Denver Urban Scholars Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 Denver Urban Scholars Strategic Plan

2 Table of Contents Methodology... 3 Background Information... 3 Organizational History... 3 Current Environment... 3 Organizational Strengths and Challenges... 5 Strategies for Impact... 8 Mission Revision... 8 Program Alignment... 8 Content Standards, Scope and Sequence, and Curriculum... 8 Optimize staffing structure to support program delivery... 9 Reframe the role of the mentor Review and Adjust Supplemental Programming Strategies for Growth Short Term Growth Long Term Growth Strategies for Sustainability Leadership Sustainability Staff Sustainability Governance Sustainability Financial Sustainability Metrics Direct Impact Indirect Impact Conclusion Data Current Student Enrollment Current Middle and High School Penetration High Performing Charter Middle and High Schools Timeline for Implementation

3 Methodology Recommendations in this plan were based on the following: Project scope discussions with Board members and staff Key informant interviews with 6 Board members and 2 staff members Survey results from 10 Board members and 9 staff members Half day facilitated retreat with Board members Half day facilitated retreat with staff members Research conducted by the author Financial analysis conducted by the author Review of data generated through a SOAR analysis conducted by Board and staff Reviews of drafts and feedback from Board and staff members Background Information Organizational History Larry and Margaret Byrne established a small family foundation in 1995 with a mission of providing scholarships for at-risk youth, primarily at parochial schools, and also giving the youth the supports they needed to complete their high school degrees. In 2005, the program was expanded beyond high school to include the middle school Stepping Stones program when it was determined that reaching youth earlier would lead to more successful outcomes. The following year, the organization transitioned from an operating foundation to a public charity and was renamed Byrne Urban Scholars. In 2009, Byrne Urban Scholars decided to shift its focus to students attending charter schools. As a result, the organization made several programmatic adjustments, including offering small stipends directly to students rather than scholarships. The demographics and needs of the students served also changed as the organization began to work with charter schools. In general, the students social and emotional needs in the new environment were greater than they had been in the parochial schools. This lead to increased demands on caseworkers and a need for more intensive interventions. In 2012, the organization changed its name to Denver Urban Scholars to better reflect its mission. It also launched a Capstone program intended to provide ongoing support to students who were graduates of the Milestones program during their first two years of college. The Capstone program aims to ensure that students stay on track to graduate from college and to help students overcome obstacles they face during their transition to postsecondary education. Current Environment Denver Urban Scholars currently serves 160 students in 12 partner middle and high schools plus an additional 30 college students. This includes: 3

4 53 middle school students in the Stepping Stones program 107 high school students in the Milestones program 30 college students in the Capstones program School # Denver Urban Scholars Current Schools DSST Stapleton High School 21 KIPP Denver Collegiate 25 KIPP Sunshine Peak 16 Venture Prep High School 17 Strive Prep Excel 5 Strive Prep Smart 3 Strive Prep Sunnyside 11 Strive Prep Westwood 20 La Academia 24 JK Mullen 7 Non-partner schools 11 College Students 30 TOTAL 160 The organization offers three programs and aims to have students start with the middle school program and transition to the high school and college program. However, it will accept new students at the high school level if there are vacancies created by middle school students who choose not to enroll in one of the partner high schools. Students must be enrolled in one the partner schools to participate. The three current programs are: Stepping Stones: Serving students in sixth through eighth grades, this program is intended to reach students early in their academic careers and help them make positive choices that will put them on a path toward high school graduation. Program components include one-on-one mentoring from a volunteer mentor, academic support and case management from a licensed, masters-level social worker and after school programming intended to develop study skills, leadership abilities and social and emotional aptitude. Milestones: The original flagship program of DUS, Milestones works with students in grades nine through twelve and offers one-on-one mentoring with a volunteer mentor as well as case management and academic support from a masters-level social worker. Capstones: Now in its second year, Capstones works with graduates of the Milestones program during their first two years of college. Similar to the 4

