the day-to-day activities that are necessary to achieve goals set forth in the strategic plan.

OPERATIONS/PROGRAM PLANNING ISSUES

Program planning/implementation may be helped or hindered if the appropriate service delivery strategy is not selected.

• Contracting• Vouchers• Co-Production• Public/Private partnership

Sometimes the program plan is not monitored carefully through all steps of the implementation process. This oversight could lead to detrimental results.

• The monitoring process can be thought of as a formative evaluation process.

• Feedback loops can be used to determine what areas need improvement as the program is being implemented.

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SUMMARY – KEY TRENDS IMPACTING UWGT

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Financial - Revenue: Revenue has remained flat over 5 years. We are heavily reliant on few companies. We are losing company campaigns as well as donors. Our effort to acquire New Business accounts has been largely unsuccessful, resulting in higher average gifts. .

Market Assessment:  The philanthropic environment is changing as corporations focus on CSR programs, employee giving committees and align themselves philanthropically with specific initiatives. The region continues to grow, but 94% of businesses are small (<50 employees). There are few major corporate headquarters. A shifting age demographic provides challenges and opportunities. Unemployment remains an issue.  

Organization/Operations –Staff turnover is high causing impact on continually retraining new staff members; Silo management styles prevent cross departmental communication; Lines of authority are at times unclear: consensus building at the senior level vs. departmental approach to executing events, programs, initiative, etc.

Resource Investment -- Funds available are trending downward while needs are increasing. Regional Initiatives hold promise for deeper impact, increased financial support from United Way and other sources, links to product development, and

relevant positioning. County level funding comprises most of the UW dollars; the process (replicated in 4 counties) is in transition from agency driven results toward strategic investments in prioritized goals with common outcomes and community

level results that are a part of broader community agendas for change.

Technology: Infrastructure services are meeting or exceeding organizational needs. Social media tools are appealing to younger donors. Organizational data needs to be validated and consolidated. Systems information needs to be integrated across applications.

Financial - Expenses: Revenues & allocations to agencies are down while spending in increasing –

unsustainable business model. High employee turnover is driving cost. To maintain allocations,

every $1.00 spent needs to drive $2.62 in revenue.

Constituent Awareness: UW has broad editorial awareness; Leading footprint in the social network media space. Burning question – do we try to attract donors with new media or strengthen relationships with current donors.

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REGIONAL INITIATIVES2010 Activities Continue building capacity of VITA sites

Provide evaluation services for the homeless veterans employment

Explore using e-C Impact as a mechanism of community building for health and human service funders

Research local costs of discharging from central regional hospital into homelessness and develop a public policy strategy

Support strategies to increase access to mainstream benefits

Develop a product around increasing the savings of at-risk youth

Complete a poverty simulation with at least one company

Reinvest in new strategies to end homelessness

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Interesting idea: Move all financial stability and homeless work, including county program funding, to the regional initiative model.

Opportunity: Leveraging other funds – lots of them.

Challenge: Partner agency lack of support for diverting funds away from county program funding.

Challenge: Outcome and tracking are limited because of small investment.

REGIONAL INITIATIVES

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SUMMARY OF KEY TRENDS – NEEDS, AWARENESS & PERCEPTION

Overall, people who know about UW perceive us a strong organization

Historically, UWGT, as with the United Way system at large, appeared to be missing the mark in “addressing the basics” with donors – Asking, Informing and Thanking them. 2009 saw the beginning of a concerted efforts to thank donors via a variety of mechanisms.

Awareness/messaging concerns were voiced in 2007 UWGT commissioned study with Integrated Marketing Research for focus groups/surveys of key companies. Key surface points included confusion over community care fund, county-based giving trumped regional-based giving, and a “draw” with regard to funding most pressing needs vs. specific agency (46% vs. 43%, respectively).

Beginning in Q4 2008, UWGT began an aggressive integrated communications strategy, with a strong emphasis editorial media mentions. “bricks and clicks” synergy and county-based events. Results include substantial increase in media mentions and leadership in social media space.

Big Question - where to focus awareness and messaging tools to maximize revenue – new donors or strengthening relationships/understanding with existing donors.

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SUMMARY OF KEY TRENDS – INTERNAL/PEOPLECurrent Executive Leadership Team is the best mix with the “right stuff” to

take the organization to the next level.

50% of voting Board members are active on standing and/or ad hoc committees.

15% of voting Board members are active in fundraising for the organization.

The Board is supportive of the mission of our organization.

We feel basic competencies of our employees are fine, however, the completion of the strategic plan may require different competencies and corresponding staff development to achieve the plan.

Organization tends to work in a silo fashion, each department working autonomously; we are working to further improve cross functionality.

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SUMMARY OF KEY TRENDS – INTERNAL/PEOPLEWe don’t know what the staff morale is, but a significant increase in

revenues would go a long way to improve moral by having a more positive environment at work.

Succession: Young staff members have a higher turn-over rate for career advancement; Older staff members are more stable yet may be readying themselves for retirement. The main areas we are experiencing higher turnover are fundraising, technology and marketing.

Staff development has not been implemented into an ongoing process.

Employees realize the value and embrace, the flexible work environment offered.

Benefit package is very competitive with “for profit” and “not for profit” companies.

According to survey data provided by CAI our salaries are within 10% of local market ranges (including for profit and not for profit organizations).

Moved into new office space in 2009. Positive impact on all employees.

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FOUNDATIONAL ANALYSIS – SWOT ANALYSIS

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Strengths: Weaknesses:Strong BrandEngaged VolunteersStrong StaffAs an organization, results oriented that desires to excel.Technological proficiencyThought leader on Health & Human Services

Works and communicates in silo fashionPoor donor & volunteer relationship managementStaff turn-overRelevancy to young and new donorsArticulation of the value proposition

OPPORTUNITIES: THREATS:E-Giving/E-BusinessProduct DevelopmentSegment/Target MarketingNew BusinessCommunity Agenda for Change (Collaborator)Geographic Expansion

Non-United Way aligned corporate & employee givingChanging donor age demographicsIncreased competitionEconomyExpensive to increase in market share