Leveraging Your Programs to lead in your Communities

Leveraging Your Programs To Lead in Your Communities Leadership Summit Workshop Southern Area Program Team Eneid A. Francis, Area Director

Southern Area Program Team • • • • • • • •

Cori Brock Cooper Kelley Bailey Denise Cooper Yolanda Hill Brenda Jamerson Beverly Matheney Sharlyn Smith Marguerite Archie-­‐Hudson

Objectives • Identify why understanding community needs are critical to creating a sustainable program impact.

• Be able to list resources within chapters and determine how to best utilize them to promote The Links, Incorporated.

• Maximize community relationships via fundraisers, chapter programming and national competitions.

• Allow participants to develop a plan of action utilizing topics covered in session.

Understanding Community Needs Link Marguerite Archie-Hudson Southern Area Legislative Issues and Public Affairs Chair

COMMUNITY DEFINITION AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT

• RATIONALE : – Alignment between chapter “community focused” program activities and National and Area program goals.

– Coherence between Chapter programming activities and “critical” needs of the communities in service area.

• PROGRAMMING GOAL: Transformational, sustainable programs with evidence-­‐based, measurable impact.

2011-2016 National Strategic Program Priorities

• Deliver and Sustain Transformational Programs – Design and conduct community relevant programs.

– Ensure ability to have long-­‐term impact.

– Demonstrate that the community is engaged in the • Design • Implementation and • Delivery of the Chapter’s program.

Southern Area 2014-2015 Program Goals • Decrease existing disparities among minority populations we serve.

• Ensure that programs are transformational and sustainable.

• Ensure that programs are aligned with organizational program initiatives.

• Ensure organizational alignment and Facet integration.

DEFINING “COMMUNITY” • “ Community defined by several indicators: – Demographics – gender, ethnicity, geography, age, SES, culture, religion, etc.

– Family structure-­‐ Traditional, non-­‐traditional, intergenerational, etc.

– Economics-­‐ Employed, unemployed, under-­‐employed, retired, low wages, etc.

– Social welfare indicators – health, welfare, access to insurance, poverty, housing, education, etc. § Critical Question: Which definition of “Community” most relevant for chapter’s profile: § Most likely to facilitate unified engagement of all facets? § Most likely to fully engage skills, talents, interests of members?

DEFINING “COMMUNITY NEEDS” • GAPS BETWEEN – Current “problem” profile : – Deficits in • service, • access, • quality, • resources and – Solutions that include sustainable • Policies, • Programs, • Resources

Required to strengthen and sustain vibrant, healthy and functioning communities – Potential Data Sources: • Local Universities and Colleges • Local Libraries • State and local government agencies

USE DATA FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL PROGRAMMING

• ACCURATE DEFINITION OF “COMMUNITY NEEDS” CAN FACILITATE: – Assessment of community issues on which chapter can have most sustained effect.

– Facilitate involvement of identified community in development and implementation of selected program.

– Assist in effective use of the Service Delivery Model.

– Provide options for umbrella programming and facet integration.

– Provide options for collaborative programming with other groups and organizations.

SUMMARY: COMMUNITY NEEDS AND CHAPTER PROGRAMMING – Transformational, sustainable community relevant programs.

– Includes analysis of critical community needs.

– Aligned with national and area strategic programming goals.

– Facilitates organizational alignment and facet integration.

– Facilitates coherence between chapter’s strengths and community needs.

– Has potential for evidence-­‐ based measurable impact.

Chapter Resources Link Yolanda Hill Southern Area Health and Human Services Facet Chair

"I never bother to remember anything I can look up."

-­‐Albert Einstein

What is a Chapter Resource?

• A chapter resource is anything that can be used to improve efficiency and effectiveness • It can be a person • It can be a physical structure or place • It can be a community service that makes life better for some or all community members • It can be a business that provides jobs and supports the local economy • You and everyone else in the community are potential chapter resources

Why Utilize Chapter Resources?