5 other programs, Capstones offers mentoring and case management and is intended to help students successfully make the transition to higher education. The current student population is 98% minority and 84% qualify for free and reduced price lunch (the standard measure of poverty among school age children.) Denver Urban Scholars only works with students who attend partner schools. Currently, those schools are primarily charter schools, although there are 2 private schools that are part of the portfolio. Partner schools include: Denver School of Science & Technology Stapleton KIPP Denver Collegiate High School KIPP Sunshine Academy La Academia at Denver Inner City Parish JK Mullen High School Venture Prep High School STRIVE Prep - Excel STRIVE Prep - SMART STRIVE Prep - Sunnyside STRIVE Prep - Westwood Organizational Strengths and Challenges As a 20-year-old organization, Denver Urban Scholars has established a distinct niche in the youth mentoring field and has developed many organizational strengths. Chief among these are: A program model that emphasizes a high level of contact with students from both staff and mentors. One of the features that distinguishes DUS from other mentoring organizations is that all caseworkers are masters level social workers and they carry relatively small caseloads of about 30 students. This is about 2/3 of the caseload of caseworkers at comparable organizations. Every student also has a mentor in addition to a caseworker, creating a second layer of support and intervention. Strong fundraising track record. Denver Urban Scholars currently raises close to a $1 million per year. About 32% of donations come from foundations, 28% from individuals and 27% from special events with the balance coming from corporations, government grants and other small sources. While there is room to grow each of these income streams, overall the organization has achieved a healthy balance and is not overly dependent on any one source of revenue. Stable leadership. DUS has benefitted from sustained leadership at both the Executive Director and Board levels for a long period of time. Patrick Byrne, who was one of the founders of the organization, has been leading DUS since 5

6 its inception. Many of the Board members have been involved with the organization for a long period and know its history and intricacies well. However, the Board also has an appropriate number of members who are newer to the organization and bring fresh perspectives. As with any organization, DUS also has opportunities to strengthen its performance in certain areas. Key matters that will require focus during the three years covered by this strategic plan include: Clarifying mission and aligning all programs and performance metrics with that mission. Prior to engaging in the strategic planning process, stakeholders at DUS had differing views about the ultimate goal of the organization and the students it serves. There were three general views about what the mission of the organization should be, including: o Providing youth with stable, caring adult relationships o Helping underserved youth graduate from high school o Preparing underserved youth for college and career The Board spent significant time discussing this issue and ultimately concluded that DUS must focus on preparing youth for college and career success. While caring adult relationships are an important tactic for helping youth achieve their goals, they are not, alone, sufficient reason for DUS to make the investment it is making in its clients. Similarly, while a high school diploma is a necessary first step, it is generally not adequate for securing meaningful and gainful employment in today s economy. The Board therefore clarified and confirmed that the mission of DUS is to prepare youth for success in college and careers. This mission clarification has implications for the programming that DUS providers, and many of the recommendations in this plan are about aligning programs with the modified mission. Similarly, the metrics that DUS uses to measure its success will also have to support the new goals of college and career readiness. Clearly defining the target population. DUS has loosely defined its target population as at risk youth and has further narrowed the population by requiring that students attend one of the partner schools. However, because this definition lacks specificity, the range of needs among the students served varies greatly. In some cases, the needs may be so severe, such as students suffering from mental illness, that DUS is not properly equipped to provide the necessary support. An important objective for the organization is to more specifically define the type of student it hopes to reach. Setting clear growth goals and developing systems to support growth plans. Denver Urban Scholars has grown from serving 100 students in to 190 students today, with plans to expand to 207 by early This growth has, in some ways, challenged the systems that DUS has in place, particularly 6

7 in the areas of mentor recruiting and staff continuity. However, the Board of DUS would like to see the organization continue to grow. Setting sustainable growth targets will require better defining the target population and then planning for staged growth so that staff and support systems can keep pace with the growth. Ensuring that the organization can sustain its work over time. There are several issues that DUS should address over the next three years to ensure the sustainability of the organization. Chief among these are having a plan in place in the event of a leadership change, developing systems to support and sustain staff, and ensuring that the board governance model is conducive to attracting and maintaining high-quality Directors. 7

8 Strategies for Impact Denver Urban Scholars has three well-defined programs serving middle school, high school and college-aged youth. These programs are the heart and soul of the organization and should continue to be the primary work of DUS as it goes forward. However, there is an opportunity to strengthen each of these programs and to ensure that each is aligned with the long-term goal of ensuring that every scholar is prepared for college and career. Mission Revision The Board of DUS recently went through a process of clarifying that the ultimate goal of the organization is to prepare students for success in college and careers. This is a shift from the current stated mission of facilitating academic achievement and positive social development. It should be noted, however, that in practice the current activities of the organization do support the long-term goal of college and career readiness. To institutionalize this new focus, the organization should revise its mission, vision and values statements. This is intended to better reflect what the organization currently does and plans to do in the future and should not be seen as dramatically changing the direction of DUS. Goal: Rewrite the mission, vision and values statements to reflect the new focus of the organization Responsible: Board Create a subcommittee of the Board charged with revising the mission, vision and values statements Review the current statements and consider what it is still relevant and what needs to be changed Draft revised statements for approval by the Board Communicate the new statements to staff, donors and other key stakeholders Program Alignment DUS has an opportunity to review all of its current programming in light of the tightening focus on college and career readiness. The organization would benefit from engaging experts in dropout prevention and college and career transition to look in detail at all aspects of the current programs. While feedback from experts in the field would yield more detailed recommendations, there are some high-level steps the organization could take pending that analysis. Content Standards, Scope and Sequence, and Curriculum One of the elements that seems to be missing from the DUS programs is a concise and logical statement about what scholars should know and be able to do at different stages of their development. In academic subjects, teachers base their instructional plans on content standards, which are lists of specific skills and knowledge that they want students to master in specific courses. A scope and sequence document then outlines the order in which the standards should be 8

