Hopelink has been chosen as one of nine agencies nationwide to join a 3-year pilot project aimed at boosting the use of strategic planning in nonprofit organizations. The funding from the Alliance for Children and Families will enable Hopelink to hire a Chief Strategy Officer to lead the agency’s participation in Strategy Counts!, an Alliance initiative that will help nonprofits think about their day-to-day services in the context of future needs.
Wednesday, December 07, 2011As a pilot site, Hopelink will participate with eight other agencies to determine whether strategic planning models create more organizational capacity – which could help Hopelink generate additional revenue for service delivery, expand successful core services, and achieve better resilience in the face of economic downturns.
Strategy Counts! Director Michael Mortell said the initiative will help agencies on the front lines evaluate ways to anticipate emerging market forces and adapt strategies to meet those changes, with the goal of ultimately improving the lives of children and families.
“With nonprofits under pressure today from changing client needs and tighter resources, the tendency is for nonprofits to focus on the day-to-day demands while strategic decisions take a back seat,” Mortell said “The pilot sites are exploring how a strategic focus increases positive results for communities and clients.”
The Alliance for Children and Families, headquartered in Milwaukee, is one of the nation’s largest membership associations of private, nonprofit human service organizations. The Kresge Foundation is providing the funds to the Alliance for this grant.
The Alliance launched Strategy Counts! – a multi-year pilot project that will closely examine the impact from elevating the role of strategy in nonprofit human service providers – in May 2011 with a $5.375 million grant from The Kresge Foundation. Through a competitive selection process, the Alliance has chosen nine of its member organizations to participate as pilot sites by hiring a Chief Strategy Officer.
Since 1971, Hopelink has served homeless and low-income families, children, seniors and people with disabilities in north and east King County by promoting self-sufficiency for all members of our community and helping people make lasting change. Hopelink assists people with meeting their needs for food, shelter, homelessness prevention, family development and stabilization, transportation and adult literacy skills. For more information on Hopelink and its services, call 425.869.6000.