Strategic Plan

July 2016

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SUMMARY ROADMAP OF ACTIONS

After reflection and dialogue, the Strategic Planning subcommittee proposes the following actions to further the mission of People’s Place. The column indicates when the activity begins. After initial development work, many of the activities are ongoing once they begin. The details of these actions are found later in this report.

FY 2016 and Ongoing / FY 2017
Communication and Information Technology /
  • Client satisfaction surveys
  • IT advisory committee
  • Collaboration/teamwork
  • Communication across agency

Board Member Recruiting and Visibility /
  • Board President at breakfast
  • Recruit board members
/
  • Decision processes
  • Onboard tours
  • Board tours
  • Visibility of board members
  • Communicate board role
  • Program Director case studies
  • Identify donor organizations

Fundraising and Finances /
  • People’s Place Brand
  • Dialogue with funders
  • Presentations with organizations
  • Opportunities to increase wages
/
  • Board staff fundraising committee
  • Program volunteer contacts
  • Ask employees to fundraise
  • Benchmark fundraising
  • Fundraising mentor
  • Donor relationships
  • Expand corporate relationships
  • Wage and benefit issues
  • Healthcare solution
  • Cost reduction priorities

FOUNDATIONAL ASSUMPTIONS

The following statements are aligned assumptions that are the foundation for People’s Place strategic plan. Gaining alignment among the employees, Board members and stakeholders on the current state of People’s Place was a critical first step in a productive dialogue on the goals, potential barriers and unintended consequences, and the activities to achieve the goals.

Assumptions Related to Mission:

  • People's Place programs are currently having a significant impact.
  • People's Place has a reputation of helping people find their path.

Assumptions Related to Clients and the Community:

  • Changes in the health insurance environment are impacting clients and employees.
  • Many of our clients have mental health issues that need to be addressed.
  • People's Place values collaboration with other organizations.
  • People’s Place has a positive impact on the local community.
  • People’s Place is among the best human service organizations in Delaware.
  • The needs of the homeless population continue to be challenging.
  • In the three programs that conducted a recent client satisfaction survey, the clients reported that they felt they were treated fairly by staff.

Assumptions Related to Programs and Services:

  • People's Place has many innovative approaches and is open to exploring more.
  • Programs are chosen with respect to how they fit together (i.e. they are not just a collection of projects and activities).
  • We have a reputation of providing quality services.
  • There are opportunities for more collaboration among programs.

Assumptions Related to Processes:

  • Board members strive to demonstrate their commitment to the mission through their actions.
  • The Board appropriately expresses its support.
  • The Board fulfills its governance role.
  • The Board provides oversight and staff manages day to day operations.
  • The leaders strive to hold staff accountable for results.
  • Program directors have discretion as to how they manage or operate their programs as long as they are meeting agency and contractual goals.
  • In the recent client satisfaction survey, the clients in the three programs that were asked reported that they felt they were treated fairly by staff.
  • Listening to employees is valued before making changes.
  • Most conflicts are resolved constructively but there is room for improvement.
  • The Sanctuary model is one of many models that help employees understand trauma.
  • Staff believe in a culture of accountability.
  • There is value when employees and programs work together.
  • We have a people-oriented culture where we aspire to always treat people well.

Assumptions Related to Resources:

  • The gap between the current budget and the desired budget is approximately $300,000.
  • Our experienced upper management group has not been able to increase most direct care worker wages as quickly as people desire, partly based on the Affordable Care Act.
  • Changes in the health insurance environment are impacting clients and employees.
  • Program Directors are actively involved in the ongoing budgeting process.
  • The Board and administration continually monitor the current finances and plan for the future.
  • The funders are well informed about the services they fund.
  • We effectively track expenses on a program basis, not only on a funder basis, ensuring good decision making.
  • There are employees who would be willing to volunteer who have not been directly, personally asked.
  • Most people find it difficult to ask other people for money or to volunteer.
  • There is significant potential for charitable donations from individuals for an organization like People’s Place in Delaware.
  • We value safety in the workplace.

GOALS

The following statements are aligned goals. Some of the goals are related to desired results and benefits. Others are objectives associated with mitigating constraints, specifically avoiding potential unintended consequences and overcoming barriers to success. The goals are organized around the principles from The Balanced Scorecard, a proven model for effective management of an organization’s goals.

Goals Related to Communication and Technology:

  • Increase public awareness in order to increase fundraising from non-governmental sources.
  • Expand the use of client satisfaction surveys.
  • Ensure that a decision is able to be made while hearing all voices, as appropriate.
  • Upper management to do more to foster teamwork across the agency.
  • Seek opportunities for more collaboration among programs.
  • Expand the use of technology to improve productivity in operations.
  • Expand the use of technology to deliver our services in a way that does not compromise quality.

