Alliance Française Strategic Planning for Non-Profits Training October 2014

Successful Wine and Cheese events!

Workshop Objectives Introduction: Strategic Planning is a critical process for your Non-Profit to complete to ensure your leadership is aligned to the Objectives, Goals, Strategies and Measures that are important for you to be successful in meeting your Mission. Skill Definition: I can effectively train my Board/Leadership team on the key components of a Strategic Plan I can lead my Board/Leadership team through the steps of establishing a Strategic Plan I can lead the prioritization of critical strategies to ensure effective delivery of the Strategic Plan Key Learning Points: Your leadership team will be more effective on an ongoing basis if they are aligned on what is important Strategic Planning is a multi-step process which will most likely take several sessions to complete Being selective and strategic in what you choose to accomplish is more important than completing a great deal of random activities

Strategic Planning Process Discover – Dream – Design – Document – Deliver (Jan-Feb) (March) (April) ( ) Discover – – Three Surveys: Previous, Current Board and Members – Reviewed Summary of key themes with Board Dream – – Drafted a Vision with a focus on Culture, Language and Friendship – Continue with “Dream” Today as we clarify – What do we want to be known for?”

Alliance Française de Cincinnati Vision 2014 Culture Friendship Language

Alliance Française de Cincinnati Vision 2014 Discover & Enjoy Culture Live & Share Friendship Learn & Appreciate Language

Discover & Explore Culture  Visit Cultural Centers (Taft, Cincinnati Art Museum, )  Lectures  Movie Night

Learn & Appreciate Language  French Institute Classes  Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced  Music and Culture Classes  Literature Classes  Conversation Groups

Live & Share Friendship  Wine and Cheese Socials  French Dinners  French Celebrations

3 Focus Areas – Internal, External and Members Internal Focus – Board work (examples below) – Establish Values and Operating Principles – Ensure smooth transition of leadership – Develop clear roles and responsibilities for all board members – Review and Update/Improve Code of Regulations – Document best practices or standard operating procedures for events – Conduct Annual Membership Drive

3 Focus Areas – Internal, External and Members External Relationships to support AF – Alliance Française USA – Chicago Provides Grants Lectures and Activities – European Chamber of Commerce Linkages to important Cincinnati Events – French Consulate Positive relationship and connections to France

3 Focus Areas – Internal, External and Members Provide an energizing experience for our members within the Alliance Française – Cultural – Language – Friendship

Agenda Example of Agenda for Board Strategic Planning Session AF Board Alignment to the “Right” Strategic Plan with Owners 9:00 (15)Welcome & CoffeeGinger 9:15 (15)Strategic Planning ProcessTracy 9:30 (10)Alliance Française - What do we want to be known for? Juan Manuel 9:40 (15)Working Session – 10 words or lessAll 9:55 (30)Review and Align - Objective – GoalsJuan Manuel 10:25 (15)BreakAll 10:40 (25)Define 1-2 StrategiesTracy/Juan Manuel 11:05 (15)Key Priorities to support StrategiesAll 11:20 (15)Determine Most Important Priorities (Power Dot Exercise) Tracy 11:35 (15)Next Steps – By June Board Meeting - Ownership for each Key Priority All 11:50 (10)Wrap UpGinger

Developing Objective, Goals, Strategies and Measures/Key Priorities ObjectiveGoalStrategiesMeasures// Key Priorities

OBJECTIVE, GOALS, STRATEGY, MEASURES/KEY PRIORITIES OBJECTIVEGOALSSTRATEGIESMEASURES/ KEY PRIORITIES “What We Need to Achieve” WORDS “Quantitative Target of Progress toward Objective” NUMBERS “How We Will Achieve Our Objectives and Goals” WORDS “Numerical Target of Progress on Strategies” NUMBERS

OBJECTIVE, GOALS, STRATEGY, MEASURES/KEY PRIORITIES OBJECTIVEGOALSSTRATEGIESMEASURES/ KEY PRIORITIES To Reduce Poverty in Africa WORDS Poverty levels reduced from 55% to 40% by the end of the decade NUMBERS WORDSNUMBERS

OBJECTIVE, GOALS, STRATEGY, MEASURES/KEY PRIORITIES OBJECTIVEGOALSSTRATEGIESMEASURES/ KEY PRIORITIES To Reduce Poverty in Africa WORDS Poverty levels reduced from 55% to 40% by the end of the decade NUMBERS 1.Increase literacy 2.Promote Foreign Investment 3.Access to micro- credits WORDS NUMBERS

OBJECTIVE, GOALS, STRATEGY, MEASURES/KEY PRIORITIES OBJECTIVEGOALSSTRATEGIESMEASURES/ KEY PRIORITIES To Reduce Poverty in Africa WORDS Poverty levels reduced from 55% to 40% by the end of the decade NUMBERS 1.Increase literacy 2.Promote Foreign Investment 3.Access to micro- credits WORDS % children under 14 complete primary school 2.Reduce # of days to register a business from 75 to % of banking loans for micro- credits NUMBERS

Developing Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures/Key Priorities (Example – AF) ObjectiveGoalStrategyMeasure / Key Priority Celebrate French Culture and Friendship in Cinci/NKY

Developing Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures/Key Priorities (Example – AF) ObjectiveGoalStrategyMeasures / Key Priorities Celebrate French Culture and Friendship in Cinci/NKY Increase membership by 10% annually. Increase number of events by 10% annually.

