Strategic Planning
A strong strategic plan is essential to the success of your organization. At Ashley|Rountree, we take an interactive approach that helps shape your organization’s vision, mission, values and strategies for success.
Early in the planning process, we seek to articulate the connections between the greater organizational mission and your specific goals in fundraising, communications, sustainability and constituent relations. Strong external relationships are essential for the success of your organization, so we work with your staff, board, donors and volunteers to develop a compelling strategy and vision that focuses, motivates and energizes stakeholders.
By using our unique logistical design, as well as our proprietary planning models, we help develop a clear strategic plan that signals to current and potential stakeholders that your organization has looked at itself and identified the best way to serve clients and the community — guiding staff, board, donors, volunteers and community stakeholders with the creation of a comprehensive plan that transforms your mission into reality.
The Farmington staff and board knew a strategic plan would require professional guidance that was sensitive to our history and aware of our challenges, yet inspirational enough to move us into the future. DeVon Hankins and Emily Karem delivered so much more than we expected; ultimately, they guided the team into crafting a sustainable business plan that will enable us to grow and move forward!
– Kathy Nichols, Executive DirectorThe Coalition for the Homeless is extremely pleased with our new three-year strategic plan created with the leadership of Das Rooprai of Ashley|Rountree. This plan focuses on key components of our work that changed greatly during COVID and gives us a roadmap to understand how to strengthen our work for the future with clear goals in four key areas.
– Natalie Harris, Executive Director
Chris led our strategic planning update in 2022 and we couldn’t be more pleased with the results and the process. He was well prepared, well organized, and extremely effective in engaging everyone while still keeping the discussion moving forward. From the first planning conversation, Chris listened to what we needed and wanted and structured the process perfectly to fit that need. This is the third project Ashley|Rountree has successfully led for the Peterson-Dumesnil House Foundation. Needless to say, we tend to call them whenever we have a need.
– Tony Kamber, Board President, and Ann Adams, Secretary
Success Stories
Case #1
Client – A social service agency providing foster care for children
Challenge
The organization approached Ashley|Rountree seeking assistance in creating a strategic plan for the next chapter of their journey. Over the course of more than a decade, the organization had evolved from its original foster care focus to facilitating an increased number of adoptions. Externally this caused a shift in how they were perceived, which resulted in referrals falling off. Internally this caused mission confusion which resulted in part in higher turnover amongst Executive Directors.
How We Helped
By addressing the mission confusion and candidly exploring the reasons for downward demand of the organization’s services, Ashley|Rountree’s consultants were able to encourage the leadership to consider substantive changes in operations and marketing strategy.
Outcome
An in-depth strategic plan was generated to help the organization sharpen its mission, identify its core capabilities and re-focus critical priorities on community outreach and building a diversified referral source. By refocusing its efforts and the capabilities within the organization, the agency has set off to regain its reputation and position as a market leader in the changing regional landscape.
Case #2
Client – A social service agency devoted to housing and caring for those with HIV/AIDS
Challenge
The client was founded in 1992 to provide support services and emergency (short-term) and permanent (long-term) housing to men, women and children infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. The agency needed help because demands for housing had increased dramatically due to increased life expectancies of those diagnosed with HIV/AIDS. At the same time demand was increasing, the agency was seeing a decrease in government funding. Consequently, the organization needed to diversify its income to become less reliant on government funding while increasing their capacity to meet the burgeoning needs of the HIV/AIDS community.
How We Helped
Ashley|Rountree helped the agency create both short term (urgent) and longer-term plans to address service / program, communications, governance and finance issues. Because the increased demand was also placing a great strain on the services and programs provided, resources were re-allocated to increase and improve those services that would enable participants to more quickly become less reliant on the residential services of the agency. Also, attention was devoted to governance issues and the creation of oversight committees to increase the role and impact of the Board on the operation of the agency. Finally, both cost savings measures and strategic individual philanthropy alternatives were identified to close the gap created by the decreases in government funding.
Outcome
Due to the dramatic shift in community need, the organization revised their mission statement and realigned programs to better address the updated mission. This enabled them to re-focus the services to meet the increases in demand. The agency was also able to much more strategic in pursuing philanthropic alternatives and reduced their dependence on government funding sources. Because of the financial stability they were able continue to meet the short-term and long-term housing needs and the program needs of the men, women and children affected by HIV/AIDS.