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Strategic Plan

CASE District I: Strategic Plan September 2001

Introduction

CASE District I’s strategic plan represents an ambitious program for moving forward in the twenty-first century. Building on CASE’s strengths, the plan charges CASE District I to be a leader, both in the advancement field and to its members.

CASE District I’s vision for the future includes a close and complementary working relationship with CASE headquarters. Recognizing that in the eyes of most members the organizations are indistinguishable, District I is committed to working collaboratively with CASE to continue to develop the field and ensure the highest quality programs and services for members at all levels.

CASE District I is well positioned to play a leadership role in the field of advancement and in CASE as an organization. Its membership is strong and includes some of the country’s most prestigious and influential educational institutions. Over the years, CASE District I has established itself within CASE as a leader, initiating such programs as the Minority Fellowship Program (the model for the Jupiter Program). The District has strong financial and human resources and the ability to be a strong partner to CASE, to other districts, and to other organizations that share an interest in the field.

This plan represents Case District I’s commitment to action for the next three to five years. Regular progress reviews by the District Board will ensure that the plan stays relevant and will allow for any necessary adjustments.

This strategic plan is the product of a high involvement process led by the District’s Strategic Planning Committee. The plan first presents the mission, or overall reason for being, followed by the key directions and strategies that form the priorities for the next several years, and some comments on implementation. The Appendix contains a list of Strategic Planning Committee members; an overview of the planning process; and a summary of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the environment.

Mission

The mission of CASE District I is to be a leader in influencing the direction and development of the advancement field by providing the highest quality educational, professional, practice, and networking opportunities for advancement professionals.

Although this mission statement was developed for CASE District I, in its breadth it recognizes the close and seamless relationship between CASE headquarters and District I. The District can only fulfill its mission through close collaboration with CASE headquarters; conversely, CASE headquarters is dependent on the districts for fulfilling its mission.

The advancement field has undergone significant expansion in the past few years, as institutions invest more in advancement and professional education. At the same time, competition to provide support to advancement professionals has increased. The field needs strong leadership at both the national and regional levels as it moves forward. Through its mission statement, CASE District I embraces this leadership role and reaffirms its commitment to the field of advancement and to its member institutions.

Directions and Strategies

The directions and strategies form the heart of the plan, identifying those priority areas of focus for the coming several years. CASE District I is focusing on two closely linked directions. The first addresses the District’s role in providing opportunities for members to engage with their colleagues to advance the missions of their individual institutions and CASE. The second focuses on CASE District I’s role in providing and enhancing educational and professional development opportunities for members and others interested in the advancement field. Together, these two directions help move CASE District I toward its mission of being a leader in influencing the direction and development of the advancement field.

Woven throughout the directions and strategies is the District’s commitment to work closely with CASE headquarters in order to best serve members and help both organizations achieve their goals.

Direction 1: CASE District I will strengthen its capacity to engage members and member institutions, leveraging their ability to accomplish their individual goals and influence the development of the field.

Rationale:
CASE District I’s mission of influencing the direction and development of the field is a challenging task with many components. As an all-volunteer organization, District I’s biggest resource is its members, who look to the District to provide them with meaningful opportunities to interact with their peers and colleagues. Both the District and CASE headquarters will benefit from strong systems that engage and involve members at all levels in strengthening the profession and the organizations.

Ensuring both the quality and the quantity of advancement professionals to meet the needs of educational institutions is a primary challenge that CASE District I can help address. Attracting people to the field and providing tools and support to retain them is critical to this. Defining meaningful roles for senior professionals and keeping them connected to the field is another important element. Working together, CASE District I and CASE headquarters can develop and implement strategies that will assure the future of the advancement field and reinforce its central role in furthering the missions of its member institutions.

Strategies include:

Strategy 1. Develop a system of Institutional Liaisons throughout District I.
Although CASE currently identifies a coordinator from each institution, this person does not have a defined role. This strategy proposes a new system that would create a volunteer position of Institutional Liaison, with some specified responsibilities. This person would be asked to identify and introduce any new staff to CASE District I, so that the District can provide them with mentoring, education, and other services. The Liaison would also be given the tools to notify CASE of promotions, awards, or other times when members should be recognized, creating a way to reward achievement and publicize both the individual and the field. Reciprocally, the Liaison would be asked to help identify potential volunteers for CASE District I. Appropriately implemented, the Liaison position could carry prestige and attract people. The position might include incentives such as volunteer training or reduced participation fees for some CASE events. This role might be an appropriate way to engage middle managers with CASE.

CASE District I would look to CASE headquarters for help in setting up a liaison system throughout District I. This might be considered a pilot program that could be extended to other districts.

