Sustainability… Start Now for a Vibrant Future Sustainability Workshop for Persistently Dangerous Schools Grantees Philadelphia, PA Tuesday, September 20, 2011

2 Agenda 2 1.Introductions and Welcome 2.Sustainability Planning Framework and Planning Process 3.Self-assessment Purpose, Goals and Results 4.Questions and Next Steps

3 The Finance Project  The Finance Project is a nonprofit policy research and technical assistance organization serving leaders in states, communities, and community-based organizations nationwide.  We help leaders make smart investment decisions, build solid partnerships and demonstrate results through: –Research and Analysis –Tool Development –Consulting and Technical Assistance –Training

4 What is Sustainability Planning? The process of sitting down to develop specific strategies and an action plan to help ensure the long-term sustainability of an initiative. Includes considering a full range of resources and competencies—financial, political, administrative, managerial— needed to meet long-term goals.

5 Why Plan for Sustainability? Sustainability planning will help PDS grantees… Clarify where their school(s) is and where it needs to go. Guide internal management decision- making. Demonstrate to partners and other stakeholders the value of your work. Provide benchmarks to measure progress. © 2011 The Finance Project.

6 Key Elements of Sustainability 1. Vision 2. Results orientation 3. Strategic financing orientation 4. Adaptability to changing conditions 5. Broad base of community support 6. Key champions 7. Strong internal systems 8. Sustainability plan © 2011 The Finance Project.

7 1. Vision Clear and shared vision of what you want to achieve: Know what you want to sustain. Know how your activities fit within the larger school sites/districts. Know what you mean by sustainability. –Scope of activities –Scale of operation –Timeline

8 2. Results Orientation Define success, measure progress over time and share your results: Adopt a results framework. Be clear about the results you want to achieve for students as well as the systems that serve them. Use indicators and performance measures to track progress and improve your work.

9 3. Strategic Financing Orientation Have a clear sense of the cost of your activities and develop creative strategies to secure those resources: Make the best use of existing resources (fiscal and in-kind). Maximize available sources of revenue. Create greater flexibility in categorical funding. Create public-private partnerships. Generate new sources of revenue.

10 4. Adaptability to Changing Conditions Pro-actively respond to changes in your environment: Monitor announced opportunities for funding. Consider new ways to frame your work to interest different funders. Identify opportunities to improve policy climate. Participate in collaborative advocacy to encourage change.

11 5. Broad Base of Community Support Determine whose support you need and develop a plan to engage them: Nurture a community presence and support. Encourage involvement of clients/recipients of services. Support public education and engagement. Build partnerships that foster collaboration.

12 6. Key Champions Identify key decision makers and opinion leaders who will use their influence on your behalf: Develop an effective outreach plan. Elected leaders Clients (youth, parents, others) Business leadersCommunity leaders PeersPhilanthropists

13 7. Strong Internal Systems Internal capacity ensures you can manage your work effectively: Know and involve the people you need to carry out your mission: staff, board(s), volunteers, etc. Develop strong fiscal management, accounting, information, and personnel systems. Use those systems to review strategies, make changes as needed.

14 8. Sustainability Plan A comprehensive written plan that describes the school/school district’s priorities and action steps: Identify challenges and/or obstacles. Identify strategies to garner needed resources and overcome challenges. Identify and communicate with key partners.

15 Sustainability Planning Workbook Module I: Building a Sustainable Initiative Module II: Creating a Vision and Results Orientation Module III: Creating a Strategic Financing Plan Module IV: Building Organizational Capacity and Community Support Module V: Writing the Plan

16

17 Results and Anticipated Outcomes Alignment of strategic priorities with management and investment priorities. Planned action to guide internal management decision-making and external program development and reporting. Living document that will change as conditions and priorities change. Clear roadmap for mobilizing monetary and other critical resources. © 2011 The Finance Project.

18 Planning to Plan 1. Clarify planning parameters. 2. Decide whose input is needed. 3. Decide how to structure the process. 4. Decide how to manage the process. 5. Collect needed information. 6. Develop a workplan. © 2011 The Finance Project.

19 Self-Assessment Tool A diagnostic tool that: Provides valuable information to guide your sustainability planning process Helps you: –assess progress –identify strengths and weaknesses –determine where to target scarce resources Organized by elements; rank your progress toward a desired state To develop a sustainability plan detailing where you want to go, a necessary first step is to take stock of where you currently are.

20 Completing the Self-Assessment Read each task together as a group.  Detailed look at the full scope of work  Can take up to a full day to discuss Rank individually; discuss EACH task.  Promotes broad-buy in and common understandings  Less time intensive – can take 1 ½ to 3 hours Rank individually and discuss ONLY tasks with wide variation in Rankings.  Shortest approach: may take 1 to 2 hours  Key points or quieter voices may be missed

21 Using the Self-Assessment Tool to Benchmark Progress Options for comparing your self-assessment results over time: Complete a full self-assessment annually Complete updated self-assessment results for only those elements identified as priority areas for improvement Include sustainability self-assessment results as a portion of your written sustainability plan (charts; quotes; appendices) and incorporate into regular review

22 Sustainability Planning: Success Factors Start early! Determine available resources Involve diverse group of stakeholders –Big/creative thinkers –Decision makers –Key partners –Users of services Integrate into management routine

23 Next Steps Review and share Sustainability Planning workbook Identify planning group and complete Self-Assessment Tool Webinar/audiocall TBD in October

24 Contact Information Laura Martinez Senior Program Associate The Finance Project 1401 New York Avenue, NW Suite 800 Washington, DC (202)