Down Syndrome Indiana

Strategic Plan - January 2008

DSI Customer

Down Syndrome Indiana serves individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Central Indiana and further supports the larger Down syndrome community.

DSI Mission

Down Syndrome Indiana is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals with Down syndrome.  Our mission is to serve as a conduit of information, support and advocacy for individuals with Down syndrome and their families, which promotes growth and inclusion in the community.

DSI Vision

Down Syndrome Indiana is committed to supporting individuals with Down syndrome throughout their lifetime by…

  • Promoting self advocacy, inclusion and participation in the community
  • Being the most comprehensive resource on Down syndrome
  • Serving as the state leader for public policy advocacy
  • Increasing positive public awareness

2008 Goals

  1. Raise public awareness 
  2. Grow the Down syndrome Community Support Network
  3. Serve as a valuable information resource
  4. Educate families
  5. Influence Indiana public policy
  6. Strengthen DSI’s organization
  7. Increase inclusion and diversity considerations in all we do

Strategies

  1. Improve Board governance and organization accountability
  2. Establish Self Advocate Support Network
  3. Increase organization revenues
  4. Provide high quality member support services
  5. Deliver high quality parent education events
  6. Increase community outreach to professionals
  7. Provide parent support meetings
  8. Support the D.A.D.S. group
  9. Develop a Public Policy Plan for 2009 
  10. Hire and develop staff to build organization capability

Strategic Plans

  1. Improve Board governance and organization accountability (BOD – Steve Simpson)

 

Mission 

To clarify board member responsibilities and increase accountability

Plans

  1. Assign Board member responsibilities as follows: Executive Committee (Including Personnel) President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary
  2. Additional member responsibilities - Self Advocate, Outreach, Event Management, Development, Public Policy, Member Services (including information technology), Grant Funding
  1. Establish Self Advocate Support Network (BOD – Joe Meares / Jessica Green)

 

Mission

To enhance the lives and personal growth of self advocates                   

Plans  

  1. Facilitate self advocate activities
  2. Develop mailing list
  3. Create email loop
  4. Coordinate and advertise monthly self advocate meetings
  5. Publish and oversee self advocate newsletter                      
  6. Create self advocate website                      
  7. Organize/sponsor four self advocate events
  8. Provide referrals and information network for self advocates
  9. Coordinate with complimentary groups (i.e. Best Buddies)
  10. Research and develop strategies to improve employment opportunities
  1. Increase Organization Revenues (BOD - Jeff Huffman)

 Mission

 To increase annual gross revenues to $750,000

 Plans

  1. Manage fundraising responsibilities for all events, to include sponsor relations, grants, D.A.D.S. Golf Outing, Buddy Walk, Kelly’s Upside Down Ball and new revenue generating programs
  2. Oversee logistics management and event execution for Buddy Walk and Kelly’s Upside Down Ball
  3. Raise $30,000 in additional Buddy Walk sponsorships
  4. Oversee matching fund development, make new contacts and find new employer matching fund opportunities
  5. Identify specific additional corporate sponsor opportunities
  6. Identify and apply for grant opportunities related to specific programs
  7. Develop one new revenue generating program each year (starting with a school based program)
  8. Identify revenue opportunity provided by other service organizations (at least one per year)
  1. Provide High Quality Member Support Services (BOD – Brad Wilt)

 

Mission

To provide timely and accurate information and referrals           

Plans

  1. Consider different approach to newsletter, including monthly calendar and 4-6 informational newsletters per year
  2. Redesign website to make a good first impression by including timely updates, new parent packet information, prenatal information, current and usable content and an email loop, and making it easy to donate online
  3. Maintain database, obtain email addresses for donors in database, use email notices
  4. Answer inquiries, provide useful referrals, develop procedures and create referral database
  5. Publish annual report
  6. Maintain lending library, put lending library on the website, include book reviews in newsletter, communicate what books are in the library
  7. Provide timely and accurate event notifications
  8. Develop and maintain speaker database