9 learned. Finally, curriculum documents provide details on how the material will be taught and how student mastery of the contents will be assessed. Similarly, DUS program leads, case managers and mentors would benefit from having clear direction about what students should accomplish in each year of the program. Having a picture of what success looks like would allow for better decisions about how to support students. It should be noted that these standards should be separate and distinct from academic standards, and should focus on content and skills that mentors and case managers can directly impact. For example, an obvious standard for a DUS high school senior might be that she can complete a college application. Knowing this is a standard that needs to be mastered, a caseworker might investigate the support the student is getting from her school advisor and, if necessary connect the student to other college support services. The mentor might have a curriculum document that she could follow to help her assess how the student is doing with her applications on a regular schedule and offer appropriate assistance. Curriculum development is a specialized skill and creating the content standards, scope and sequence and curriculum should be outsourced to someone with expertise in this field with substantial input from the staff. Goal: Develop content standards, scope and sequence and curriculum for all three DUS programs Responsible: Staff with assistance from outside consultant Identify a qualified consultant who has expertise in curriculum development Create a small task force of staff members to consider the essential skills and knowledge needed at each stage of the DUS program to support the ultimate goal of college and career readiness Create content standards for each grade level and a scope and sequence aligned with those standards Create curricular resources for case managers and for mentors Train case managers and mentors on new curriculum Create a process and schedule for regularly reviewing and revising curriculum Optimize staffing structure to support program delivery As DUS continues to grow, it may need to reconsider the way that it staffs its programs to allow for more specialization. Currently, the role of case manager is quite varied and demands expertise not only in case management but also in event planning, after school programming and mentor management. In some instances, caseworkers also supervise other caseworkers. DUS is now operating at a scale where it might gain efficiency by creating specialized roles to take some of these tasks off the shoulders of caseworkers. This, in turn, may allow caseworkers to take on slightly larger caseloads. The organization might also benefit from creating additional roles for volunteers who may not want to make the time commitment 9

10 required to become a mentor but would like to contribute their time in more limited way. Specifically: Staff members reported that one of the more time consuming and challenging activities they engage in is developing relationships with the partner schools. Given the current distribution of students among partner schools, caseworkers are often managing multiple school relationships. One way to address this would be to ensure that every caseworker serves a full caseload of students in a single school. Currently, there is no partner school with 30 or more students being served. Given the number of low-income students in each of the partner schools, with the possible exceptions of Arrupe and Mullen, it can be assumed that there is sufficient need in each school to reach a caseload of at least 30 students per school. This would have the added benefit of allowing the caseworker to become a more embedded figure in the school community, which partner schools would likely appreciate. Staff members often cited after-school programming as a high-investment, low return activity. To some extent, creating a consistent curriculum that could be used in after school programs might temper this challenge. Still, having a dedicated staff member whose sole responsibility was after school programming could lead to better programs and would relieve caseworkers of this burden. In addition, after school programs could potentially be lead by volunteers. Alternatively, DUS could consider dropping after school programming or creating partnerships with other organizations that specialize in providing extended learning opportunities to students. In the current organizational structure, each of the three programs has either a program lead or two co-leads, each supervising one or two case mangers and an intern. However, the program leads are also managing caseloads of their own. It is unclear that the activities in each program are distinct enough that this diffuse leadership structure is warranted. It might be useful to create one position that oversees all caseworkers. This would have the dual benefit of relieving program leads of their supervisory duties, perhaps freeing them up to take on larger caseloads, and also concentrating supervisory responsibilities in someone who has more expertise in that arena. Ideally the case manger supervisor would not have any case management duties and could focus specifically on coaching, supporting and evaluating case managers. Reorganizing the staff structure at the case manager level could also free up resources at the administrative level. If one person were dedicated to case manager supervision, it might allow for the Program Director, or someone in a similar role, to focus on program development and content. As the organization tightens its focus on college and career readiness, this could allow for more investment in new activities that directly support the mission. For example, if the organization determines that it needs to add job shadowing or internships to its offerings, the Program Director could take responsibility for creating these programs. 10