Strategy 2. Create an Advisory Group of Senior Leaders.
Involving senior professionals in CASE has always been a challenge, and many seniors feel that there is no role for them other than occasionally presenting at a conference. However, for CASE District I to take on the challenge of influencing the direction and development of the advancement field, it will need the leadership of senior professionals in the field and institutional leaders. This Advisory Group might include CEOs, Trustees, Vice Presidents, and Heads of School as well as Chief Advancement Officers. It could be charged with identifying and addressing issues facing senior management at member institutions and determining how the resources of CASE and CASE District I can help address these issues.

Knowing that CASE headquarters is also committed to engaging senior leaders more effectively, implementation of this strategy will benefit from close communication and coordination. What kinds of activities will be most beneficial at the national level? At the district level? What roles can each organization play in engaging senior leaders for the benefit of the advancement field and CASE members?

Strategy 3. Develop and implement a mentoring system throughout the organization.
Most mentoring programs focus on entry-level professionals, matching them with middle level, experienced people who can help them understand the profession and learn how to succeed. Such a mentoring program would be important in District I as a way of bringing along new people and engaging them in the advancement profession. However, of equal importance is retaining and developing mid-level personnel who may be moving to senior positions. Having invested in these individuals and their development, institutions do not want to lose them to competitors or to other positions outside of higher education.

This strategy envisions a tiered mentoring program that would provide services for entry level professionals and for mid-level professionals who are moving into senior positions. This would provide opportunities to engage mid and senior level people with CASE and the field, deepening their involvement and commitment.

Focusing mentoring programs at the District level allows the program to take advantage of geographical proximity to encourage face to face interaction. At the same time, however, there are many ways in which technology could be used to link people, both within districts and across. CASE District I would like to work closely with CASE headquarters to develop the infrastructure to support this program, recognizing that it could be replicated in other areas.

Strategy 4. Strengthen CASE District I’s structure and governance.
CASE District I will review and assess its governance and committee structure and identify priority areas for development. Building on the Liaison system, the District will look to attract volunteers for key committees and other positions. In assessing its governance, CASE District I will address its various constituencies and potential constituencies, including possible roles for student alumni associations in CASE.

As the first district to hire a district administrator, District I supports the concept of district staff to provide administrative support and to link with CASE and the other districts. Because of its experience, the district would like to be involved in defining the roles and responsibilities for the proposed CASE district staff.

Knowing that CASE headquarters will also be evaluating its governance in light of its strategic plan, the District envisions a coordinated effort in this area.

Strategy 5: Develop enhanced systems and tools to aid members in recruiting advancement professionals.
District I is fortunate in being home to many high quality educational institutions. As these institutions look to fill key positions in advancement, CASE can provide leadership and service to ensure that institutions are able to recruit appropriate staff most efficiently, and that candidates have the opportunity to learn about openings in the field. One specific suggestion is to create an on-line job posting system for the district that would be available to members only. While the district knows its institutions and can make this service known to them, it would look to CASE for assistance in developing a system for identifying and posting jobs and candidates in the district. Another suggestion is to determine how student alumni groups might serve as a source for recruiting people to the field.

Direction 2: CASE District I will provide enhanced and targeted educational offerings that meet the needs of its multiple constituencies and reflect current research in the field.

Rationale:
CASE District I is perhaps best known for its annual conference. Offering an array of programs in the advancement field, the conference attracts hundreds of people from throughout the district each year. However, many people feel that the conference mostly serves the needs of relatively junior people in the field. Recently, efforts have been made to offer sessions of interest to senior professionals, with some success, but middle managers may find limited programs of interest.

In support of CASE headquarters’ interest in expanding the district delivery system to enhance services provided to members, CASE District I is committed to offering new and innovative "value-added" educational services to its members. Of particular interest is the concept of providing specific offerings targeted at defined audiences, rather than trying to satisfy all through the annual conference. In addition, linking education to research in the advancement field is a priority for the district.

These services can be best provided through careful program coordination with CASE headquarters and other CASE districts.

Strategy 1. Play a leadership role in carrying out a comprehensive assessment of the educational and conferencing needs of advancement professionals.

Professionals in the advancement field have many opportunities for educational programs and conferences, offered by national, regional, and local organizations. As limitations on professional time and professional development dollars continue to grow, advancement professionals need to make the choices that will best serve their needs and best support their careers and their institutions. Rather than simply continuing to expand conference offerings, the associations that serve related constituencies could benefit from a multi-organizational assessment of the needs of professionals and how current offerings may best be tailored and managed to serve these needs. Without such coordinated efforts, conferences and seminars will continue to compete with each other and may not serve the best interests of members.

Because this is a situation that involves both national and regional organizations, CASE District I and CASE, working together, could identify candidates to participate in a high level discussion of educational and conferencing needs in the field of advancement. Such a discussion could lay the groundwork for further cooperation and coordination of programs, to the benefit of all. In addition, it provides an opportunity to engage senior professionals with CASE to address the needs of the field.

