Strategic Plan - Read To Succeed

Read to Succeed Buffalo - Strategic Plan for 2020-2025

Mission

Read to Succeed Buffalo believes that through exposure to high quality, intentional literacy instruction and language-rich environments from birth through 3^rd Grade, all children, regardless of economic or social challenges, can achieve success.

Vision

All children will read at grade level by the end of 3rd grade, so that they can read to learn for a lifetime.

Context for this plan:

Read to Succeed Buffalo is a nonprofit organization founded in 2009. Its mission is to increase childhood literacy and enhance overall child development through direct service programs that support practitioners with hands-on professional coaching. Our work creates measurable changes in practitioner behavior and interactions, early care and education environments and ultimately child development and academic achievement.

Read to Succeed Buffalo’s services are sorely needed and widely valued, yet the people and institutions served largely do not have the capacity to pay for services. As a nonprofit supported through philanthropy, RTSB is dependent upon individual and institutional grants and therefore faces year-to-year challenges to sustainability. This plan was conceived in that context and seeks to have RTSB investigate new service opportunities, fee for service contracts and funders, with an eye toward setting RTSB on a path to a more sustainable future.

RTSB core priorities remain the same and are aligned with a mission that is relevant to the Greater Buffalo community and all of the organizational partners with whom we collaborate to prepare children for success in literacy, social-emotional health, school and life.

Priority 1

Improve student achievement by establishing an effective continuum of developmentally appropriate literacy and child development practices for Buffalo’s children from birth through age eight.

Context: This is the core of RTSB’s reason to exist, and we will continue to serve this priority by operating the CARE and Experience Corps programs. In addition, we will investigate opportunities to serve more children as new funding opportunities are identified, with a priority to serve children in the City of Buffalo.

Goals

Goal	Timeframe	Deliverable(s)	Measure(s)	Roles
CARE Child Care: Connect with additional potential partners	Yr 1: Identify and connect with partners to assess opportunities and resources	ED report to board on meeting with at least one potential new partner		ED: Lead effort to identify/assess opportunities
CARE Child Care: Expand to add’l child care providers as a part of Quality Stars	Yr 2: Identify partners and refine each one’s role in the continuum of quality under Quality Stars Yr 3-5: Identify new funding source aligned with Quality Stars Yr 3-5: Participate in the creation of a Quality Continuum Support Structure	Development of a referral network based on level of program quality	MOUs developed that articulate coordination among QIP organizations	ED: Coordinate efforts among CCRN, State QIP, State OCFS, Lift Off and other participants in local quality efforts.
Experience Corps: Expand to preK	Yr 1: Creation of model and rollout to partner schools	Program implemented	# of preK students served	ED and program director: Lead implementation
Experience Corps: Expand to addt’l BPS schools	Yr 2: Identify one new school and funding source for expansion Yr 3-5: Identify one new school and funding source for expansion	Agreements to provide services in new schools	# of new schools served by RTSB	ED: Lead effort to identify/assess opportunities Board: Assist ED with identifying opportunities, making connections
Experience Corps: Expand to out of school time programs	Yr 1: Explore creating out-of-school time model and identify funding and staff resources and partner sites Yr 2: Implement expansion	ED report to board on efforts	# partners and revenue resources	ED: Lead effort to identify/assess opportunities Board: Assist ED with identifying opportunities, making connections
Experience Corps: Expand to charter schools	Yr 1: Identify appropriate contacts in charter school community Yr 2: Explore potential funding sources if services desired	ED report to board on efforts	# charter schools served by RTSB	ED: Lead effort to identify/assess opportunities Board: Assist ED with identifying opportunities, making connections
Experience Corps: Expand to addt’l school districts in need	Yr 2: Assess needs/opportunities outside the City for partnership and program expansion Yr 2: Identify joint funding opportunities for expansion to additional districts Yr 3-5: Identify additional joint funding opportunities for expansion to additional districts	None	# grants executed # dollars raised # Students served

Priority 2

Improve diversity, equity and inclusion of RTSB, including our board, staff and volunteers, to enable more effective practice and to promote equity in our organization and the broader community.