11 Goal: Adjust staffing structure to optimize program delivery Leader: Executive Director Frame the problem for staff: adjusting roles and responsibilities will allow all staff members to focus more narrowly and deeply on their responsibilities and to eliminate tasks that can best be accomplished for others Create a process for gathering staff input Identify a new structure that will support the mission of the organization Create or revise written job descriptions for every position Review current capabilities compared to new job descriptions and determine any training and support needs Develop a timeframe and process for transitioning to the new structure Develop a process for periodically reviewing the organizational structure and making adjustments as necessary Reframe the role of the mentor Mentoring is one of the core components of all DUS programs and is critical to the long-term success of the organization. It is also one of the organization s most resource-intensive activities as the recruitment, training and retention of mentors requires a high level of staff investment. Currently, the organization faces challenges with both recruiting and supporting mentors. Both of these challenges could be addressed by slightly reframing the role of the mentor as not just a confidante and supporter but also as someone who provides career and college guidance. This elevation of the role of mentor might help the organization better appeal to professionals who want to understand the impact their volunteer time and to feel that their contributions will make lasting changes in the life of a youth. This shift could also allow for better matches between mentors and mentees by emphasizing shared college and career interests in the matchmaking process. Finally, by giving mentors more guidance and structure for their interactions with mentees, something which should be part of the curriculum development process, DUS can make the mentor s role easier to manage and more impactful. If mentor recruitment continues to be a challenge, it may also be necessary to consider assigning mentors only to those students who would benefit most from this intervention, and providing other kinds of supports to students who may not need one-on-one mentoring. Goal: Reframe the role of the mentor to improve effectiveness and sustainability Leader: Program Director and Community Outreach Manger Review and revise the written job description of the mentor to emphasize helping students prepare for college and careers Review current mentor relationships to identify factors, including student attributes and mentor attributes, that lead to the best outcomes 11

12 Consider creating criteria for some students to be matched with mentors (those who will benefit the most) and for some students to get support through other channels Solicit input from current mentors and students about the potential change in direction Develop a matrix of the skills and attributes desired in the pool of mentors Review the current skills and attributes of mentors and identify gaps Identify affinity groups and/or corporations to prioritize for new mentor recruitment Develop mentorship curriculum for each stage of the DUS program (this should be part of the larger curriculum project) Determine which supports students who do not get mentors will need to in lieu of mentoring Train all current and new mentors on the curriculum Create criteria for pairing mentors and mentees Review matches between current mentors and students and make adjustments as necessary Match new mentors with students Create a process for regularly reviewing and revising the mentor role and the matches between mentors and mentees Review and Adjust Supplemental Programming While case management and mentoring are core activities of DUS, the organization also offers many other services to its students and the value of these supplemental programs seems to be mixed. As noted above, the after school programs in particular create a substantial amount of work for case managers and may not be adding a great deal of value for students. Similarly, staff report mixed views about the effectiveness of group events for students and mentors. On the other hand, the renewed emphasis on college and career readiness may indicate a need for new supplemental programs that directly support this mission. For example, the organization may need to consider adding job shadowing or internship opportunities, or workshops specifically focused on the skills needed to prepare for and enter college and the workforce. Supplemental programs should be a major focus of the curriculum review efforts. Partner schools should also be engaged in this conversation as many of them already offer their own college and career preparation programs and DUS should aim to supplement, not supplant, those efforts. Engaging in a program review would also help address the fact that the cost of the DUS model is relatively high, while the graduation and college matriculation outcomes appear to be only marginally better than lower cost models. It is important for DUS to understand which elements of their program are truly impactful and which, if any, might be eliminated to help reduce costs without compromising quality. This kind of review would be most effectively conducted by someone with expertise in mentoring and dropout prevention. 12

13 Goal: Review and adjust supplemental programming Leader: Program Director Engage a consultant with expertise in mentoring and dropout prevention Conduct focus groups with partner schools, case managers, mentors and students to better understand the benefits and costs of existing supplemental programs Use content standards to determine which elements of the program are not directly addressing standards and/or are not high impact activities and should be discontinued Use content standards and scope and sequence documents to consider which standards are not addressed through case management and mentoring Develop a wish list of supplemental programs that would address those standards Consider partner organizations that could address the standards without DUS needing to develop its own new programs For standards that cannot be addressed by partners, develop and implement new supplemental programs 13