• Exchange of ideas, experiences, and expertise • Expand their personal knowledge and learning • Greater efficiency in operation, time & money • Improved quality of programs • Elimination of redundancy • Contribute to success of programs, such as talent, time, funds, services, network and connections

Types of Resources • Strategies for leveraging resources include the use of social and intellectual, physical and financial resources.

• Leverage all types of resources will allow your chapter to be efficient and effective within the community.

• Types of Resources include: – Human / Social & Intellectual – Physical

Human & Intellectual Resources • People: – Intellectual resources: Skills, knowledge, and competence of stakeholders – Chapter members who chairs an event – Chapter member family, friends, colleagues and others in the member’s network who has knowledge and skills beneficial for the chapter – Individuals who are engaged in ways that encourage and enhance participation in chapter events and programs

Physical Resources • Members offer new or used equipment or opportunities to time-­‐share equipment they house in their buildings.

• Provide office supplies, food, and other goods and services when needs are made known.

• Space -­‐ Public libraries, parks, recreational facilities, school classrooms, and corporate conference rooms can be used for chapter events, programs, activities and meetings.

• Physical structure -­‐ a school, hospital, church, library, recreation center, social club, town landmark or symbol • An unused building that could house a community hospice, or a second floor room ideal for community meetings • Public place that already belongs to the community -­‐-­‐ a park, a wetland, or other open space.

Financial Resources • Money and Funding Stream: – Members who can provide funding through Corporate Sponsorships – Members with affiliations to other volunteer organizations, university departments, community foundations, and other organizations – Financially supporting innovative programs school, organizations, community events – Support programs in the general fields of health, education, social services, and cultural and international affairs

Who are your Resources?

• Get to know your chapter members – Discover their interest and hobbies, this will provide insight into the leisure activities members may enjoy – Consider developing a list of programming activities and ask assigning them to members who you have expressed an interest and have talents in that area

Discovering your Chapter Resources

• Identifying your chapter experts • Talk with your chapter members and find out what talents and passions they possess • Consider “spotlight a member” posting in the chapter newsletter

National Strategic Priority # 6

• Promote Links Brand – Increase brand recognition as the premier national civic/social service organization that embraces collaborative partnerships with key constituent stakeholders with mutual interests in addressing current social issues to bring about positive change.

Promoting The Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources • Use chapter members with skills and expertise to present and share information with the public • Turning your programming activity into a visual product to reach a larger audience and demonstrate your expertise.

Promoting The Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources • Develop a Media Kit to provide information to the press about your chapter • Excellent opportunity to highlight the various resources the chapter can provide

Promoting Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources • Pursue Media Opportunities to highlight your chapter’s programs and the talents and skills within the chapter

• Seek grant opportunities for financial support of community programs – utilize members who have experience in grant writing

Promoting Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources • Use of Media Kit may facilitate relationships and collaboration projects with community organizations with similar interest including including, but not limited to, the NAACP, the Urban League, sororities, fraternities, Jack and Jill, the Junior League, local churches

Promoting Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources • Maintain a chapter website – this will provide vital chapter information, such as history, references to specific programs, photographs and etc.

• Develop toolkit with information highlighting programs in your chapter on your website

Promoting Links Brand

Leveraging your chapter resources Social Media Policy

Benefits of social media include:

• Increasing our visibility globally and sharing our mission and vision • Promoting our programs and services • Building relationships, increasing learning and supporting collaboration • Sharing our expertise with others • Acknowledging our members as ambassadors of our organization and our brand

Consult The Links, Incorporated Social Media Policy for guidance

“The Links, Incorporated Way” • Unique way of doing things • Known for delivering highly effective, quality transformational programs in the community • All organizations and agencies have “their” way of doing things however The Links, Incorporated is known for setting the standard.

• Known for producing measurable results

The Links, Incorporated Brand • The power of the organization comes from implementing transformational programs which have a major impact on the communities we serve.

• Strategic partnerships can be formed because The Links brand is known for producing measurable results.

