Our Mission: To increase the available resources and enhance the effective delivery of charitable services in the community.
Strategic Plan
A Framework for the Future: Strategic Plan of United Way of Marion County, Inc.
November 2002 - Updated July 2004
Friends and Supporters
Dr. Fred Fidura - President of the Board
Robin Smith - Executive Director
Introduction
The Board of Directors met on February 21 2004, and, guided by Ms. Trina Bartnett, first performed a SWOT analysis looking hard at each Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat to the organization. With the analysis as a guide, and priority items selected within each of these four categories, the Board updated the November 2002 Strategic Plan GOALS, setting priorities on each GOAL and the major Strategies necessary for accomplishing these goals in the coming year.
The direction of the United Way of Marion County— to a more donor aware organization reacting to the Needs Survey completed in October 2003— is clearly visible in this revision to the Strategic Plan.
This plan, then, represents a new, fresh approach to the traditional United Way as the reader has known it; an organization dedicated to the improvement of life in this community, using resources the organization can gather and focus to the good of all of the citizens.
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The 2004 Planning Update Activity - Summary
The Board sorted through the SWOT areas and identified several actions that were needed to be effective. The following represent priorities in the coming year for the Board of Directors of the United Way:
The Board initiated a new committee: Campaign Infrastructure Committee:
The historically hard working Campaign committee generally spends time each campaign period researching and developing needed materials and procedures that are similar between campaign periods. This wastes valuable time and resources early in the campaign when other activities may be more important. In order to establish continuity and stability in the Campaign activity, a permanent, Campaign support committee has been established to build the Campaign infrastructure. The Campaign Committee, as known historically, will utilize this infrastructure, and hopefully, with such a jump-start, move with purpose into the process of donor collections.
The Campaign Infrastructure committee is assigned the tasks:
- Retooling the process for campaigns
- Developing a campaign manual that will guide and support the activities of the Director, the Campaign Chair, Division Chairs, Workplace Coordinators, and Board Members in mounting a successful Annual Campaign
Communications and Marketing Committe
The revitalized Communications and Marketing Committee will focus on reaching out for the support of a professional Marketing person to support the United Way and the Campaign in particular. The Board realizes that the return on such talent can move the success of the campaign into fast forward; something that is needed to remain viable as an organization.
Tasks of the Committee:
- Develop a strategic, integrated marketing plan that reflects a balance between campaign and community impact.
- Explore opportunities for a part time (or contracted) marketing service.
Community Review
Changes made in the Community Review process in the last two funding cycles have left the Service Agencies somewhat confused as to the process, and their responsibilities in the process. Accordingly, the Committee will reevaluate the processes, and changes to date. These must be factored with the data from the Needs Assessment to bring forward a fair, planned process which accommodates the requirements.
Community Review will:
- Reassess the process and mechanism for funding Agencies.
Agency Assistance and Resource Development
The Board combined two committees to initiate a new Committee: Agency Assistance and Resource Development. This committee inherits the GOALS associated with non-financial assistance to the agencies we support. Further, this committee will be associated with establishing the United Way’s role in the community – other than fundraising. This role includes sponsoring activities and training, providing guidance and support in recruiting and training volunteers, recruiting effective board members, and implementing sound business and management practices.
Specifically, this committee is charged with
- Development of non-financial resources
- Developing a non-financial role in the community
- Evaluate and enhance relationships with agencies
Further, this committee will assist in the resolution of duplication of services currently funded by the United Way.
This plan, then, is the Strategic Plan of the organization, intended to guide us through the years 2002 through 2007. The plan will be revisited and updated once a year, or as needed when external events require change in our mission or operations.
The individual goals bring focus to those areas where change is necessary to achieve the new MISSION and VISION of the organization. The Objectives supporting those goals have milestones schedules for implementation by the responsible committee with the oversight and guidance of the Board
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Structure of the Plan
The entire Strategic Plan reflects the organization’s planned process to achieve a shared VISION and accomplish its stated MISSION. Supporting our VISION and MISSION statements for the organization are a statement of VALUES we hold dear, both as a way for the United Way to conduct itself, and members of the organization as well.
