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Strategic
Planning Process
During the Spring and Summer of 2004, SKCEC
engaged in strategic planning with the assistance of an outside
facilitator, Laura Pierce. Stakeholder input was solicited through
a special membership meeting attended by approximately 30 member and
allied organizations. In addition, the consultant conducted a
series of interviews with key stakeholders who were not present at
the membership meeting. Several half-day retreats were held to
revise the mission, develop vision and values, and identify
strategic priorities, objectives and action steps. The resulting
plan was presented to the membership for comment in September, 2004,
and approved by the board on September 28, 2004.
Organizational
Background
The
Seattle King County Employment Council began several years ago as a
committee of the Seattle Human Services Coalition (SHSC),
representing the voice of local employment and training
organizations on human service and city budget issues. Over time
the need to network and share information broadly among
organizations, beyond the work of the SHSC led to the development of
a separate entity, then named Workforce Development Network. In
2001 the collection of organizations reordered, developing a mission
statement, creating a set of bylaws, holding elections, and renaming
the group as the Seattle King County Employment Council. Since this
time the Employment Council has held regular monthly executive
committee meetings as well as monthly membership meetings with an
invited speaker to share information topics relevant to employment
and training issues. Monthly meetings also provide a forum for
networking among organizations. In addition members receive
frequent email announcements related to local, state, and federal
workforce development issues and events.
Our
Mission
The
Seattle King County Employment Council is a coalition of
organizations working to improve access to quality employment by
shaping public policy and promoting effective employment and
training services for those who need them most.
Values
Focus
on Underserved People – The Council is committed to maintaining
a primary focus on serving people with the most barriers to
employment. People who do not speak English, people with
disabilities, low-income people, single parents and other
marginalized groups have particular challenges in finding good jobs,
and need our attention and advocacy for appropriate services.
Quality Jobs – All people deserve
quality jobs—jobs that pay living wages, offer benefits, job
security and opportunities for advancement. Jobs that keep people
in poverty are not good for that individual or the broader
community.
Collaboration – The Council values
collaboration and works to build alliances with all people and
organizations concerned with employment, including public, private
and nonprofit organizations, employers and unions. By working
together, we have the greatest chance of crafting effective
solutions.
Vision
Statement:
The
Seattle King County Employment Council is a credible stakeholder in
the policy-making arena on employment and training issues. The
organization has fifty active members. These members are engaged at
different tiers of membership, and reflect broad involvement by
community partners who care about employment and training in our
region. Our volunteer leadership and active committees are
supported by a staff of 1-2 people, and the organization has an
annual budget of $100,000.
Strategic
Priorities for the next five years:
To achieve
this five-year vision, we will focus on the following Strategic
Priorities:
1.
Advocacy
– Influence policy decisions affecting low-income job seekers by
mobilizing our membership to participate in advocacy.
2.
Organizational
Development – Establish
infrastructure as needed to support the Council’s work, and add a
staff person to manage volunteers, provide administrative support
and organize members.
3.
Membership
– Strengthen the Council by expanding our membership and increasing
members’ level of engagement
4.
Fundraising
– Raise the necessary revenues to support increased Council
activities from a number of different sources, including member
contributions and foundation support
5.
Information
sharing – Continue to
provide multiple avenues for Council members to network, learn from
each other and share information relevant to the field of employment
and training
Goals and Objectives to Fulfill the
Strategic Priorities
Advocacy
Background/Current Situation
The SKCEC was formed out of meetings of an
Employment Committee of the Seattle Human Services Coalition, and
remains a member coalition of that advocacy organization. The
Council also had strong support from United Way of King County.
Maintaining participation in this organization builds alliances with
other human service providers, and also requires volunteer energy
from the Employment Council.
Over the years, the Employment Council has
taken stands on workforce development issues. During the 2002
legislative session, the organization wrote a letter to Governor
Locke recommending changes to the funding mix for WorkFirst,
advocating that funding for ESD job search orientations be
redirected to other program components which showed greater
effectiveness. Last fall, the organization developed a letter
advocating against the proposed institution of a fee for ESL classes
by the State Board of Community and Technical Colleges. The process
for developing this letter was that several members, with approval
from the Executive Committee, developed the letter (essentially a
short position paper), distributed it to member organizations
requesting that they sign on, received commitments from 5
organizations, and mailed the letter to the head of adult basic
education services. The organization has also opened the lines of
communications with congressional representatives both by inviting
briefings by congressional staff and by engaging in general policy
discussions with several representatives. For example, the Council
arranged a breakfast meeting with Jay Inslee. Finally, guest
speakers with advocacy expertise have been invited to membership
meetings, and an advocacy training presented by Nancy Amidei was
offered to members.
