Needs Assessment and Strategic Planning Day 1

Presented by Eileen Flanagan & Marcia Nedland On behalf of NYS Division of Housing & Community Renewal

Introductions: At your table:  Introduce yourself  Share ONE expectation for the workshop  Each table will then share the TOP THREE expectations during report out

Training Objectives Connections Six Steps Design a Needs Assessment plan Specific data sources, tools & techniques Plan formats & options Tools & new ideas DHCR requirements

Agenda Day 1  Opening Session  Overview: DHCR Requirements  Needs Assessment Designing approach Six steps Practice finding data and interpreting data Common Pitfalls Day 2  Recap & questions  Strategic Planning Seven components  Plan Critique  DHCR Requirements

Ground Rules Be on time Participate actively, don’t monopolize Speak one at a time TURN OFF your Cell Phone No side orders, please Ask hard questions Have fun

DHCR Requirements: Needs Assessment Answer at least these major questions: 1.What housing is needed (based on conditions)? 2.What customer services are needed? 3.What community renewal activities are needed?

DHCR Requirements: Strategic Plan 3-year plan that includes:  Summary of needs assessment  Mission  Outcomes, measures of success and report on results since last application  Strategic goals  Programs and services  Production goals  Resources and potential partners

Strategic Planning What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan? Write 2-3 thoughts, each on a separate index card. Each thought should be only a few words. Write BIG! Use marker if you have one.

Strategic Planning What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan? Understandable Credible Explains what you are going to do and why Management tool Basis for measuring success Process develops clarity and alignment

Strategic Planning What are some attributes of a useful strategic plan? Keeps you focused on outcomes Tests, affirms, corrects and codifies intuition and theory of change Keeps you attuned to market forces and customer attitudes

Benefits Clarity – future Limited resources Funders asking Unifying Collaborations

Phases of Planning and Components of a Plan Document

Phases of Strategic Planning Strategy Direction Understanding

Components of the Plan Document 6. Production Goals 7. Resources 5. Programs and Services 4. Strategic Goals 3. Outcomes and Measures 2. Mission 1. Summary of Needs Assessment

How do they connect? Needs Assessment Strategic Plan Work Plan

Strategic Planning Process – Future Mission/Purpose/ Outcomes Strength/Weakness Opportunity/Threat

Work Plan “Operationalizing” strategies Programs, productivity, resources Capacity

Overview Understanding the community  Businesses  People & geography  Fees to charge Competition & allies Qualitative & Quantitative

Engaging stakeholders

Needs Assessment

Phases of Strategic Planning Strategy Direction Understanding Stakeholder Involvement

Needs Assessment Systematic Gap Analysis External Environment Opportunities & Threats Current State Desired State Gap

Updating an Existing Plan Review existing plans Decide outcomes for next/new plan Decide what parts to update Customize your approach

Outside Help? Help with what? Be clear about needs Look for resources – internally, externally

Timing In the BEGINNING…. On-going…

Who to involve? Staff Board Volunteers Interns Consultants

Organizing the Process Existing studies Budget & time line Resources Assign tasks & accountability

Examples Needs Assessment Plan Needs Assessment Summary

Six Steps to a Useful Needs Assessment

Six Steps 1.General Trends 2.Intuition = Questions 3.Data Collection 4.Refine Questions 5.Data Analysis 6.Data Interpretation & use

Tips before you get started… Know your geography

Tips before you get started… Compared to what?

Tips before you get started… No data is perfect

Tips before you get started… Look at the whole picture

Tips before you get started… Don’t get lost in the data

Information scarcity

Information Overload

Step 1: General Trends Let other people work for you

How do you stay informed?

Knowledgeplex Enterprise Community Partners NeighborWorks America Planetizen.com Realtors & Home Builders Government RSS feeds SONH

Step 2: Intuition = Questions Value what you think you know, test it.

Use what you know, ask questions Use your knowledge to frame your questions. Customers: Who? Needs? Where? Competition: Who? What? Similarities/Differences Market size? Changes in market? TEST YOUR ASSUMPTIONS!

Turn your intuition into research questions Write down 2-3 research questions that would test your assumptions – page 34

Tab 8: Resources Page 104: Common Research Questions

Step 3: Data Collection Data is only useful if it answers your questions

Data Sources Brain storm data source ideas Primary vs. Secondary data Qualitative vs. Quantitative In-house customer data

What sources could answer your questions?

Page 35: A few Secondary Data Sources Tab 8: page 93, way too many secondary data sources Tab 8: pages 113 & 115, tip sheets on focus groups and interviews

Step 4: Refine your questions Data collection often adds new questions

Refining Questions Do data collection, don’t over-do data collection Time frame for collection – initial, review, revise needs, collect

Step 5: Data Analysis Figure out what is meaningful about the data – usually in relation to your questions

Analysis gives context and meaning to data… Comparisons – geographic (peers, regions) Change over time Spread, range & central tendencies Visual tools – maps, charts, graphs Tab 8: Page 108

SO WHAT? !

Step 6: Data Interpretation & Use This is the “so what?” phase

Have we learned anything that changes what we believed? Strengthen:  Program design  Service/product mix  Implementation  Delivery techniques  Marketing & outreach

Interpretation Exercise

1: Summary of Needs Assessment Understanding

1: Summary of Needs Assessment The point of this component is to give the reader an understanding of the market forces that are influencing your decisions throughout the rest of the plan document. Understanding

1: Options for Organization  Lead with standard categories  Lead with research questions ? ? ? ?  Lead with findings ! ! ! !  Lead with SWOT  Lead with Stories Understanding

1: Review ComponentPlanning Process 1: Summary of Needs Assessment (sometimes called “market analysis”) Objectives: Identify and understand the needs of the organization’s target populations and geographies. Identify and understand the external opportunities and threats that will affect the organization’s work. Understanding

1: Review ComponentPlanning Process 1: Summary of Needs Assessment (sometimes called “market analysis”) Potential stakeholder involvement: What are the key questions, some answers, refinement of questions, reactions to initial data, etc. Understanding

1: Review ComponentPlanning Process 1: Summary of Needs Assessment (sometimes called “market analysis”) Possible formats of stakeholder involvement: Interviews, surveys, focus groups, retreats, planning committee, board and staff meetings, etc. Understanding

Common Pitfalls of Needs Assessment Lots of data, no idea what to do with it Starting from scratch Done without linking efforts Surveys…not the only primary source Do it to prove it! Do it only for the funder Overwhelmed by data