Below those Organization wide attributes, specific GOALS, supported by more specific, achievable Objectives, are listed. The organization of the plan follows the BoD organization itself, which allows for each committee to be responsible for one major GOAL. Each committee then, should work the detail plan for achieving the GOAL, but coordinate with other committee heads at the BoD meetings. These assignments are in the form of “lead” or Primary, as many of the goals of the Organization will cut across several committees’ responsibilities.
The Objectives have milestone schedules. The status of the short term activities associated with these Objectives will be reviewed at the monthly Board meetings for progress/deviations to the achievement of the GOALS.
Outline of this plan
- Organization – Vision, mission, and values
- Goals and Objectives, subdivided by committee responsibility
- Discussion of goals and objectives with assignee, milestones, etc. (Action Plan)
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The Vision of the United Way of Marion County
To be a facilitator for developing, supporting, and enhancing community resources for the effective delivery of charitable services
Supporting thoughts:
- Leveraging both internal (Marion County) and external resources;
- Being a primary resource for the charitable organizations coming out of the community; and
- And a Liaison between community agencies within the community
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The Mission of the United Way of Marion County
To increase the available resources and enhance the effective delivery of charitable services to the community
Supporting thoughts:
- Enhance unity and cohesiveness within the community; and
- Stewardship of a wide range of resources, and speaking for the donors/suppliers
The United Way of Marion County realizes that we are but a part of the total picture of improving life in the community.
The relationships with the Agencies supported by this United Way are complex. While the United Way is a resource, we are not the only, or the primary resource. In fact, an overarching GOAL of the United Way process is to assist a social services agency working in the community become self-sufficient, in both non-monetary and monetary ways.
Further, many of the agencies we support already work in the larger (than just Marion County) community, and some are funded by more than one United Way.
Our ability to marshal the resources of the community in the quest of this MISSION and VISION is predicated on the community having trust in the organization and its members.
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Values
To that end, we have chosen to communicate the VALUES of the organization as a whole. The Values that determine the culture frame the context in which decisions are made, and are the standards for our actions:
- Integrity - Trust, fairness, honesty, and accountability for our actions are the cornerstones of personal and organizational integrity.
- Teamwork - Accomplishments result from successful teams, both internal and external to the United Way, that capitalize on the strengths and contributions of every team member.
- Respect - Diversity among people and their ideas is an inherent strength as we work toward fulfilling the United Way’s mission.
- Creativity - Freedom to explore new ideas stimulates discovery, fosters innovation, and leads to more effective ways of doing work.
- Dedication - Successful results require a commitment to excellence and to individual and team responsibilities.
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Goals and Objectives
Three major areas of outreach by the United Way within the community correspond to four major committees of the United Way:
- Campaign: Resource Development
- Campaign infrastructure: develop and maintain instruction and guidance for volunteers and staff responsible for the fundraising campaign
- Community Review: Financial Resource Distribution
- Agency Assistance and Resource Development
Other committees provide infrastructure to the organization, and play a supportive role to the direct outreach of the first: their Goals, Objectives, and action plans are driven by the major areas above:
- Finance: Resource Management
- Personnel: Staffing
- Communications: Internal and External Marketing
- Bylaws & Nominating: Governance
- Planning: Looking to the future; measuring progress to the goals of the organization
- Planned Giving: There is also an Ad hoc committee working on Planned Giving as a subset of the campaign effort to raise funds. This committee work will be reviewed to determine successes and value of a permanent committee status.
For clarity in the primary responsibility for implementation of each of our GOALS, we have chosen to align the GOAL assignments to the committee that will guide the board in its implementation.