Currently, there is significant interest
within the Employment Council in stepping up advocacy efforts,
however, there is no existing policy agenda, nor a clear mechanism
for the Council to take positions and advocate actively.
Goal
Statement: Influence policy decisions affecting low-income job
seekers by mobilizing our membership to participate in advocacy.
Lead
Committee: Public Policy
1)
Develop a policy agenda annually, beginning in Fall 2004
a)
Develop list of current issues by early October
b)
During October-November, circulate to members (including executives
of member organizations) and request comments, additions, and input
to prioritize issues via email survey, outreach calls to solicit
feedback, and discussion at a membership meeting
c)
EC drafts prioritized list of issues with position statements based
on member input (early December. Note: for 2004-2005: three top
issues, in order of priority, with an initial focus on single top
issue)
d)
Draft policy agenda distributed to all members via email (including
Executive Directors of member organizations along with active staff
members), for comment and approval at January membership meeting.
2)
Establish a process for consideration of issues brought by
membership outside of annual policy agenda development process by
March 2005, based on approach outlines at August 11 planning
retreat.
3)
Engage in focused advocacy on the top issue on the policy agenda
throughout 2005
a)
Design and carry out advocacy campaign
i)
Identify policymakers/decision makers for the issue chosen
ii)
Develop position paper and call to action
iii)
Choose appropriate advocacy strategies
iv)
Engage member organizations to participate in advocacy efforts
4)
Evaluate initial campaign and identify key learnings for future
campaigns during Fall 2005
Organizational
Development
Background/Current
Situation
SKCEC has operated as a loose knit coalition
of organizations working on workforce development, and is governed
by a steering committee composed of member representatives. The
Executive Committee generally operates by consensus decision-making,
and as a consequence, the organization has difficulty in making
decisions between monthly meetings. Right now, the organization has
no staff or office, and a modest budget derived from nominal
membership dues. Most activities are done through members
volunteering time and energy, and through in-kind contributions.
Currently, SJI is providing funding for strategic planning. The
Center for Career Alternatives is acting as the Council’s fiscal
agent, and is willing to continue serving in this capacity.
Goal
Statement: Establish infrastructure as needed to support the
Council’s work, and add a staff person to manage volunteers, provide
administrative support and organize members.
Lead
Committee: Executive
1)
Revise organizational bylaws and position descriptions for
leadership volunteers, and develop a conflict of interest policy, by
June 2005, referring to work done at August 11 planning retreat.
2)
Explore hiring a full-time program coordinator through Americorps to
provide administrative support, volunteer management and member
organizing
a)
Research cost, timing and program options (Americorps, work study,
etc.) by November 2004
b)
Develop staffing proposal in November 2004
3)
Continue as a fiscally sponsored program and pursue an incubation
relationship with an established organization that has a related
mission
a)
Explore possibility of SJI or another member organization incubating
SKCEC during September-October 2004
i)
Establish need and criteria for effective incubation
relationship, and communicate to members
ii)
Open dialogue with Rhonda
iii)
Open discussion with membership to surface any concerns
iv)
Send out formal proposal to membership if indicated
v)
Negotiate written contract defining roles and responsibilities by
December 2004 if the decision is made to pursue incubation
relationship
Membership
Background/Current
Situation
SKCEC is a membership organization composed of
nonprofit, public and private organizations and individuals who
support the Council’s mission. Annual dues are $35 per
organization. At present the organization has approximately 30
members. A letter soliciting membership and/or renewal is sent out
annually in the Fall to current and prospective members, and usually
followed up with a phone call to encourage payment of annual dues.
Current member benefits include networking, information sharing, and
professional development opportunities. Staff representatives of
member organizations organize all Council activities on a volunteer
or in-kind basis.
