Blowing up the box: YNPN-TC's three year strategic plan

by Rinal Ray
follow me on Twitter: @uptownRinky

Have you heard? The Young Nonprofit Professionals Network is one of the nonprofits to watch in 2012, according to the Chronicle of Philanthropy.

Here in the Twin Cities, we hope you’ll be watching (and participating or helping) as we roll out our three year strategic plan. This plan has been in the works since this summer when the YNPN-TC Board gathered for a series of retreats to contemplate how to most strategically provide and promote opportunities for the development of young nonprofit professionals and bring our vision closer to our reach.

Fresh off our recently executed first strategic plan, the three year plan builds on the same mission, values, and many of the same priorities. (I guess we were onto something back in the summer of 2010!)

In the next three years, YNPN members and fans will reap the benefits as we roll out strategies that prioritize YNPN brand awareness, engaged membership, diversity, and capacity. Don’t want to wait three years to see what we have in store? Here’s a bit of what you can expect.

Priority: Brand Awareness

Strategies:

1. Foster strategic collaborations and partnerships.
2. Continue programming that reaches more people.
3. Strengthen YNPN brand through effective communications.

What you will see in the next year:

• NEW partners, people, and organizational relationships that bring you more connections and opportunities
• A revamped website
• A greater community presence
• Fresh communications features

Priority: Engaged Membership

Strategies:

1. Create more ways for members to interact with each other.
2. Connect members to valuable external resources and experiences.
3. Increase members’ indentified ownership of YNPN-TC.

What you will do in the next year:

• Collaborate with other YNPN members
• Explore job and board opportunities
• Read more member updates in The Bridge
• Tell us what you want and help us make it happen
• Experience different types of programming

Priority: Diversity

Strategies:

1. Define YNPN’s commitment to diversity.
2. Engage diverse people and organizations.
3. Increase internal commitment to diversity and inclusiveness.

Who we will be in the next year:

• More introspective on how we reduce barriers
• Aware of different community events and opportunities
• Inclusive and welcoming in our creation of a network
• Visible in different community settings
• Able to articulate the value and importance of a YNPN-TC that strives to be more than representative.

Priority: Capacity

Strategies:

1. Indentify and develop resources needed to fulfill strategy and mission.
2. Evaluate YNPN-TC’s impact and structure.
3. Improve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.

What we will build in the next year:

• Assessment and evaluation models for programs, communications, and the board
• Detailed exploration of revenue generation and formal entity choices;
• Clearer governance standards
• Better online platforms
• A stronger board and YNPN-TC

We know you’ll be watching, but we want you to engage, to get involved, to step up. Help us make this happen!