14 Strategies for Growth Board members interviewed for this plan expressed a strong interest in expanding the reach of Denver Urban Scholars. The prevailing sentiment was that DUS is doing important work, and that reaching more students is essential to sustaining the support and enthusiasm of the Board and the funding community. It is worth noting that there is substantial need in the Denver community and there is ample room in the market for DUS to grow. Currently, the organization reaches fewer than 10% of the low-income students in the schools it already partners with. Considering the entire DPS charter sector, DUS reaches 2% of the low-income student population. Even accounting for the planned growth of Denver Kids, which aims to reach 5,000 students in DPS by 2020, only a fraction of the more than 38,000 low-income students in grades 6 th through 12 will be getting mentoring and support services. Currently, DUS faces two key barriers to growth. The first is creating systems and structures that can support the growth. This challenge can be addressed through implementation of some of the sustainability strategies documented in the following section. The other challenge is ensuring that growth can be achieved in a cost effective manner. The main cost driver in the DUS model is the cost of staff, therefore the staff to student ratio, particularly for case mangers, dramatically impacts the cost of delivery. Considering ways to increase staff caseloads, without overly burdening staff, will help facilitate growth. This will only be feasible if the organization simultaneously reorganizes its staff to increase efficiency and also eliminates some of the current duties of case managers as suggested above. Additionally, DUS needs to better define its target market so that it can better assess its current penetration rates and set specific growth goals. The staff has already spent some time on this and has articulated a desire to serve low-income students who have faced adversity but still show some resilience and a desire to participate in the program. To some extent, the definition of the target market will always be subjective and therefore hard to quantify, but adding some specificity to this definition will help to better determine the size of the market and current penetration rates. Goal: Define the target market Leader: Program Director Review current student demographics and personal attributes and assess which students are benefitting most from the program Summarize similarities among successful students and use the summary to create a success profile for the target student population Adjust recruitment and admissions processes to better reflect the success profile 14

15 Use the success profile to estimate the number of eligible students in current partner school and potential partner schools to determine the total size of the market Set annual goals for increasing market penetration Note: DUS may want to consider use of the Adverse Childhood Experiences or ACES inventory to define its target population. There is emerging evidence that children who experience 4 or more ACES face negative long-term outcomes and consequently could benefit from targeted interventions. Demographers estimate that approximately 30% of children living in poverty, and 12% of the total population, experience 4 more ACES. Using this very simplified data to assess the size of the market indicates that more than 500 students just in the schools that DUS currently works with would qualify for services. ACES include: Emotional Abuse Physical Abuse Sexual Abuse Emotional Neglect Physical Neglect Domestic Violence Household Substance Abuse Household Mental Illness Parental Separation or Divorce Incarcerated Household member Clearly, raising questions about whether students have experienced any of these ACE s as part of an enrollment process raises substantial concerns about privacy and about how the organization can and must respond if it has knowledge about any of these matters. However, there may be ways to uncover some of this information indirectly and it may not be necessary to ask students about all of these issues. While defining the ideal student profile is one aspect of determining the size of the market, the other factor is the profile of an ideal partner school. Currently, DUS works with charter schools that serve high percentages of low-income students. Board members and staff all express satisfaction with this segmentation of the market for partner schools, and it is assumed this will continue to be the case going forward. However, DUS may want to consider limiting its partnerships to schools that are performing at a high level and are giving most students adequate preparation for college and career. In the DPS school performance framework, schools that are rated green or blue are considered to be meeting or exceeding expectations. One of the current partner schools, Denver Venture School, is rated red (accredited on probation) at the middle school level and yellow (accredited on watch) at the high school level. Strive Prep Smart is also rated yellow, though most outside observers consider this rating a one-year anomaly and believe the school will perform at the same high level as other Strive Prep Schools. DUS could consider terminating its relationship with Venture Prep and working only with schools rated blue or green. 15

