Strategic Planning by Board of Directors and NC REAL Staff Identifies Goals for 2011-12
The NC REAL Board of Directors and the staff has engaged in a strategic planning process for the last two years to define long and short term goals for the organization. As part of the process staff listened to REAL Facilitators about their experience with all aspects of the program, analyzed program data, and talked with a variety of our stakeholders. Susan Fowler, REAL certified and a long time supporter of NC REAL, was the consultant to the Board and staff during the planning retreats. She also led eighteen REAL facilitators on April 18, 2011 at Alamance Community College worked through three focus groups to develop a NC REAL Business Plan “venture”.
The adaptation of Downtown Ventures provided the perfect venue for REAL facilitators to think through what about NC REAL was working very well, what needed to stay the same; and what needed to change in the future to help our organization thrive. For example, one suggestion coming from every group was to “consider changing the name to NC REAL Entrepreneurship rather than NC REAL Enterprises, to describe our work more accurately.
The outcome of two years of planning has resulted in a business plan model which will focus the work of the Board committees and staff on the following strategic goals for the organization in 2011-12:
• Diversify funding sources
• Expand curriculum offerings
• Expand marketing efforts
A plan for success around each goal has been developed to reflect both one year and three year outcomes with results circulated to our facilitators and friends through the REALTalk and our website.
NC REAL ‘s Board of Directors is also engaged in a fourth critical goal for 2011-12, which is to select the next Executive Director to lead the organization in its 26th year!
NC REAL appreciates the support and feedback that you provided to us throughout the Strategic Planning process.