• When an organization such as ours demonstrates the ability to achieve proven results, other organizations want to partner with us, thus generating funds and other resources that build the power base and capacity needed to accomplish even more desired outcomes

What Makes Your Chapter Stand Out? • Why should the community contact your chapter for assistance?

• Are they looking for some benefit from a service your chapter provides?

• Did your chapter perform a program that transformed a school or community?

• Did your chapter see improvements in ACT scores from a 3 year STEM program in high school students?

• Do your chapter programs: – – – –

Take innovation and collaboration to a new level Produce change that is thoughtful, impactful and unalterable Create a visible change in the community Energized the community

In the End……

Facilitate chapter member involvement Utilize their skills and talents to develop great programs Capitalize on the publicity of your programs Refer to the Documents -­‐ Communication section in our Members Only section on our National Website for the Public Relations Handbook & Social Media Handbook • Let the community know who you are and the services you can provide • Chapters will be stronger and more effective in programming thereby making a greater impact on the community

Your chapter’s resources expertise, skills, and talent + benefits and services others are looking for

= A Perfect Solution • • • •

Building Relationships Link Beverly matheney Southern Area Arts Facet Chair

Building Relationships

Learning Objectives • Be able to recognize the benefits of developing and building relationships in our communities.

• Be able to utilize your activities and service projects as a bridge to build relationships.

• Identify the “success factors" and be able to avoid the common pitfalls in building those relationships.

• Utilize tools necessary to establish community relations via an active sponsorship or development committee

The Elevator Speech

"Can you deliver an effective description of your organization in two to four lines?”

“Every Person is Defined By The Communities They Belong To”

-­‐Orson Scott Card

Fundamental reasons to Build Relationships • Community building occurs one to one • We need relationships in order to win allies to our cause • Our relationships give meaning and richness to our work and to our lives

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What is Relationship Building about • Relationships are the building blocks for all community organizing activities – Whether it’s a volleyball game or getting rid of unfair housing practices in your community, you

will

need a lot of good relationships

• Why? Because the relationships we have with each other, the communities we serve, and even our adversaries are the means for achieving our goals.

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People Don’t Work In Isolation • We need to work together • It is our relationships all added together that are the foundation of an organized effort for change • We need lots of people to contribute, take a stand, and get things done

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What Is Your Community

EXAMPLES OF COMMUNITY

• • • • • •

Bankers Teachers Schools Businesses Neighbors Friends

COMMUNITY GROUPS

• • • •

NAACP Girl Scouts Urban League Junior League

TOOLS: WHAT RESOURCES DO WE ALREADY HAVE? CLICK TO EDIT SUB TITLE

Utilizing our activities, fundraisers and service projects as tools to convey our purpose.

Another opportunity…

National Poster Art Contest

How to effectively use your Fundraiser as a tool for building stronger community relationships…

“Engagement is the most crucial ingredient in community relationship building."

RELATIONSHIP/SPONSOR/ DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CLICK TO EDIT SUB TITLE

3 Main Goals for this Committee

Rough Draft -­‐ Thank you letter should be mailed with a program booklet within 1 -­‐ 2 weeks post event.

Framed Documentation -­‐ Send a framed thank you two to three months post event. This letter from the benefactor serves as a recognition thanking the sponsor or donor. It shows how their funding was utilized.

Annual Report -­‐ Showing involvement, accomplishments of your membership in the community. show a list of service projects and fundraisers as well as benefactors.

Summary 1. Verbalize the mission of your organization.

2. Identify Community Partners and Sponsors with whom you want to establish are relationship.

3. Effectively utilize your tools to promote your organization, demonstrate the benefits of establishing a relationship, and acknowledge the many opportunities for your surrounding communities.

BRAINSTORMING SESSION CLICK TO EDIT SUB TITLE

Leveraging Your Programs To Lead in Your Communities

Leadership Summit Workshop Southern Area Program Team Eneid A. Francis, Area Director