16 In terms of potential expansion, there are 17 DPS charter middle and high schools rated blue or green whose student body is at least 50% low-income. An additional 2 Strive Prep schools that are currently rated yellow could be included in the potential market, for a total of 19 schools. The combined free and reduced price lunch population of these schools is more than 5,200. Again, assuming 30% of those students are the type of students DUS would like to serve, the potential market size is more than 1,500 students. Short Term Growth Once DUS has better defined its target market, it can embark on a process of gradual growth. In the short term, the organization should consider first increasing caseloads slightly, then increasing penetration at existing schools and then expanding to other schools that are part of the network of schools that DUS current serves. Currently, DUS has 7 case managers (some of whom also have supervisory duties) for 190 students, implying an average caseload of 27 students. It should be noted, however, that the distribution of students is not necessarily uniform. Program Case Students Caseload Staff Mangers Stepping Stones Program lead, case manager, intern Milestones program leads, 2 case mangers (1 position vacant,) 1 intern Capstones Program lead, program assistant, intern If DUS were to streamline the role of the case manager, eliminating non-essential duties and providing greater support for mentor management, it could increase the number of students served by increasing the number of students per case manager. Even a modest increase in caseloads to 35, assuming that the number of case managers holds steady at 7, would allow the organization to serve 245 students. It is important to note that increasing caseloads will likely be a sensitive issue with staff members who already feel challenged in their roles. It will not be feasible to make this change without simultaneously considering changes in the role of the case manager. Goal: Consider increasing caseload Leader: Executive Director and Program Director Review the role of the case manger and consider staffing changes to reduce time spent on low value activities 16

17 Engage an outside evaluator to assess the impact of caseloads on student outcomes Test caseload increases with 1 or 2 willing staff members Rollout to other staff members over time It is also important to consider where expansion will occur. Staff members have indicated that managing relationships with schools is a time consuming part of their job. A logical way to approach growth would be to consider reaching full caseloads in each school rather than having case managers split their time between multiple schools. Not only would this allow case managers to spend less time forging relationships with school administrators, it would also have the benefit of allowing staff members to have more embedded roles in their assigned schools. They would have more opportunity to become part of the culture of the school and might find they could be more effective advocates for their students. When a case manager works with only a handful of students in a school, it may be difficult for that school to see the benefits of making accommodations in schedules, gathering student data, and responding to requests from the case manager. If, on the other hand, a significant number of students in the school are part of the DUS program, and the relationship between the school and DUS is framed as a true partnership, the incentives for the school to collaborate with DUS increase significantly. To make this shift toward true partnerships with schools, DUS may also need to think about schools, and not just students, as their constituents. By developing strong relationships with schools administrators and considering their needs, case managers can improve their standing in schools and, by extension, their effectiveness as advocates for their students. Because the FRL penetration rate in each of the current partner schools is less than 10%, it is safe to assume that there is room for growth within current schools and that full caseloads of 30 or even 35 students could be achieved in each partner school. For example, there are 10 current partner schools. If the number of students served in each school grew to 30, DUS would serve 300 students and would need 10 case managers, or 3 new hires, to manage the growth. If caseloads could be increased to 35 within existing schools, DUS could serve 350 students. Alternatively, if increasing the number of case managers is not feasible, DUS could consider distributing the 6 managers who work with middle and high schools across just 6 schools and eliminating partnerships with schools that are adding less value. Goal: Expand penetration in existing partner schools and consider reducing the number of partners Leader: Executive Director and Program Director Review caseloads in current partner schools Review relationship with current schools and document the characteristics of schools that are effective partners Determine if any partnerships should be eliminated 17

18 Meet with school leaders of schools where expansion is possible to discuss advantages and disadvantages of having a dedicated case manager in each school. Gather information about how DUS can serve the school in addition to the students who participate in the program. Test expansion with 1-2 willing staff members Rollout to full staff over time Long Term Growth Once DUS has optimized its caseloads and has increased its penetration with current partner schools, it could consider expansion into new partner schools. This should be done in two phases. First, expand within the network of existing partner schools where relationships are strong and students are succeeding. Second, expand to other schools whose profiles are similar to those where the partnership has been effective. However, it is unlikely that this kind of growth can be achieved in the three-year timeframe contemplated in this strategic plan. What the organization can do during the next three years is ensure that its processes and programs are well documented and replicable so that when long-term growth is feasible the organization is poised to move quickly. Articulating and standardizing key components of the DUS model will accelerate later growth and improve quality control down the road. Goal: Articulate and standardize key operating procedures and create a handbook for expansion (Note: this goal is closely tied to the development of content standards, scope and sequence and curriculum) Leader: Program Director Create an inventory of key procedures that need to be documented including: o Forming school partnerships o Recruiting students o Admitting students o Enrolling students o Recruiting mentors o Training mentors o Matching mentors with student o Family introductions and expectation setting o Case management at each grade level o Referrals to outside agencies o Transitions from one program to the next o Separation procedures To the extent possible, document each step for each procedure along with troubleshooting guidance Review complete document with current staff for accuracy Create a process for regularly reviewing and updating the manual 18