Goal
Statement: Strengthen the Council by expanding our membership and
increasing members’ level of engagement
Lead
Committee: Membership
1)
Continue to grow membership
a)
Conduct a membership drive each fall, with a goal of 90% renewal and
10-20% increase in membership
i)
Approach all attendees of past EC events
ii)
Generate a list of prospective member organizations,
including employment and training organizations, multi-service
centers with employment programs, and allied organizations that
serve low-income people
b)
Develop a case statement that clearly articulates the value
proposition for becoming and member and/or supporter of SKCEC
c)
Organize an annual kick-off event each Fall to present and generate
enthusiasm for EC agenda
2)
Engage members more deeply in the work of the EC
a)
Encourage all members to work actively to support Council goals
i)
Identify specific volunteer opportunities to promote to
members
(1)
Committee work and leadership roles
(2)
Advocacy opportunities
ii)
Communicate opportunities for participation through multiple
avenues
iii)
Invite agency directors to participate in time-limited, strategic
ways
b)
Improve communication with members
3)
Strengthen member benefits
a)
Program a series of educational/professional development
opportunities quarterly in 2005, with a focus on supporting and
complementing the Council’s advocacy efforts
i)
Explore collaborative education and networking events with
like-minded organizations
b)
Ensure that the organization’s listserv is working well for members
Fundraising
Background/Current
Situation
SKCEC has operated primarily on volunteer
energy and in-kind donations from members. Membership dues of $35
per organization have been used to underwrite event costs such as
refreshments. Several members, including Seattle Jobs Initiative,
Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority, have
contributed additional funds totaling over $7,000 in support of
Council activities.
Since the organization hopes to increase
activities and impact in the future, we expect that the budget will
increase and leadership will need to become more involved in
fundraising.
Goal
Statement: Raise the necessary revenues to
support increased Council activities from a number of different
sources, including member contributions and foundation support
Lead
Committee: Executive
1)
Set budgetary goals for the next five years
a)
Initial fundraising goal of $10,000 for 2005
2)
Develop a written case for support
3)
Raise membership dues to support increased activities
a)
For 2004-2005, raise dues to $65 per organization, $35 per
individual
i)
Bring Executive Committee recommendation to raise dues to the
membership in September
b)
In 2005-2006, introduce tiers levels of membership, including
organizational membership at higher, supporting levels
4)
Approach key member organizations for additional investment by
January 2004
a)
Contributions to cover special projects
b)
Loaned staff to support grantwriting and/or other Council activities
c)
In-kind contributions such as office space, equipment,
administrative support
5)
Approach foundations for grant support
a)
Develop a list of prospective funders, and make initial contact to
explore fit
i)
United Way Venture Fund
ii)
Seattle Foundation
iii)
Family foundations/smaller funders
iv)
Funders with a focus on start-ups
b)
Develop a plan for grantwriting by December 2004, including
identification of who will write grants and on what timeline
c)
Goal of three proposals submitted by March 2005
Information
sharing
Background/Current
Situation
Information sharing has been among the most
valued benefits of membership in the Employment Council. The
Council maintains an active email list that is moderated by an
Executive Committee member. All Council members can forward emails
for posting, and information being shared includes notices of
upcoming events such as job fairs, training opportunities,
information about public policy issues, and job listings.
Information sharing also happens at monthly membership meetings,
through speakers and opportunities for announcements and discussion
of current events. Special events such as a retreat with speakers
from peer organizations in Boston and Chicago, and a community
stakeholders meeting held in conjunction with strategic planning,
have drawn larger groups of people for dialogue and information
sharing.
.Goal
Statement: Continue to provide multiple avenues for Council members
to network, learn from each other and share information relevant to
the field of employment and training
Lead
Committee: Community Relations
1)
Create a short term outreach and organizational development plan to
be implemented in Fall 2004
2)
Maintain and improve our email communications
a)
Explore establishing a listserv
b)
Find a way to indicate that messages are from the employment
council, either in the sent from or subject lines
3)
Develop a website to communicate about the Council’s mission and
current projects by Spring 2005
4)
Develop a comprehensive communications plan by January 2005
a)
Explore ways to segment information so that different audiences
(i.e. program staff vs. executive staff) can elect to receive
different kinds and amounts of information
b)
Consider a periodic mailing listing upcoming events and/or quarterly
newsletter
c)
Solicit member input to ensure effective and appropriate types of
communication
d)
Include media relations in support of advocacy work
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