 

  1. Conduct annual meeting and educational conferences (BOD - Rich Schreiner)

 

Mission

Execute high quality events that create a positive impression and experience

Plans

  1. Conduct annual meeting
  2. Organize one educational one-day conference annually; a Down syndrome autism conference is scheduled for March 1, 2008
  3. Plan for a 2009 conference                                    

 

  1. Increase community outreach to professionals (BOD - Mary Delaney)

 

Mission

Increase community awareness and relationships with Down syndrome professionals

 

Plans

  1. Repackage new parent packets
  2. Identify regional hospitals and establish outreach
  3. Establish educator relationships- teacher/school outreach
  4. Present to professional groups - medical outreach
  5. Publish physician’s toolkit              
  6. Evaluate literacy programs             

 

  1. Provide Parent Education and Support (BOD - Angie Everton)

 

Mission

Create parent connection opportunities, while providing education and support.

Plans

  1. Coordinate parent network meetings: 4th Tuesday, 1st Friday, Grandparents, Hispanic (2-3/yr), Diversity, Community groups
  2. Holiday party
  3. Summer picnic
  4. Continue with helping hands and hospital visits from DSI members with similar experiences.

 

  1. Support the D.A.D.S Group (BOD – Ted Scofield)

 

Mission

To assist and support, through fellowship and action, the fathers and families of people with Down syndrome

Plans

  1. Monthly D.A.D.S meetings
  2. Golf outing
  3. Fishing day
  4. Christmas party
  5. Hayride
  6. Website

 

  1. Develop Public Policy Plan for 2009 (BOD - Tom Milvert)

 

 Mission

To harness the untapped power of thousands of families, friends, and individuals with Down syndrome throughout the State of Indiana

To protect our children’s education rights and improve education by influencing public policy. To influence policies that will create employment and opportunities for independent and/or community living

To help create post-secondary educational opportunities in Indiana

To foster the positive image of Down syndrome and highlight the abilities of persons with Down syndrome

 

 Plans

  1. Identify resource alternatives to lead public policy.
  2. Develop public policy focus to implement in 2009 and address the following:
  •  
    • Coordinate the efforts of all Indiana Down syndrome associations         
    • Build a politically effective grass roots network that speaks with a single voice
    • Work with the Indiana Legislature on high priority policies and build relationships with state legislators
    • Work with the National Down Syndrome Society National Policy Center to advocate at both the state and national level
    • Work collaboratively with the Indiana Institute on Disability and Community, the Arc of Indiana and other groups serving individuals with disabilities
    • Train parents and individuals with Down syndrome to be more effective with their political voice
    • Ensure our place at the policy making table
    • Positively influence how the State of Indiana implements IDEA and prevent harmful changes to Indiana’s education policy
    • Prevent being overlooked in the debate over Medicaid and Social Security reforms

 

  1. Hire and develop staff to build organization capability (BOD – Executive Committee)

 

Mission

Recruit, hire and train staff and volunteers to fulfill mission of organization

Plans

  1. Hire Executive Director and additional 3-4 full-time employees to leverage volunteer efforts and increase organization capability
  2. Emphasize the hiring of individuals with disabilities in our hiring processes
  3. Executive Committee to assume responsibility for staff , focusing initial efforts on hiring Executive Director and Development Director
  4. Prepare Executive Director position description and target candidate profile
  5. Prepare Development Director position description and target candidate profile
  6. Perform search for two positions    
  7. Target ED and DD hires for May 2008, preferably ED first, with DD to follow shortly after
  8. Adequately staff displays at planned functions and train volunteers

10.  Coordinate volunteers

11.  Work with responsible board directors to fill remaining positions, event management, outreach, member services, and self advocate coordinator

    • Develop job descriptions and titles
    • Determine target candidate profile
    • Perform a search
    • Hire staff, negotiate pay and set hours
    • Set goals and performance appraisal process

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