19 Strategies for Sustainability As a 20-year-old organization, Denver Urban Scholars is well established as a leading provider of mentoring services to ask-risk youth. Sustaining the organization over the coming years will require not only addressing some of the programmatic issues that have already been discussed, but also paying attention to internal systems issues. Chief among these are the sustainability of the leadership, staff and Board of Directors. Financial sustainability is, of course, a constant concern for any nonprofit organization, including Denver Urban Scholars. Leadership Sustainability Patrick Byrne, the Executive Director of Denver Urban Scholars, has been the head of the organization since its inception. Under his leadership, DUS has become a well-respected and important Denver institution. However, the success of the organization is also largely dependent on his continued presence. Patrick is the public face of the organization, holds all of the key fundraising relationships, has long-standing connections with many of the Board members, and knows all of the institutional history of DUS. If, for any reason, Patrick were to abruptly leave the organization, DUS could have difficultly rebuilding key relationships and maintaining the continuity of operations. The organization should have a contingency plan in place in case of either a planned or unplanned departure. Goal: Create a Leadership Succession plan Leader: Board Develop an emergency succession plan: o Identify and document the key leadership functions of the Executive Director o Develop an emergency plan which delegates each of the key leadership functions to another member of the staff in the case of an abrupt leadership absence o Develop an emergency communications plan o Review Board policies to ensure that the Board has the authority and a process for appointing an interim Executive Director o Develop a high-level plan for a search process that could be activated quickly if needed Develop a long-term succession plan o Compare strengths and weaknesses of internal candidates for longterm succession to the key functions of the Executive Director o Create long-term professional development plans to help 1 or 2 key staff develop the skills to potentially assume the ED role o Develop and maintain an informal list of external candidates that could be tapped in the case of a leadership transition 19

20 Staff Sustainability Staff sustainability can be a challenge for small nonprofit organizations in general. This challenge is magnified for those who work intensely with vulnerable youth and their families, which can be emotionally draining. DUS should address the care and maintenance of the staff members who work directly with students. However, there are also systems-level changes, including giving staff more guidance on their individual goals and more feedback on their performance, that would create a more professional, predictable and sustainable culture. An initial step should be to review the formal policies that are in place and to ensure that they are designed to give staff the respite and support that they need. Goal: Review HR policies to ensure they support staff sustainability Leader: Executive Director Create a small task force of staff members charged with reviewing HR policies and suggesting changes Create list of policies to be reviewed, including but not limited to: o PTO policies o Flex time policies o Comp time policies o Professional development policies and budget Draft recommendations for policy changes and present to the Board for discussion/revision/approval Equally important to reviewing the policies that are in place is putting systems in place to ensure that all staff members know what is expected of them and to ensure that they are getting feedback on their performance. Goal: Create personal development plans and a performance review process for every staff member Leader: Executive Director and all supervisors Review all written job descriptions and revise as necessary to ensure that they reflect current roles and responsibilities Create a template for documenting individual performance goals. Goals should be quantifiable and time-limited Create a template for performance reviews that includes progress against goals as well as professional skill levels Each supervisor meets with her direct reports to: o Review written job descriptions and make any necessary changes o Discuss current skill level and desired skill level o Work together to set quantifiable goals for the year as well as sixmonth benchmarks o Develop a professional development plan for the year 20

21 Every six months, every supervisor meets with every direct report to: o Review progress against goals o Review skill level/growth o Complete a written performance review o Review and revise professional development plans Annually adjust compensation based on performance In addition to these formal steps, DUS should strive to create a culture that is more sensitive to the demands placed on staff. Culture change is a slow and organic process, but there are specific steps that can be taken to accelerate change. Engaging staff in this process can also be empowering. Goal: Conduct a culture audit and develop recommendations for change Leader: Executive Directors Create a small task force of staff members Identify top 3 to 5 organizational values Identify behaviors that demonstrate those values and behaviors that are in conflict with those values Define expected behaviors things that would be happening daily if the organization was living its values Develop a plan for encouraging and reinforcing those behaviors Develop a plan for regularly reviewing organizational culture and alignment with values Governance Sustainability The DUS Board of Directors has shifted over time from a friends and family model to become a more formal and more professional entity. However, not all of the governance practices have caught up with this transition. There are some governance changes the Board should consider that would help keep the focus on the core governance responsibilities of: Setting the strategic direction of the organization Ensuring the organization has adequate financial resources Ensuring the organization has strong leadership at the Board and Executive Director level Monitoring organizational performance and intervening when necessary Some of the steps that the Board should consider to ensure sustainability include the following: Goal: Create and implement an annual Board self-evaluation process Leader: Board Chair Select an instrument for conducting an evaluation, or create a new tool. One tested resource is the McKinsey & Company Nonprofit Board Self Assessment Tool Long Form 21