Goals Related to Board Member Recruiting and Visibility:

  • Recruit more Board Members that reflect the diversity of our clients.
  • Board members continue to appropriately express their support.
  • Have Board Members tour of the facilities to get a better understanding of the agency's work and build relationships with employees.

Goals Related to Fundraising and Finances:

  • Board members increase their fundraising activities for the organization.
  • Increase the organization’s fundraising capabilities.
  • Continue to be in conversation with funders regarding the impact of their funding on the services we can offer.
  • Increase the organization’s fundraising capabilities.
  • Expand our development resources (Board and staff) for fundraising in a way that is different from the past.
  • Strengthen and promote the People's Place Brand.
  • Continue to increase the funding it gets from non-government sources to ~$300K per year.
  • Set the goal of our fundraising events to be both public awareness and substantial fundraising.
  • Ensure the increase in fundraising is sustainable.
  • As long as funding is not tied to religious beliefs, increase the funding People’s Place gets from churches/places of worship.
  • Upper management group strives to increase most direct care worker wages.
  • Continue to look for opportunities to cut costs to maintain long term viability of programs and services.
  • Continue to ensure wages are part of the discussion when talking about increased health care cost.
  • Respond to changes in the health insurance environment that are impacting clients and employees.

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DETAILED ACTION PLAN

This Detailed Action Plan is organized by strategic topic and timing. The Summary of Recommendations / Roadmap of Actions is a one-page summary of the remainder of this detailed action plan.

Communication and Information Technology

2017 and Beyond
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
Increase public awareness in order to increase fundraising from non-governmental sources. / Internal PR:
Start with the PR in house to employees through multiple media methods - Newsletter, etc. / Kim Rigby
Program Director Case Studies:
Ask Program Directors to give us an issue where you need expertise (not disciplinary) to increase connections cross programs. / Mamie Charest
Expand the use of client satisfaction surveys. / Client Satisfaction Surveys:
Conduct client satisfaction surveys in all programs. Use the information gathered from the surveys. / Executive Team
Ensure that a decision is able to be made while hearing all voices, as appropriate. / Decision Processes:
Be more clear when a decision process is informational or a consensus process or majority vote. / Executive Team
  • Upper management to do more to foster teamwork across the agency.
  • Seek opportunities for more collaboration among programs.
/ Communication Across Agency:
Improve agency and program communication. / Executive Team
  • Expand the use of technology to improve productivity in operations.
  • Expand the use of technology to deliver our services in a way that does not compromise quality.
/ IT Advisory Committee:
Formalize quarterly meetings by an IT Advisory Committee to evaluate use of technology in the organization.
  • Works with IT company.
  • Works with Mamie and Del for prioritization.
/ Mamie Charest

Board Member Recruiting and Visibility

FY 2016 and Ongoing
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
Recruit more Board members that reflect the diversity of our clients. / Recruit Board Members:
Recruit new Board Members that strengthen the Board in terms of skills and diversity. / Nominating Committee
Board members continue to appropriately express their support. / Board Presidentat Annual Breakfast:
Consider having the Board President make a statement at the annual breakfast. / Board President
Beginning in FY 2017
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
The Board members continue to appropriately express their support. / Visibility of Board Members:
Consider having a spotlight on Board members in the employee newsletter, Facebook, email, website. / Kim Rigby
Board Members tour the facilities to get a better understanding of the agency's work and build relationships with employees. / Communicate Board Role:
Communicate the role of the board to employees. / Board President; Kim Rigby
Onboard Board:
Onboarding Board members should include giving a tour and providing information about the organization.
Board Tours:
Tours for existing and potential board members. / Del Failing

