Association of Fundraising Professionals

Strategic Plan

July 2009 – December 2010
Adopted by the AFP Palm Beach County Board on July 17, 2009

You asked for it! (And we heard you loud and clear) Click here to view our Strategic Plan Update.

Strategic Plan Overview

Background/Purpose

The Palm Beach County Association of Fundraising Professionals is celebrating its 25-year anniversary in 2009.  Over 180 individuals are currently served by the organization through educational and networking events.  With 2009 being a milestone year, the chapter’s board decided to engage in a strategic planning process with the objectives of: reaffirming its purpose to continue serving the needs of its members; enhancing programs and services in all areas; engaging more chapter members in the planning process as committee members; and developing an 18-month plan with defined objectives and success indicators.

The Strategic Planning Process

Through member surveys, brainstorming sessions and committee work, AFP board members and their committees developed and refined plans under each board chair’s responsibility.  Each committee developed a set of objectives and created its plan using the following guidelines:

• What are the specific steps that need to happen to work towards our objectives?
• What resources, materials, etc. are required to fulfill each action step?
• Who is responsible for each step along the way?
• When will these steps be completed by?
• What accomplishments/ measurement vehicles will demonstrate that we are moving forward successfully?  (Quantitative and qualitative.)

The follow-through on the strategic plan will include chairs reporting on their progress at every board meeting and ongoing committee work as needed.  Under the guidance of the strategic planning committee, future round-table discussions and brainstorming sessions will be scheduled to continue to engage the entire group at regular intervals and promote a “continuous improvement” culture within the organization.
 
Strategic Planning

Committee Members:  Jim Mueller, Sarah McKenzie, Kay Harvey

Committee Charge:  We exist to organize strategic planning and facilitate implementation through committees.

Goal:  Engaged committees taking effective actions that satisfy the strategic plan.

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  Committees are engaged in productive activities (complete planning template, meet with strategic planning committee).
• Objective #2:  Committee’s are populated by engaged and responsible members (recruitment).
• Objective #3:  Committees stay on track and on time with deliverables to satisfy strategic plan.

Board Development

Committee Members:  Kathleen Filosa and Lorie Stinson

Committee Charge:  We exist to identify and recruit potential Board members , plan for succession of Board officers and committee chairs and recruit members to committees.

Goal:  To create a Board recruitment and succession plan for the Board of Directors

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  To bring stability to the Board of Directors through succession planning.
• Objective #2:  To create a Board and committee recruitment and nomination process.

Membership

Committee Members: Lisa Archer, Jane Berkey, Peter Cambariere, Tara McDonnel, Sheri McCandless

Committee Charge:  Excitement, knowledge, networking, education and fun.

Goal:  Create a membership package to benefit new members.  Look at non profits not represented and make aware of our presence.

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Increase membership by 12.5% each year (25 new members per year)
• Objective #2: Increase Annual Retention to 75%

Scholarships

Committee Members: Mary Lewis, Kathleen Emmett-Filosa, Marie Bloom Deckert, Stacey Dowdle, Amy Brand, Cindy DeSilva, Stanton Collemer.

Committee Charge:  We exist to follow up on prospective scholarship recipient calls with  applications; establish a scholarship committee to review requests and make recommendations to the board (recruit past recipients); monitor chapter requirements of scholarship recipients regarding meetings attendance/committee participation; review and establish procedures for budgeting for and distributing scholarships; work with Diversity Chair to promote to underrepresented individuals and organizations.

Goal:  Increase awareness of scholarships and create greater diversity in the chapter.

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Increase awareness of scholarships
• Objective #2: Create greater diversity in chapter

Every Member Campaign

Committee Members: Susan Hutcheon

Committee Charge:  Meet or exceed the Every Member Campaign Goal in $ and participation

Goal:  Create greater awareness of AFP Foundation

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Meet financial goal
• Objective #2: Meet participation goal

Website

Goal:  Enhance website and increase awareness of all of the resources available on the local and national chapter websites.

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  Create “Members Only” section containing: Membership Directory; Message Boards/ListServe
• Objective #2: Create “Community Partners” section containing: Vendors; Services; Resources
• Objective #3: Increase online registration for events
• Objective #4: Make “news” area more prominent, add more content

Newsletter

Communication Committee Members: Rob Anderson, Dana Brooks, Sarah McKenzie

Committee Charge:  To publish an informative quarterly newsletter.

Goal:  To communicate member and chapter information to both members and the fundraising community.

