Sustainability…Start Now for a Vibrant Future

Sustainability Workshop for Persistently Dangerous Schools Grantees

Philadelphia, PATuesday, September 20, 2011

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Agenda

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1. Introductions and Welcome

2. Sustainability Planning Framework and Planning Process

3. Self-assessment Purpose, Goals and Results

4. Questions and Next Steps

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The Finance Project

The Finance Project is a nonprofit policy research and technical assistance organization serving leaders in states, communities, and community-based organizations nationwide.

We help leaders make smart investment decisions, build solid partnerships and demonstrate results through:– Research and Analysis– Tool Development– Consulting and Technical Assistance– Training

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What is Sustainability Planning?

• The process of sitting down to develop specific strategies and an action plan to help ensure the long-term sustainability of an initiative.

• Includes considering a full range of resources and competencies—financial, political, administrative, managerial—needed to meet long-term goals.

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Why Plan for Sustainability?

Sustainability planning will help PDSgrantees…• Clarify where their school(s) is and where it

needs to go.• Guide internal management decision-

making.• Demonstrate to partners and other

stakeholders the value of your work.• Provide benchmarks to measure progress.

© 2011 The Finance Project.

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Key Elements of Sustainability

1. Vision2. Results orientation 3. Strategic financing orientation4. Adaptability to changing conditions5. Broad base of community support6. Key champions7. Strong internal systems8. Sustainability plan

© 2011 The Finance Project.

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1. Vision

Clear and shared vision of what you

want to achieve: • Know what you want to sustain.• Know how your activities fit within the larger

school sites/districts.• Know what you mean by sustainability.

– Scope of activities– Scale of operation – Timeline

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2. Results Orientation

Define success, measure progress over

time and share your results:• Adopt a results framework.• Be clear about the results you want to

achieve for students as well as the systems that serve them.

• Use indicators and performance measures to track progress and improve your work.

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3. Strategic Financing Orientation

Have a clear sense of the cost of your

activities and develop creative strategies

to secure those resources: • Make the best use of existing resources (fiscal

and in-kind).• Maximize available sources of revenue.• Create greater flexibility in categorical funding.• Create public-private partnerships.• Generate new sources of revenue.

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4. Adaptability to Changing Conditions

Pro-actively respond to changes in your

environment: • Monitor announced opportunities for

funding.• Consider new ways to frame your work to

interest different funders.• Identify opportunities to improve policy

climate.• Participate in collaborative advocacy to

encourage change.

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5. Broad Base of Community Support

Determine whose support you need

and develop a plan to engage them:

• Nurture a community presence and support.

• Encourage involvement of clients/recipients of services.

• Support public education and engagement.

• Build partnerships that foster collaboration.

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6. Key Champions

Identify key decision makers and opinion

leaders who will use their influence on your

behalf: • Develop an effective outreach plan.

Elected leaders Clients (youth, parents, others)

Business leaders Community leaders

Peers Philanthropists

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7. Strong Internal Systems

Internal capacity ensures you can manage yourwork effectively:• Know and involve the people you need to

carry out your mission: staff, board(s), volunteers, etc.

• Develop strong fiscal management, accounting, information, and personnel systems.

• Use those systems to review strategies, make changes as needed.

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8. Sustainability Plan

A comprehensive written plan that

describes the school/school district’s priorities

and action steps:• Identify challenges and/or obstacles.• Identify strategies to garner needed

resources and overcome challenges.• Identify and communicate with key partners.

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Sustainability Planning Workbook

• Module I: Building a Sustainable Initiative

• Module II: Creating a Vision and Results Orientation

• Module III: Creating a Strategic Financing Plan

• Module IV: Building Organizational Capacity and Community Support

• Module V: Writing the Plan

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Results and Anticipated Outcomes

• Alignment of strategic priorities with management and investment priorities.

• Planned action to guide internal management decision-making and external program development and reporting.

• Living document that will change as conditions and priorities change.

• Clear roadmap for mobilizing monetary and other critical resources.

© 2011 The Finance Project.

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Planning to Plan

1. Clarify planning parameters.

2. Decide whose input is needed.

3. Decide how to structure the process.

4. Decide how to manage the process.

5. Collect needed information.

6. Develop a workplan.© 2011 The Finance Project.

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Self-Assessment Tool

A diagnostic tool that:

• Provides valuable information to guide your sustainability planning process

• Helps you:– assess progress – identify strengths and weaknesses– determine where to target scarce

resources

• Organized by elements; rank your progress toward a desired state

To develop a sustainability plan detailing where you want to go,

a necessary first step is to take stock of where you currently are.

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Completing the Self-Assessment

Read each task together as a group. Detailed look at the full scope of work Can take up to a full day to discuss

Rank individually; discuss EACH task. Promotes broad-buy in and common understandings Less time intensive – can take 1 ½ to 3 hours

Rank individually and discuss ONLY tasks with wide variation in

Rankings. Shortest approach: may take 1 to 2 hours Key points or quieter voices may be missed

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Using the Self-Assessment Tool to Benchmark Progress

Options for comparing your self-assessment

results over time:• Complete a full self-assessment annually• Complete updated self-assessment results

for only those elements identified as priority areas for improvement

• Include sustainability self-assessment results as a portion of your written sustainability plan (charts; quotes; appendices) and incorporate into regular review

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Sustainability Planning: Success Factors

• Start early!

• Determine available resources

• Involve diverse group of stakeholders

– Big/creative thinkers

– Decision makers

– Key partners

– Users of services

• Integrate into management routine

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Next Steps

• Review and share Sustainability Planning workbook

• Identify planning group and complete Self-Assessment Tool

• Webinar/audiocall TBD in October

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Contact Information

Laura MartinezSenior Program Associate

The Finance Project

1401 New York Avenue, NW

Suite 800

Washington, DC 20005

(202) 628 - 4200

lmartniez@financeproject.org