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AAI Strategic Plan

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Asthma Alliance of Indianapolis

2008 Draft Action Plan

Background:

A strategic planning session was held on October 26, 2007 to discuss the mission and

goals of the Asthma Alliance of Indianapolis. The need to create a “work plan” of

specific activities for 2008 was also a significant part of the meeting’s agenda. The goal

of this session was to discuss – as concretely as possible – the activities that the Alliance

needs to focus on at the “front-line level.”

Some key themes that emerged from the session included the need to:

  • Re-energize/re-engage current Alliance members
  • Attract new members to the Alliance
  • Gather better data
  • Spend fundraising time/effort in proportion to the return gained
  • Better communicate the work of the Alliance to partners and other stakeholders

Organizational Goals Review

The current public goals of the Asthma Alliance of Indianapolis are:

• Decrease the number of emergency room visits and hospitalizations among children with asthma

• Decrease school absenteeism due to asthma complications

• Increase the use of the National Institutes of Health/Asthma Management guidelines among health care providers

 

Discussion: After reviewing these goals it was determined that they do not necessarily

reflect the current broad mission and direct-service activities of the Alliance. The goals

were considered too prescriptive and do not truly convey the work being done.

The high-level goals might be most accurately reflected in the three broad categories that

encompass the work the Alliance performs. Its goals are to:

• Educate

• Advocate

• Serve

These three key words could be the basis of a new mission statement/goals.

Many functions are performed under each of these three main areas and different

stakeholders address each one. To be as action-oriented as possible, the strategic planning

session attendees focused on items that could and should be addressed in the upcoming

year.

While no final decisions were made, the activities suggested fell into several distinct

categories:

Board Issues

Membership – the Alliance needs to better engage/re-engage its members. It is possible

different representatives from current member organizations need to be contacted and it

was also agreed that each representative on the Alliance should better inform the

members of their own organizations about the work of the Alliance.

New Members/New Partners – Many natural stakeholders and potential members of the

Alliance were identified during a brainstorming session. Potential members to be

approached include Parish Nurses, Schools of Nursing, Indiana University School of

Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University School of Social Work,

Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce, Insurance Companies, Physician Associations, Day

Care Providers, School Corporations, other Health Care Providers.

While everyone agreed new members and partners are needed, there is no formal system

to identify and approach potential new members and partners. As part of their annual

Commitment to the Alliance, members should – each year – send the names of potential

new members/partners and a master list of prospects could be created.

Prospects could be invited to an annual “meet-and-greet”/open house held to familiarize

people with the work the Alliance, perhaps with a high-profile guest speaker. Another

option would be to have a small group of Alliance members meet with prospects to

determine how they could learn about and be a help to the organization.

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Volunteers - they are needed to conduct awareness/training sessions and assist the

Alliance in other ways, such as outreach and fundraising. Several groups to be

approached were identified, including middle and high-school students, nursing school

students, parents of affected children, school-based parent groups, MSW students and

business school students.

Like new members, there is no organized system to identify and recruit volunteers.

Alliance members, as part of their annual Commitment Form, should be asked suggest

new sources of volunteers. Once a master list is created, the Alliance can rank the

suggestions based on the work that needs to be done. In order to get the most helpful

suggestions from members, the Alliance should send a list of tasks (and the training

needed for each) that have to be done when asking members for suggestions.

Fundraising

The Alliance has held an annual golf outing, which yields approximately $4,000 after

expenses. Discussion centered on the time it takes to plan the event and there was a

strong feeling expressed that the same amount of funds, if not more, could be raised with

less effort.

If the decision is made not to hold the golf outing, other fundraising activities to be

divided among a “fundraising committee” of Alliance members could include:

Applications to local and national foundations that fund health initiatives

Solicitations of all Alliance members – regardless of giving level, should every Alliance

member be required to make a donation?

Solicitation to Businesses, Community Groups and Service Organizations – including,

but not limited to: Kiwanis, Lions, Rotary, etc.; Physicians Associations and individual

practices, Insurance Companies, Hospitals, Pharmaceutical Companies.

Outreach

Letting people know about what the Alliance has to offer is one of the most important

tasks at hand, but it sometimes takes a back seat to doing actual hands-on work.

To have a successful outreach program, which can also assist in fundraising, the Alliance

must identify the groups it wants to focus on and create needed tools to get the message

out.

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2008 Activities

I. Alliance Membership Commitment Forms

Ask each Alliance member to fill out a 2008 Commitment Form

SAMPLE COMMITMENT FORM

Name:

I/my organization is willing to conduct the following activities in 2008.

(Check all that apply)

__ Inform members of my organization about the work of the Alliance by

making a presentation, providing materials for a newsletter or ______ (list

other activity)

__ Identify potential new members

__ Identify and help solicit new donors

__ Identify and help train volunteers

__ Make presentations about the Alliance to professional and service groups

__ Include information about the Alliance in my organization

newsletters/website

__ Assist in fundraising events

__ Help create outreach/communication materials

__ Assist in grant research and writing

___ Deliver Asthma Education in Schools for Students and/or Staff (# of

sessions?)

___ Deliver Asthma Education in Schools for Staff and/or Parents (# of

sessions?)

____ Help Staff Community Events

__ Other activities _______________________________________

Additionally, my organization will donate $_________ to the Alliance this

year.

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II. Alliance Toolkit

In order for Alliance members to help engage members, find new ones and attract

funders, they must have materials to “make their case.”