Context: RTSB serves low-income communities and schools with majority residents of color. Service providers with high cultural competency and staff and leadership reflective of the communities they serve can be more effective in delivering services and reaching outcomes. Culturally responsive practice is a best practice in education and community-based organizations.[1] Therefore, RTSB’s board, staff and volunteers should work toward cultural competency through a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.

Goals

Goal	Timeframe	Deliverable(s)	Measure(s)	Roles
Explore racial equity concepts and practices to increase understanding and plan for improvement	Yr 1: Participate in Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable racial equity impact analysis training Yr 2: Continue organizational change efforts Yr 3-5: Continue organizational change efforts	Evidence of completed training and impact	# of staff and board members participating in training	ED: Lead organizational change effort Board: Contribute time and funding or fundraising efforts
Develop a comprehensive plan to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, including new/changed policies and practices	Yr 1: Begin work to develop plan based on racial equity impact analysis training Yr 2: Implement plan Yr 3-5: Continue implementation	Completed staff and board plans and reports of implementation	TBD	ED: Lead development of staff plan Board: Develop board-level plan connected to staff plan
Increase diversity of board, staff and volunteers through intentional recruitment and retention of people who reflect the populations we serve	Yr 1: Work to diversify networks for recruiting volunteers, staff and board; assess hiring and recruitment processes; consider new policies/processes Yr 1: Implement one new strategy to recruit diverse volunteers Yr 2: Increase diversity of volunteer base and staff, as possible Yr 3-5: Continue efforts to implement strategies that increase diversity of volunteers, staff and board	ED annual report to board on efforts and impact	# people of color on staff, board, volunteer corps	ED: Lead effort to work toward a more diverse organization Board: Assist organization through networking, connections, introductions
Continue to include diversity, equity and inclusion topics in professional development activities with staff, board and volunteers	Yr 1: Participate in racial equity impact analysis training Yr 2: Examine PD activities to ensure DEI is included Yr 3-5: Look for ways to deepen DEI work	ED annual report to board on efforts and impact	None	ED: Lead organizational change effort Board: Support effort, including through participation in racial equity impact process

Priority 3

Ensure sustainable organization from which to carry out mission.

Context: RTSB has been effective in identifying promising new programmatic and funding opportunities – with the most recent example being development of Experience Corps and the associated AARP funding. However, financial support from long-time funders might not be sustainable over the long term without RTSB diversifying its funding sources.

Goals

Goal	Timeframe	Deliverable(s)	Measure(s)	Roles
Explore collaborative programmatic opportunities with organizations with similar or aligned missions	Yr 1: Assess feasibility of collaborative options Yr 2: Pursue highest yield options Yr 3: Implement/continue implementation	ED report back to board on discussions and implementation	Ability to implement options that serve RTSB’s mission and sustainability	ED: Lead collaborative discussions Board: Support effort, as sounding board and guardian of RTSB’s mission
Explore collaborative organizational opportunities, including co-location and formal affiliation	Yr 1: Assess feasibility of collaborative options Yr 2: Pursue highest yield options Yr 3: Implement/continue implementation	ED report back to board on discussions and implementation	Ability to implement options that serve RTSB’s mission and sustainability	ED: Lead collaborative discussions Board: Support effort, as sounding board and guardian of RTSB’s mission
Investigate funding opportunities in the private sector, including business grants	Yr 1: Connect with Buffalo-Niagara Partnership, identify business donors, assess if additional staff support is needed Yr 2 progress, continue effort with existing and/or new businesses; Yr 3: Assess efforts	ED annual report to board on efforts and impact	# businesses solicited and # providing grants	ED: Lead effort to obtain business sector funding Board: Assist organization through networking, connections, introductions
Increase awareness of RTSB’s mission, evidence of success and overall brand through identified opportunities to provide literacy and child development promotion and coaching in the community	Yr 1: Develop strategies for increasing brand awareness, and costs; consider an organizational name change would strengthen understanding of RTSB mission Yr 2: Decide which strategies are high value Yr 3: Implement and assess strategies	ED annual report to and discussions with the board	Identification and implementation of high-value strategies	ED: Lead effort to develop and implement strategies to increase brand awareness Board: Support effort, perhaps through the formation of a board committee
Continue to monitor government and philanthropic grant opportunities to identify mission-aligned grants	Yr 1: Explore feasibility of hiring development professional Yrs 1-3: Continue current practice	ED annual report to board on efforts	# and amount of grants applied for and received	ED: Continue leadership in this area Board: Support effort, identify and pass along opportunities
As referenced under Priority 1, explore program expansion opportunities supporting new programming consistent with RTSB’s mission	See Priority 1	See Priority 1	See Priority 1	See Priority 1