22 Determine a schedule for annually administering the assessment Create a subcommittee of the Board to receive and analyze results Devote at least one Board meeting to discussing results and agreeing on changes to enhance performance Goal: Create personal commitment agreements for each Board member Leader: Executive Director and Development Director Create a template for a Board agreement that clearly outlines expectations and responsibilities of the Board. At a minimum the agreement should include: o Meeting attendance expectations o Committee assignment(s) and information about committee duties o Personal financial pledge o Personal commitment to assist with fundraising in other ways such as donor solicitation or event leadership o Personal commitment to contribute to the organization in other ways Meet individually with each Board member to discuss interests and commitments for the coming year and to finalize agreements Create a process for reviewing Board commitments and progress toward goals mid-year and at year end Goal: Ensure the Board as a whole has the skills and attributes required to lead the organization Leader: Board Chair or nominating committee chair Review and revise the Board matrix to ensure that it lists the ideal skills (such as fundraising, marketing, and financial management) as well as attributes (such as ethnic diversity, socio-economic diversity and professional affiliations) for the Board as a whole Assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current Board relative to the ideal matrix Develop a list of desired skills and attributes for new Board members Create a list of prospective candidates that fill the gaps in the current Board Develop a long range plan for recruiting and retaining those new members Develop a Board succession plan for key Board roles (e.g. Chair and Treasurer) to ensure smooth transitions and protect against gaps in leadership Goal: Adopt a data dashboard to help the Board focus on key organizational metrics Leader: Staff Review other nonprofit dashboards as a point of reference Determine key metrics that matter most at the Board level such as: 22

23 o Program metrics Students enrolled vs. goal Dropouts Year end program continuation rates o Financial metrics Budget vs. actual Fundraising vs. goal o Operations metrics Employee turnover Caseloads per case manager vs. goal o Board performance Meeting attendance Board giving vs. goal Review feasibility of data collection and determine appropriate reporting period for each metric (monthly, quarterly or annually) Build data review into regular Board agendas Financial Sustainability One of the strengths of DUS is its current financial position and its ability to raise funds from diverse sources. Many nonprofits struggle with dependence on a single source of funding, such as foundation grants. DUS has managed to attract funds from foundations and individuals almost equally and also has a strong track record with special events Fund Mix % Corporate $45, % Foundation $306, % Government $67, % Individual $268, % United Way $5, % Special Events $256, % In Kind $6, % Interest $ % Total $956, As the organization grows, it will of course also need to increase its financial resources. To some extent, the organization needs to simply stay the course and keep doing what it is already doing effectively. However, there are some additional steps that could put DUS in a stronger fundraising position. These include increasing brand recognition and developing new opportunities for corporate sponsorships. While DUS is well known in the foundation community, its brand its not widely recognized by the general public. This is in part because the organization is still 23

24 relatively small and in part because of a recent change in name. Increasing awareness of the brand with a general audience could improve individual giving over the long term Goal: Improve brand recognition to increase individual donor giving Leader: Development Director Engage a marketing and branding firm to assess current brand awareness Review and revise the DUS case statement to ensure that it passionately and effectively communicates the work of the organization Develop tactics for increasing brand awareness such as o Create a newsletter to regularly tell the story of DUS students o Arm mentors and Board members with an elevator pitch about DUS so that they can be ambassadors for the organization o Use blogs, tweets and Facebook to promote the work that DUS is doing o Secure speaking engagements with Rotary Clubs, Optimist Clubs and other civic groups to promote the work of DUS o Develop relationships with newspaper and TV reporters to get earned media o Position 1 or 2 staff members with the media as experts on at-risk youth so that DUS can get media attention any time there are stories about this population o Look to corporate partners for cross-promotional opportunities Determine ways to capitalize on improved brand awareness such as: o Direct mail/ fundraising campaigns o Online donations DUS also has an opportunity to increase its corporate giving, as that category currently only accounts for about 5% of overall revenue. As the organization focuses more on college and career readiness, there may be new opportunities to partner with corporations that can offer both financial support and services for students such as job shadowing, internships and targeted mentoring. Goal: Increase corporate giving Leader: Development Director Review current corporate giving and understand reasons for giving Develop corporate sponsorship levels and benefits associated with each level Develop a target list, with support of the Board, for new corporate partners and specific contacts within each corporation Research the priorities and past giving of target corporations Approach corporation/secure sponsorships Cultivate relationships and keep corporate sponsors engaged and invested in the work of the organization 24