GOAL: Establish new committee(s)/organization to address volunteer recruitment and development, and non-financial resource development and distribution.
- Committee to address non-financial support of UW agencies (training, volunteer support, etc.)
- Committee to develop and manage UW volunteers to address UW sponsored programs
These committees are established as outlined above ~ the Agency Assistance and Resource Development Committee combines the volunteer and non-financial resources goals.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
There is one GOAL in particular that emerged in the earlier planning work, and is the responsibility of the Executive Committee, or the entire Board:
GOAL: More, and more diverse, involvement of the Board, volunteers, and community leaders.
This GOAL continues to be a driver in the selection of Board and Committee members.
I. Campaign: Resource Development
To develop financial resources that can be used by the various programs supported by the United Way of Marion County.
GOAL 1: Explore non-traditional funding sources
O-1: Implement a grant writing arm.
GOAL 2: Improvements to the annual campaign effort:
O-2: Change the Campaign Year
- Earlier Kick Off
- Earlier Closing, preferably before Thanksgiving
- Final Closing by December 31
O-3: Increase Campaign Goal by 50%, if we can base the growth on real expectations
O-4: Better use of Agency Service Fairs
O-5: Pacesetter campaigns will be conducted at selected worksites
GOAL 3: Identify untapped or undertapped donors and build relationships with them
O-6: Develop new approaches for small businesses
O-7: Develop community campaigns, especially outside Fairmont
O-8: Develop ways to involve new residents to Marion County
O-9: Develop more ways to involve seniors
O-10: Treat the loss of young donors entering college (and after)
O-11: Actively expand the “day of caring” and similar programs
GOAL 4: Make programs and services more tangible to donors
O-12: Better demonstration of impact of the donor’s contribution
II. CAMPAIGN INFRASTRUCTURE:
In order to establish continuity and stability in the Campaign activity, a permanent, Campaign support committee has been established to build the Campaign infrastructure. The Campaign Committee, as known historically, will utilize this infrastructure, and hopefully, with such a jump-start, move with purpose into the process of donor collections.
The Campaign Infrastructure committee is assigned the tasks:
- Retooling the process for campaigns
- Developing a campaign manual that will guide and support the activities of the Director, the Campaign Chair, Division Chairs, Workplace Coordinators, and Board Members in mounting a successful Annual Campaign.
III. COMMUNITY REVIEW: RESOURCE DISTRIBUTION:
To distribute the resources of the United Way of Marion County in a responsible, innovative, and donor-driven system that builds and maintains efficient health and human service programs in Marion County.
GOAL 1: Reassess the process whereby we allocate resources:
Objectives:
O-1: Community neevisitation, reporting processesds assessment (survey of community needs)
The needs assessment was completed in October 2003, and gives a clear set of actions for the Board to follow: Marketing the United Way is a prime driver (moves to the Communications committee), and within the monetary realm of the Community Review committee, the resounding message was:
- Emergency Services
- Youth services which break the cycle (of domestic unrest, lack of education, etc.
O-2: Charitable Organization needs assessment (survey)
Assess the relationship between UW and funded agencies Define parameters of relationship between UW and Agencies
O-3: Develop new initiatives, including outcome-based measurement, new program proposals, etc
O-4: Evaluate process from all perspectives, Agencies, committee, etc.
GOAL 2: Community Review Committee Membership: Develop more systematic selection system for volunteers –to insure availability, diversity, commitment
O-5: Continue to utilize volunteers representing diverse segments of the community in decision-making
The Community Review Committee worked to enlist members in the 30 person committee from all walks of life, and from all geographic areas of the county. We now have to work to continue this good beginning.
O-6: Include orientation and training on new processes as a requirement for membership
The Community Review committee this year held two training sessions, separating the 15 member permanent membership (three year terms) and the 15 members who serve a single year at a time. Surveys taken at the end of the training will be used to improve the orientation and training annually.
