2009 Strategic Plan

It is the mission of Community Action Duluth
to use innovative strategies
that mobilize low-income people and the broader community
to build assets that prevent poverty, create equality, and
strengthen our social fabric.

Vision Statement
Community Action Duluth envisions a community where individuals and families can find the means to prosper with access to quality education, affordable housing and healthcare, gainful employment, and meaningful involvement in civic life. Through community-coordinated partnerships, people with low incomes will find support, resources, and relationships that help them overcome economic, racial, and cultural barriers to establishing and maintaining self-sufficient and connected lives in the community. 

Organizational Values
Community Action Duluth will reflect the following values in its organization and programs:

Respect
Community Action Duluth values the strengths and assets of all people and the organizations with whom we partner.

Integrity
Community Action Duluth believes in listening honestly, processing information accurately, and following through on its commitments.

Cultural Competence
Community Action Duluth values meaningful relationships between people of diverse cultural, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds.

Optimism
Community Action Duluth believes it is possible for Duluth residents and organizations to improve the quality of life for everyone.

Strategic Plan 2009-2012
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The Community Action Duluth board of directors and staff engaged in a facilitated planning process that included three joint meetings of board and staff in which they collectively prepared statements that identified critical issues and strategies. The planning was informed by a situational assessment of Community Action Duluth that included an internal stakeholders’ perception (SWOT analysis), external stakeholders’ perception (key informant interviews), a review of programs (program snapshots presented by staff), and review of the broad organizational goals (ROMA – reviewed at board meeting with executive director) that guide the programs’ work.    

A strategic planning committee made up of members of the board of directors and the executive director provided oversight for the planning process.     

I. Internal Stakeholders’ Perception
     SWOT Analysis

The Community Action Duluth board of directors and staff conducted a SWOT analysis of the organization. This was their perception of Community Action Duluth.

Strengths

• Good, knowledgeable, and experienced staff; good executive director
• Community partnerships
• Functional, knowledgeable tripartite board
• Variety of high quality programs
• Strong mission
• Innovative and creative strategies

Weaknesses

• The community lacks awareness of Community Action Duluth.
• Community Action Duluth is program-focused rather than big-picture focused – not acting as a change agent.
• Staff is stretched too thin.
• There is a possibility that Community Action Duluth could become irrelevant to the people it serves. We may not include people at the table often enough, and, given the state of the economy, the services may not be relevant and may need to change. 

Opportunities

• Work with community to look at bigger systems change
• Bring discussion of racism to new level
• Blueprint to End Poverty follow-up
• Get involved in policy making – poverty policy at the local, state, and federal levels (Good stories from FAIM should be shared at legislature.)
• Network with other nonprofits to avoid duplication
• Poverty is more on the radar – city, state, and nation
• Maybe more funding with new federal administration – increased funding could help with internal problems

Threats

• The economic reality of the time
• Media reports – how they report what CAD does
• Lack of foundation funding and increased accountability for that funding
• Plethora of opportunities to be involved; may try to do too much and not prioritize 
• Funders may move on to other issues
  

II. External Stakeholders’ Perception
       Key Informant Interviews

Seventeen people provided input into the strategic planning process through key informant interviews. People interviewed represented community leaders, funders, collaborative partners, and service recipients. These are the perceptions of the informants and key messages of those interviews:

• Community Action Duluth’s work is recognized as poverty reduction. There is not complete clarity about the specifics of the work.

• Community Action Duluth's staff is highly respected.

• Community Action Duluth’s asset building and financial programs are its most well known programs. They are seen as effective and are highly regarded.

• The key informants would like Community Action Duluth to do organizing and advocacy for public policy.

• The key informants would like Community Action Duluth to take a more visible leadership role – to educate the community and be a voice for people with low incomes.

• The key informants would like Community Action Duluth to continue the work of the Blueprint to End Poverty.

• The key informants respect the inclusive way that Community Action Duluth provides services to and works with people with low incomes.

III. Critical Issues and Strategies

Following review of the Community Action Duluth situational assessment, the board of directors and staff collectively created six goal statements that incorporated the critical issues identified in the assessment, and strategies to attain the goals within three years. The goals are not listed in order of importance.

1. In order for Community Action Duluth’s current, effective programs to thrive and grow, it must:
   • Ensure that programs are tied to community needs and to the mission of Community Action Duluth
   • Provide on-going review and monitoring of program outcomes to ensure effectiveness
   • Provide adequate staff development and training
   • Improve marketing and community awareness
   • Maintain qualified staff in adequate numbers to meet program needs
2. In order for Community Action Duluth to continue as a leader in anti-racism work, it must:
   • Require cultural competency training for all members of the staff and board of directors
   • Become involved in the formation of a civilian review board
   • Maintain adequate staffing for anti-racism work
   • Nurture the anti-racism collaborative and build Community Action’s identity within the anti-racism collaborative
   • Identify institutional racism and put together a process to address issues
3. In order for Community Action Duluth to continue as a leader in strengthening community partnerships that lead to reducing barriers for people with low incomes, it must:
   • Create a position for community engagement/public policy work
   • Build consensus with other stakeholders
   • Be an advocate for people with low incomes by listening to, speaking for, and involving them in issues that positively affect their lives
   • Involve people with low incomes in community engagement work
   • Make an effort to involve the faith and business communities
   • Reexamine the role of Community Action Duluth in the Blueprint to End Poverty
   • Continue to work with the Blandin Foundation to convene a poverty leadership group
   • Continue to be involved with the City of Duluth/National League of Cities Building Equitable Communities prosperity agenda
4. In order for Community Action Duluth to play an active role in changing policies and laws to help people out of poverty, it must:
   • Create a position for community engagement/public policy work
   • Engage with local, state, and national anti-poverty organizations working on legislation
   • Nurture relationships with local legislators
   • Bring the community together around issues of poverty
   • Become part of committees and existing opportunities regarding anti-poverty issues
   • Follow-up on the report from the Legislative Committee to End Poverty to encourage implementation
5. In order for Community Action Duluth to be financially stable, efficient, and transparent, it must:
   • Maintain adequate grant funding and look at multi-year grants and increased federal funding
   • Enhance relationships with funders
   • Investigate the possibility of raising unrestricted funds from individual donations, fundraisers, and untapped sources to support community engagement/public policy activity
   • Continue to conduct an independent annual audit
   • Continue a monthly financial report and maintain financial systems
   • Make all financial systems more transparent and transferable and provide cross training
   • Provide ongoing internal evaluation of financial systems
   • Prepare a disaster/readiness plan

IV. Work Plans

Once the strategic plan is approved by the Community Action Duluth board of directors, the staff will create a work plan for goals 1-5.