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Hello friends, I wanted to get us all on the same chain so we can schedule a day for our strategic planning meeting. Thank you Lyndon (interim CEO of Darkness to Light) and Michelle (COO of NCMEC) for agreeing to help us through this process.

It would be great if we could get this done in December. I know folks have a ton of things going on, but it would be great for us to have this session so Wil Sherk (President of the Delaware Grantmakers Association and the consultant helping us, cc’d here) can have the draft plan done by January 1, when Patty becomes officially our ED.

I’ve spoken with a few of you, so at least we can narrow the dates down a bit. How do these dates look for folks:

Saturday, December 19 10 am - 4 pm
Monday, December 21 10 am - 4 pm
Tuesday, December 22 10 am - 4 pm

I’m happy to meet on Sunday the 20th, but that’s a family day for most folks I suspect.

Ideally, we’d all be able to be together in Wilmington. Although we could have folks on the phone if necessary. Lyndon and Michelle, there may be portions of this meeting less relevant to your expertise, but we’d love to have you for the full time if you’re able.

The main purpose of this session will be to create a 2-3 year strategic plan. To that end, these will be our areas of focus:

Vision
The great purpose of the foundation, an ideal state, sometimes called a big, hairy, audacious goal.

Mission
A brief description of what the foundation does; what the board will hold itself accountable to.

Environmental Scan
A survey of what is known about the environment in which the foundation will operate to identify challenges will it face and opportunities it may choose to seize.

Strategic Goals
The results the foundation is committed to achieving over the course of three-to-five years; the “what,” of its work.

Outcomes/Success Measures
The measurements, quantitative and qualitative, that describe the changes the foundation intends to bring about through its efforts.
One or more measures will be associated with each goal.

Strategic Plan
The paths along which the foundation will apply resources to achieve its goals; the “how,” of its work. The plan may address organization structure and governance considerations.

Please let me know if one of these times work best for you. I’m incredibly excited to go through this process with all of you. We will do great things - of that I’m confident.

Talk to you all very soon.
/ja

Josh Alcorn
302-598-1885
jmalcorn@me.com