Goals by Priority and Year

Goal	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3 -5
Improve student achievement by establishing an effective continuum of developmentally appropriate literacy and child development practices for Buffalo’s children from birth through age eight.
CARE Child Care: Connect with additional potential partners	Yr 1: ED - Identify and connect with partners to assess opportunities and resources
CARE Child Care: Expand to add’l child care providers as a part of Quality Stars		Yr 2: Identify partners and refine each one’s role in the continuum of quality under Quality Stars	Participate in the creation of a Quality Continuum Support Structure
Experience Corps: Expand to preK	Yr 1: DP - Creation of model and rollout to partner schools
Experience Corps: Expand to addt’l BPS schools		Yr 2: Identify one new school and funding source for expansion	Identify one new school and funding source for expansion
Experience Corps: Expand to out of school time programs	Yr 1: ED - Explore creating afterschool model and identify funding and staff resources and partner sites	Yr 2: Implement expansion
Experience Corps: Expand to charter schools	Yr 1: ED - Identify appropriate contacts in charter school community	Yr 2: Explore potential funding sources if services desired
Experience Corps: Expand to addt’l school districts in need		Yr 2: Assess needs/opportunities outside the City for partnership and program expansion
Improve diversity, equity and inclusion of RTSB, including our board, staff and volunteers, to enable more effective practice and to promote equity in our organization and the broader community.
Explore racial equity concepts and practices to increase understanding and plan for improvement	Yr 1: ED - Participate in Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable racial equity impact analysis training	Yr 2: Continue organizational change efforts	Yr 3: Continue organizational change efforts
Develop a comprehensive plan to increase diversity, equity and inclusion, including new/changed policies and practices	Yr 1: ED/Board - Begin work to develop plan based on racial equity impact analysis training	Yr 2: Implement plan	Yr 3: Continue implementation
Increase diversity of board, staff and volunteers through intentional recruitment and retention of people who reflect the populations we serve	Yr 1: ED - Work to diversify networks for recruiting volunteers, staff and board; assess hiring and recruitment processes; consider new policies/processes	Yr 2: Increase diversity of volunteer base and staff, as possible	Yr 3: Continue efforts to diversity volunteers, staff and board
Continue to include diversity, equity and inclusion topics in professional development activities with staff, board and volunteers	Yr 1: ED/PD - Participate in racial equity impact analysis training	Yr 2: Examine PD activities to ensure DEI is included	Yr 3: Look for ways to deepen DEI work
Ensure sustainable organization from which to carry out mission.
Explore collaborative programmatic opportunities with organizations with similar or aligned missions	Yr 1: ED - Assess feasibility of collaborative options	Yr 2: Pursue highest yield options	Yr 3: Implement/continue implementation
Explore collaborative organizational opportunities, including co-location and formal affiliation	Yr 1: ED - Assess feasibility of collaborative options	Yr 2: Pursue highest yield options	Yr 3: Implement/continue implementation
Investigate funding opportunities in the private sector, including business grants	Yr 1: ED - Connect with Buffalo-Niagara Partnership, identify and seek funding from most likely business donors	Yr 2: Assess Yr 1 progress, continue effort with existing and/or new businesses; assess whether additional staff support to effort is needed and warranted	Yr 3: Assess Yr 2 progress, continue effort if there is positive impact
Increase awareness of RTSB’s mission, evidence of success and overall brand through identified opportunities to provide literacy and child development promotion and coaching in the community	Yr 1: ED/Board - Develop strategies for increasing brand awareness, and costs; consider an organizational name change would strengthen understanding of RTSB mission	Yr 2: Decide which strategies are high value	Yr 3: Implement and assess strategies
Continue to monitor government and philanthropic grant opportunities to identify mission-aligned grants	ED/Board - Continue current practice – set overall fundraising goal	Continue current practice – set overall fundraising goal	Continue current practice – set overall fundraising goal