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Purchase a newsletter software program
• Objective #2: Coordinate newsletter content with website chair to be an extension but not a duplicate of the website.
• Objective #3: Insure & schedule one member of Communication team is covering every event.
• Objective #4: Email newsletter to all nonprofit agencies in PBC who do not currently have an AFP member
• Long term plan: Explore social media resources as well as launching of an e-newsletter format

Public Relations

Committee Members: N/A

Committee Charge: Ensure the news and events of the Palm Beach chapter are effectively distributed to the appropriate media contacts and outlets, creating greater interest in the organization, thereby increasing membership and sponsorship opportunities.

Goal: Create a comprehensive public relations strategy with proper journalist contacts, greater exposure in the media, a timeline in sync with local media deadlines, and greater coordination among the communication committees, to ensure more media coverage, increased membership and sponsorship possibilities.

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  Create and execute an effective public relations strategy
• Objective #2:  Develop greater coordination among web/newsletter/public relations efforts
• Objective #3:  Enhance branding for chapter

Government Relations/Florida Caucus

Committee Members: N/A

Committee Charge:  Keep members informed of important public policy issues related to philanthropy and fundraising.  Be a participating member of the Florida Caucus which does strategic planning for Florida’s Annual Planet Philanthropy Conference.

Goal:  Keep chapter members well informed of public policy issues.

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  Ensure one membership luncheon focuses on Government Relations per year.
• Objective #2:  Ensure chapter members participate in the Planet Philanthropy conference each year.

Sponsorships

Committee Members: Cal Miller

Committee Charge:  We exist to increase sponsorship at our events and raise awareness.

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Have every lunch sponsored for the year.
• Objective #2: Try and encourage sponsors to take an active role in AFP. The goal would be 3 new members out of sponsorship

Programming/Education

Committee Members:
Pamela J. Henderson, CFRE, Executive Director - Rehabilitation Center For Children and Adults
Margaret Hudson-VP, Episcopal Charities of SE Florida
Diane Bergner, Director of Development - Kravis Ctre. For The Performing Arts
Mark Glickman, CFRE - Non-Profit Consultant
Stan Collemer, Director of Major Gift Development - Palm Healthcare Foundation
Taryn Wheat, CFRE – Director of Philanthropy, Caridad Center

Committee Charge:  We exist to plan the 2009 program calendar of AFP’s Palm Beach County Chapter and to advance the education of our chapter members through current non-profit leadership topics.

Goal:  Create an elevated benchmark in non-profit leadership and education programming that is sustained by a 5 year Board commitment

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Develop twelve month calendar of AFP Palm Beach County Chapter for 2009 with topics derived from 08/09strategic plan findings.
  • Objective #1A: Establish at least one monthly program per AFP calendar year with PBC area non-profit to present a joint program to both group’s current membership.
• Objective #2: Increase National Speakers from 1:3 volunteers with demonstrable influence over the non-profit sector by December 2009.
• Objective #3: Establish 2 breakout sessions per AFP calendar year for CEO’s, Exec. in advanced fundraising roles to retain seasoned AFP membership as thought leaders in our industry by December 2010 (i.e “Estate planning break-out breakfast hosted by AFP member Sam Smith at Children Beyond”).

Mentoring, Audioconference and Certification

Committee Members: Daniella Coy, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary; Lauryn Barry, Hospice of Palm Beach; William Fenton, Cardinal Newman High; Stephanie Langlais, American Red Cross

Committee Charge:  We exist to better educate members and other interested parties on a wide range of development and professional subjects and relevant issues. To determine the best and most effective means to accomplish this task. To prepare candidates aspiring to achieve CFRE credentials.

Goal:  Define committee’s aim: Create a more flexible and useful method and means to make Audio Conferences and accompanying materials available to our membership and interested public.

Objectives:

• Objective #1: Increase attendance and offered Audio Conferences by 100% over previous year
• Objective #2: Create partnerships with other non-profits to be regular host sites for Audio Conferences and track and maintain a database of offered Audio Conferences attendees, sites, times and topics to measure results and plan future programs
• Objective #3: Create a mentoring program & make available at least one professional development round table discussion lead by fellow members at each regularly scheduled monthly meeting of AFP
• Objective #4: To make as much information as possible through local chapter resources to CFRE candidates

Diversity

Committee Members:  Lisa Archer, Mark Glickman, Monte Lambert, Jack Lansing, Melanie Otero & Devin Wagman

Committee Charge:  We exist to be inclusive of all our members by embracing different perspectives, opinions, experiences, and racial and ethnic differences.

Goal: Create greater inclusiveness among our membership

Objectives:

• Objective #1:  All sectors of non-profit community are represented
• Objective #2:  Continue work of reaching out to diverse communities through workshops, but increase awareness of efforts through chapter communications.