Materials that would be useful include:

Presentation kits – including PowerPoint, talking points, handouts. Slightly different

versions would be needed for different audiences. Service groups could get a handout

“Facts About Asthma in Indianapolis” and a sheet that lists “How You Can Help” with

specifics about volunteer opportunities and what funding pays for – i.e. $XXX pays for a

home visit that includes XXX.

Professional, medical groups would get a more clinical presentation on treatment

guidelines, prevalence in Indianapolis, and how they could support the Alliance

(volunteer/financial).

Research data – being able to pinpoint prevalence and costs associated with prevention

and treatment services would give Alliance members persuasive evidence to help educate

stakeholder groups and potential funders and supporters.

III. Action Time Line

JANUARY – MARCH

Alliance sends members Commitment Forms and a list of the specific things it needs

members or volunteers to do. (i.e. conduct education sessions)

Alliance Members sign commitment forms

Organize and conduct one training session to educate volunteers

Set fundraising targets

Notes: most organizations have an annual “stretch” – i.e. raise 5% more than the year

before. Your members should be told “we raised $XXX in 2007 and need to raise $XXX

in 2008. If you determine the golf outing is not worth the time, I would suggest creating a

plan that shoots to raise just a little bit more and then determine how to get it done.

Options:

• Add a platinum sponsor at $1,000

• Raise Bronze; Silver, Gold to $250, $500, $1,000

• Raise membership to $50

• Ask each member to bring in just one new lower-level sponsor

• Apply for $2,500 in funding from four new sources

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• Create an annual fundraising mailing (need a 501c3 partner) – could be linked to

World Asthma Day/Poster Contest.

• Hold an annual a.m. or late-afternoon open-house for members and prospective

new members with a speaker and ask organizations to be sponsors (Charge $500-

$1,000 for two-three sponsors who would be recognized at the event. Another

could donate light refreshments). Law firms, hospitals, medical practices,

pharmaceutical companies, etc. may be particularly interested in sponsorship

opportunities. This kind of event will take work, but I think it would be less work

than a golf-outing.

All available data gathered for grant applications

Commitment from members willing to be 501c3 partner for grants requiring non-profit

status of recipients

Create standard presentation kit for members to address community and professional

audiences. Ask Alliance members to suggest audiences, and then prioritize them. Possible

audiences include:

• Hospital Rounds

• Nursing Organizations

• Social Worker Organizations

• Teacher/School Administrator Organizations

• Parent organizations

• Annual Physician Association Meetings (general, pediatricians, etc.)

• Annual Head Start conference

• FSSA officials (because of the Medicaid link)

• Service Clubs – Lions, Kiwanis, Rotary, service sororities and fraternities

• Business Groups: Chamber of Commerce, Large Employers

• Student groups (high school and University)

• Law Firms (many have lunch-time education sessions about community issues)

APRIL-JUNE

Outreach presentations made to three new audiences. These audiences should be chosen

because they need your information, and because they may be potential financial

supporters or sources of volunteers.

One fundraising activity conducted (i.e., mailing, grant application, presentation to

potential funder)

One new volunteer recruitment activity

Alliance sub group determines what data is needed; requests for data made to those who

collect needed information

Create short article to put in Alliance member newsletters/websites

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JULY-SEPTEMBER

Outreach presentations made to three new audiences

One fundraising activity conducted (i.e., mailing, grant application, presentation to

potential funder)

One new volunteer recruitment activity

Assess effectiveness of presentations; make changes as needed

Distribute press release in time for “back-to-school” when parents are thinking about

physicals

OCTOBER-DECEMBER

Outreach presentations made to three new audiences

One fundraising activity conducted (i.e., mailing, grant application, presentation to

potential funder)

One new volunteer recruitment activity

Organize and conduct one training session to educate volunteers

Create short article to put in Alliance member newsletters/websites

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IV. Contacts – potential sources of information, funding, volunteers

The Health Foundation of Greater Indianapolis

President and CEO – Betty Wilson

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317.630.1805

429 East Vermont Street

Suite 300

Indianapolis, Indiana

46202

Indiana Hospital & Health Association

1 American Square

Suite 1900

Indianapolis, IN 46282

Marcie K. Couet, Communications Coordinator

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317-423-7727

Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation

9292 N. Meridian St., Suite 304

Indianapolis, IN 46260

(317) 846-7111

Betsy Bikoff, Vice President & Chief Grant Making Officer

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Clowes Fund

320 North Meridian Street, Suite 316

The Chamber of Commerce Building

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204-1722

Phone: 317-833-0144 or 800-943-7209

Ms. Elizabeth Casselman, executive director

Moore Foundation

Martin Moore

8469 Bay Point Dr

Indianapolis, IN 46240

(317) 848-2013

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Kiwanis Club of Indianapolis, Inc.

320 N. Meridian Street, Suite 1020

Indianapolis, IN 46204

office: (317) 636-9700

Nancy Hershman

Rotary Club of Indianapolis

401 E. Michigan

Indianapolis, IN 46204

317-631-3733

Executive Director: Susan S. Harmless

Indianapolis Medical Society

631 E. New York St., Indianapolis, IN 46202-3706

Phone: (317) 639-3406

Beverly Hurt

Executive Vice President

Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce

Chase Tower, 111 Monument Circle, Suite 1950

Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

Phone: (317) 464-2200

President, Roland Dorson

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Amy Mendoza

Indiana Commission on Hispanic & Latino Affairs

402 West Washington Street, Room W252

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: 317-233-5048

Fax: 317-232-7485

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Louis Lopez

Corporation for National & Community Service State Office

46 East Ohio Street, Room 226

Indianapolis, IN 46204

Telephone: 317-226-6724

Fax: 317-226-3437

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Presentation Kits include power points, talking points, letters & handouts.

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