GOAL 3: Community Review Committee Operation: Plan that the Committee (or panel chairs) will operate all year
O-7: Analyze Needs Assessment
O-8: Prepare and deliver training and orientation for full committee (panel members)
O-9: Study donor designation data for trends, anticipate donor desire to support “types of Agencies” Do the donor’s values prevail?
GOAL 4: Quantify those being served. (develop data for marketing, etc.)
- Geographic distribution
- Assess duplication
- Outcomes assessment
GOAL 5: Define United Way's relationship with funded programs
- What should we expect from them?
- What should they expect from us?
- Maintain professional collaborative relationships with funded agencies and programs
IV. AGENCY ASSISTANCE AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT: NON-FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO AGENCIES
Provide non-financial support to United Way Agencies as a group or individually that are difficult to provide themselves due to financial and/or resource constraints including but not limited to:
- Skills training
- Process training
- Shared services-evaluate group insurance, procurement, etc.
- Share community needs surveys – help Agencies understand needs
- Facilitate inter-Agency cooperation
- Identify and develop civic alliances
- Assess needs, recruit, and train volunteers on United Way projects
The Agency Assistance and Volunteer Staffing Committees have become the combined Agency Assistance and Resource Development Committee, as defined in the Planning sections above. The duties and scope of the committee are:
The Board initiated a new Committee: Agency Assistance.. This committee inherits the GOALS associated with non-monetary assistance to the Agencies we support. Further, this committee will be associated with establishing the United Way’s non-monetary role in the community – roles such as sponsoring activities, leading or assisting in activities helping the overall betterment.
Specifically, this committee is charged with:
- Development of non-financial resources
- Developing a non-financial role in the community
- Evaluate and enhance relationships with agencies.
Further, this committee will assist in the resolution of duplication of services currently funded by the United Way.
GOAL 1: Provide Non-Financial Support to Member Agencies
Objectives:
O-1: Survey agencies to determine needed services
O-2: Evaluate shared service projects such as group insurances, and procurement.
O-3: Develop skills and process training including resource library
O-4: Assist with agency planning and evaluation
GOAL 2: Identify and Develop Partner Assistance
Objectives
O-1: Identify and communicate with potential volunteer organizations
O-2: Develop method for securing member agency needs
GOAL 3: Increase Communications
Objectives:
O-1: Development of communication tools
GOAL 4: Organize and Develop Volunteer Network
O-1: Develop method and tool to recruit, train, and distribute volunteer resources
V. FINANCE: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
To manage the resources of the United Way of Marion County for the maximum efficiency to both the United Way and its stakeholders
GOAL 1: Study and recommend a plan for allocating “real” money after we have raised it
Objectives:
O-1: Determine the benefits of such a change, plan for any change
- Review National Office recommendations
- Develop a plan for the transition to the new system (if there is to be a change)
GOAL 2: Maintain effective financial management within the United Way
Objectives:
O-4: Secure best rates of return on funds
O-5: Obtain and review financial information prior to board meetings
O-6: Institute and reconcile annual audits of the United Way of Marion County financial records
VI. COMMUNICATIONS: INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL MARKETING
To design and maintain an effective communication system with all stakeholders, including funded programs, donors, potential donors, media, general community, volunteers, and others.
Discussions of the communications activities for 2004 centered around the need to be a leader in the marketing efforts to keep the United Way in the public eye year round. This point was reinforced repeatedly during the Community Needs Assessment. The communications committee must be involved in the development of support information such as the brochures for the campaign, for simple name recognition year round, and during the campaign, actively seeking press outlets. The discussion led to an agreement of the participants that a marketing person in the employee of the United Way is the best solution to satisfy the needs discussed above.