What do we want the Alliance Française to be known for? Developing our Objective for the AF – Exercise – 7 min Make groups of 3 Review the Mission – Found on the One Pager Summarize the Mission in as few words as possible – not more than 10 words. 6 words would be perfect!! As you write down your objective – Write down Why you chose these words – Review back with Group – 8 min Output is the Objective of the Alliance Française for !

Developing Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures/Key Priorities (Example – AF) OGSM Promote French Language and Francophone culture and cultivate Friendship (in greater cinci) 1. Increase Membership by 10% annually 2. Maintain Enrollment at Institute (55 students/session) 3. Increase membership participation at events by 10% annually.

Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures/Key Priorities Alliance Francaise de Cincinnati OGSM Promote French Language and Francophone culture and cultivate Friendship (in greater cinci) 1. Increase Membership by 10% annually 2. Maintain Enrollment at Institute (55 Students/session ) 3. Increase membership participation at events by 10% annually.

OBJECTIVE, GOALS, STRATEGY, MEASURES/KEY PRIORITIES OBJECTIVEGOALSSTRATEGIESMEASURES/ KEY PRIORITIES To Reduce Poverty in Africa WORDS Poverty levels reduced from 55% to 40% by the end of the decade NUMBERS 1.Increase literacy 2.Promote Foreign Investment 3.Access to micro- credits WORDS % children under 14 complete primary school 2.Reduce # of days to register a business from 75 to % of banking loans for micro- credits NUMBERS

Developing Objective, Goals, Strategies, Measures/Key Priorities (Example – AF) ObjectiveGoalStrategyMeasures / Key Priorities Promote French Language and Francophone culture and cultivate Friendship (in greater cinci) 1. Increase Membership by 10% annually 2. Maintain Enrollment at Institute (55 Students/session) 3. Increase membership participation at events by 10% annually. 1.Internal Board XXXXX 2.External Relations YYYYY 3.Members ZZZZZZ

Key Priorities (power dot exercise) Visits to Cultural Center Lectures Movie Night Wine and Cheese Socials Dinner at French Restaurants Annual French Celebrations – Bastille – Diner un Blanc – Beaujolais Nouveau – La Galette des Rois – Chandeleur – Mardi Gras French Institute – Language instruction Conversation groups MUST HAVE - Internal Board Operations – Communication Team, – Membership Team,

Ownership Revisit in June with new Board Members and gain final commitment

Capability and Capacity Well running Board - Roles and Responsibilities Resources – Board leadership and membership support Timing - spacing and balance across the year Linkage with external parties – EACC, AF USA, Consulate, Reality check – already done last year vs. next years plan – need to ensure capacity!

Alliance Française de Cincinnati – 2014 ObjectiveGoalsStrategiesMeasures / Key Priorities Promote French Language and Francophone Culture while encouraging multi-national Friendships. 1. Increase Membership by 10% annually 2. Maintain Enrollment at Institute (55 Students /session) 3. Increase membership attendance at events by 10% annually. 1a. Continue to increase Board strength 1b. Attract, Retain and Satisfy Members 1c. Maintain strong Alliances with key related organizations 2a. Develop Annual Institute Plan that encompasses expectations of students, teachers and francophone community 3a. Offer a variety of events that cater to different needs of the membership: Language Cultural / Educational Friendship / Social French Celebrations 3b. Develop an annual event plan which is agreed and communicated in advance. 1a. Charter required committees: Planning * Institute Communication * Nominating Membership 1a. Document principles and policies 1b. Improve member registration process & Increase board involvement in recruiting & Conduct strong advertising 1c. Proactively work with EACC, AF USA, etc. to pre-plan events 2a. Ensure we have adequate grants to increase visibility and interest in learning French 2b. Survey Members/Students to gain their insights/desires 2c. Add convenient north class location 3a. Broaden membership involvement in planning events 3b. Hold one event per quarter in each area listed in the strategy. Bastille Day - July Movie Night Visits to Cultural Centers Lectures Wine and Cheese Dinner at French Restaurants International Francophone Week - March Diner en Blanc - Fall Musique – June 21 st

Tools - Survey Examples – Board members and General Membership. The “free” version of Survey Monkey was used. Event Planner – Excel based tracking sheet to capture planning details and learnings. (Handouts of Surveys, Event Planner and OGSM and Training Documentation)

Strategic Planning Questions Why is having a Strategic Plan critical to your organization? List 2-3 things. What is the Objective for your local AF to achieve this year? (Remember – this is a statement) What is one Goal to support this Key Objective? (Remember – this is a number) List one Strategy to help deliver the Goal stated above. What are 2-3 Key Priorities that you want to see your organization complete this year to deliver the Strategy? Be very specific with your priorities and do not have too many

Merci Beaucoup! See me if you would like electronic copies of the materials Handouts available