Fundraising and Finances

FY 2016 and Ongoing
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
Board members will increase their fundraising activities for the organization. / Presentations to Organizations:
Make presentations to organizations with a high potential of individual donors. / Board / Executive Team
Increase the amount of unrestricted funds.
Continue to be in conversation with funders regarding the impact of their funding on the services we can offer. / Dialogue with Funders:
Continue dialogue with funders. / Del Failing
  • Upper management group strives to increase most direct care worker wages.
  • Continue to ensure wages are part of the discussion when talking about increased health care cost.
/ Opportunities to Increase Wages:
Continue to look for opportunities to request an increase in wages from funders each year. / Executive Team
Beginning in FY 2017
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
  • Increase the organization’s fundraising capabilities.
  • Board members will increase their fundraising activities for the organization.
  • Expand our development resources (Board and staff) for fundraising in a way that is different from the past.
/ Board Staff Fundraising Committee:
Form a committee - and a Board component - Fundraising Committee that is a mix of Board and Staff. / Del Failing
Program Volunteer Contacts:
Each program manager to find a volunteer coordinator that is responsible to find volunteers within their program. The volunteer coordinator could volunteer themselves but doesn't have to. / Program Managers
Ask Employees to Fundraise:
Personally ask employees,“Would you like to be part of fundraising activities?” / Volunteer Coordinators
Strengthen and promote the People's Place Brand. / People’s Place Brand:
Articulate the People's Place brand more clearly. / Board/Staff Fundraising Committee
Objectives / Actions / Accountability
  • Continue to increase the funding it gets from non-government sources to ~$300K per year.
  • Set the goal of our fundraising events to be both public awareness and substantial fundraising.
/ Benchmark Fundraising:
Benchmarking with successful fundraising organizations. / Board/Staff Fundraising Committee
Fundraising Mentor:
  • Evaluate the organization's need for a fundraising mentor.
  • Expand the organization’s knowledge through an experienced, successful mentor.

  • Increase the amount of unrestricted funds.
  • Ensure the increase in fundraising is sustainable.
  • As long as funding is not tied to religious beliefs, increase the funding it gets from churches/places of worship.
/ Identify Donor Organizations:
Identify organizations that could donate to agencies like People's Place.
Identify Organizations for Fundraising:
Identify organizations with potential individual donors.
Donor Relationships:
Build relationships of the individual donors with the Board and the organization.
Expand Corporate Relationships:
Expand relationships with corporations to increase donations.
  • Make presentations to corporations.
  • Host a banquet event for corporations

Continue to ensure wages are part of the discussion when talking about increased health care cost. / Wage and Benefit Issues:
  • Keep the Board informed on wage and benefit issues.
  • Planning for compliance with new overtime and minimum wage rules.
/ Executive Team
Continue to look for opportunities to cut costs to maintain long term viability of programs and services. / Cost Reduction Priorities:
Target and prioritize budget items for cost reduction.
  • For example, energy savings.
  • Identify and communicate the budget items. Consider an incentive program for ideas ($ amount, percentage and potential awards).
/ Executive Team
Respond to changes in the health insurance environment that are impacting clients and employees. / Healthcare Solution:
Find a solution to rising cost of healthcare. / Executive Team

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STRATEGIC PLANNING

METHODOLOGY AND PARTICIPANTS

People’s Place invited 205 employees, Board Members and community stakeholders to provide their assessment of the organization using alignment optimization technology. Of those invited 130, (63%), participated through a two part online survey. The results of the assessment were shared with the participants and discussed attwo Board meetings. North Star Strategies facilitated a strategic planning subcommittee to develop this strategic plan.



The demographics of the stakeholder participants and the number from each group are shown in the chart below.

Additional information, comments, and meeting dialogue leading to each strategic activity can be found online through each participant’s subscription at Click “Register” to create an account.

APPENDIX

There are many important activities that People’s Place will continue. Rather than listing them in the main body of the Strategic Plan, the ones that were specifically raised in the strategic planning process are documented here. There are also many activities that are done by people in the organization that are not included in this list. While not itemized here because they were not raised during this process, this does not reflect upon the level of their importance.

Objectives / Actions
Continue to provide community education. / Assess effectiveness of our community education.
If a school districted communicated a need and we can secure adequate funding, consider expanding our services to more school districts. / Continue to network to monitor need for services in school districts.
  • Continue to provide mental health services to clients with drug and alcohol issues.
  • Continue to work with partners who specialize in drug and alcohol treatment.
/ Continue to provide services and partner with specialty providers.
Be open to expanding some of our services geographically where there is an unmet need. / Program Directors and Administration will continue to evaluate programs and consider and discuss ideas for expansion.
Ensure the lack of affordable housing has a reduced negative impact on our clients. / Continue to work in partnership with agencies who specialize in affordable housing.
Assuming we can maintain funding, continue to provide services to veterans. / Review and monitor current veterans program.
Continue to examine the need for expanded case management in our programs. / Ongoing review and prioritization of case management need.
Continue to offer services to support male victims of domestic violence. / Continue to offer services for male domestic violence.
Assuming we can secure funding, have more services for youth after they leave our care. / Continue to look for grant opportunities for prevention and intervention services for youth.
Continue to assess staff training needs. / Assess what staff training is needed and expand as needed.
Continue to be open to exploringmore innovative approaches. / Continuously share innovative approaches with staff and public.
Continue to value safety in the workplace. / Continue to monitor safety of all locations.

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