ACTION: The United Way will hire (contract or employee; part or full time), as judged by further study, a marketing person/firm. The marketing person will support the organization part/full time, and support the stated needs. Other United Way/charitable organizations can serve as a model to follow in this pursuit. Possible advantages to ready access include time-share this person/resource with the Agencies to cost share
This action was re-visited at some depth during the 27 July meeting ,and we circled back to the place of allowing the committee, as re-formulated, to charge off and study; then recommend to the Board, the course of action deemed best for forward progress.
GOAL 1: Develop strategic, integrated marketing plan, for internal and external use
Objectives:
O-1: Face of the UW (as seen by the community)
O-2: Target (V) audience
- Both selling ourselves
- Audience to convert to donors
O-3: Increase frequency and quality of communications with donors and potential donors
VII. PERSONNEL: HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
Provide, and provide for, United Way office staff
GOAL 1: “Establish continuing education for Board, Staff, and others in the community” (what the UW is all about, how the UW works [bylaws]
VIII. BYLAWS AND NOMINATING: GOVERNANCE
Maintain up to date bylaws, and recruit/ nominate candidate Board and committee members to insure a continued viable organization.
The Bylaws and Nominating Committee work will be expanded this coming year to include a new Objective under Goal 2, nominations: A new Objective to assess the skills mix of he current BoD, and include a Skills Needs criteria in the current selection process of candidates for Board membership.
ACTION:: establish a skills assessment of the current BoD membership. Use this data to determine needed skills for future consideration when selecting candidates for BoD membership nomination.
GOAL 1: Maintain Bylaws that are compliant with existing laws for non-profits, and serve to guide the operating organization.
GOAL 2: More, and more diverse, involvement of the Board, volunteers, and community members.
Objectives:
O-1: Insure more diverse (both ethnic and geographic) Board membership
O-2: Insure representation of all walks; both rich and famous, and meek and mild.
O-3: Determine standard assessments/assessment tools for candidate interviews
O-4: Recruit specifically in the High Technology sector to balance current Board makeup
IX. MANAGEMENT OF PLANNING: PLANNING, AND MEASURING PROGRESS
Develop and maintain a Strategic (5 year) and tactical (near term = 1 year) plan; measure progress of the organization to the stated GOALS and OBJECTIVES.
GOAL 1: Develop and maintain a Strategic Plan for the guiding direction of the organization and its growth.
Objectives:
O-1: Review UWA information on planning, charitable giving, O-1: Conduct a planning exercise annually to update the Strategic Plan
- project information
- Coordinate with local United Way organizations on common missions and shared constitunants.
O-2: Assist all other committees of the United Way in the development of action plans in response to the Strategic Plan.
O-3: Maintain the near term action plans as a tactical plan
- Report (cause to be) on near term goal achievement at Board meetings
- Guide the direction of GOALS/Objectives according to the Board decisions.
GOAL 2: Assist with, and maintain, assessments/surveys conducted by the United Way.
Objective:
O-4: Develop and conduct assessments/surveys needed to satisfy the goals of committees outlined above.
- Insure that assessments/surveys cover all Agencies, on a prescribed cycle.
- Survey donors, businesses, and community leaders on a sampling basis.
- Survey community residents on needs, perceptions, of the United Way.
O-5: Develop a data base of results:
Community Needs United Way perceptions
- Agency needs, Agency cooperation plans, etc. on behalf of the other committees of the United Way.
- Supply information to all committees – emphasize marketing needs
Implementation:
As intended, the Action Tracking Tables will be maintained jointly by the UW staff (Robin), and the planning committee. These have been broken into assignments to the individual committees; along the lines of the discussion on managing the process; and passed to the committee chair for work within the committee activities. It is important that each committee report progress back to the office timely uch that the Agenda for the monthly BoD meeting can be finalized.
The planning discussion recognized that the work of interns in the process of performing the surveys for needs assessment and funded Agency/United Way relationships is important. The recommended avenue for progress work on Planning Goal 2, Objective 4, is by use of interns who can also provide some assistance in the office while working on the surveys, compilation of results, etc. NOTE: a computer on the network is available for this purpose.
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