Strategy 2. Develop and offer forums and seminars on key issues facing the advancement field, sponsored by key decision makers in major institutions.
Organizing forums and seminars that focus on key issues facing the field provides a way to engage and involve senior professionals with CASE. District I, with its many prestigious educational institutions, is well positioned to host gatherings of senior professionals and others interested in the evolution of the field.

One specific proposal is for CASE District I’s Senior Advisory Group to sponsor an educational summit with senior level professionals, university presidents, and CASE headquarters which can help guide programs at the national and district level. The goal would be to have key decision makers and their institution presidents come together to discuss the issues facing their institutions, the accomplishments of the past year, and the future of the advancement field. In addition to providing guidance for developing programs for the coming year, the forum might result in a presentation at the CASE District I annual conference, thus extending the reach of the forum and exposing advancement professionals to the most current thinking in the field. It might also provide results for publication.

These seminars and forums provide an ideal opportunity for CASE and CASE District I to work together. The district has the contacts and the knowledge of the institutions and leaders in the district, while CASE can bring the prestige and perspective of the national organization, as well as the organizational capacity to manage such events. Careful coordination will be required to utilize time and resources most appropriately.

Strategy 3. Partner with Communities of Practice and other groups to provide targeted programs for specific member constituencies.
The assessment discussed in strategy 1 has the potential to pave the way for enhanced partnering between and among organizations that offer educational programming to advancement professionals. CASE District I brings the broad perspective of the advancement field, as well as a large and diverse membership. Organizations representing communities of practice or other sub-specialties are by their nature more focused. By combining perspectives, joint programs can provide a balance of breadth and depth of coverage. These programs might be particularly appropriate for middle and senior level professionals.

Beyond communities of practice, there is also potential for partnering with other organizations, such as student alumni associations, who share some common interests and issues.

Joint programming is another area of interest to CASE headquarters, and program coordination will be key to success. CASE headquarters has approached some national organizations about joint programming, and it may be possible to build on these inroads at the district level. At the same time, district success in partnering might also facilitate national level programs.

Strategy 4. Ensure that the annual conference continues to meet member needs.
The annual conference is an important focus of CASE District I and is highly regarded, particularly by those who have been in the field for ten years or less. The assessment proposed in strategy 1 might provide specific ways to strengthen the annual conference. In addition, some of the other strategies provide opportunities to enhance the conference. For example, results of senior forums or research activities can be brought to the conference and shared with members.

As CASE and CASE District I look at more targeted programs for middle and senior level people outside of the conference, it may be appropriate to reassess the focus and target audience for the conference to ensure that it remains most effective. In addition, it would be appropriate to assess the roles played by CASE headquarters and the district in planning and implementing the annual conference and adjusting the roles to ensure that they build on each organization’s strengths. This strategy may also provide opportunities for coordination and cooperation with other CASE districts.

Strategy 5. Facilitate research in the field of advancement.
All institutions have a need for up-to-date, accurate research on the advancement field. Currently, much research is conducted by individual institutions, and there may be ways that CASE District I can facilitate both the conduct and the dissemination of research. For example, the district may be in a position to identify where relevant research is being done and use its dissemination system to make research results accessible to those who need it to help direct and evolve the profession. Closer links to important research in the field can also enrich and enhance CASE’s educational offerings and help keep them current.

Knowing that increased research will be a primary focus of CASE headquarters’ strategic plan, the District would like to assess ways in which it can enhance this activity and serve the needs of CASE member institutions.

Conclusion and Implementation
Throughout the planning process, CASE District I has maintained close communication with CASE headquarters personnel, including President Vance Peterson. We have benefited from the insights of the national staff, and they have encouraged District I to look for ways that our plan might best complement and support the evolving CASE strategic plan. As that plan becomes available, District I leadership will assess its impact on our plan and priorities to ensure that the district and headquarters are working in concert.

Within District I, the Board will charge the Chair of Strategic Planning with responsibility for overseeing implementation of the plan. This will involve identifying individuals and groups to take responsibility for implementing specific strategies, as well as monitoring overall progress and keeping the plan current. Each Board meeting will include a strategic plan discussion, keeping the Board engaged in the district’s priorities and ensuring that adjustments are made to the plan as needed. Through this process, CASE District I will position its Board as strategic leaders and ensure the ongoing relevance of the district’s programs and services.

Appendix

Strategic Planning Committee Members
This plan was developed under the leadership of the CASE District I Strategic Planning Committee.

Matthew Eynon, Director of Development, Univ. of Massachusetts Lowell,Chair Joseph Collins, Senior Development Officer, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Victoria Collins, Director of University Relations, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Sharon Davis, Senior Development Officer, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Hugo De La Rosa, former Major Gifts Officer, College of Arts and Sciences, Boston University

Robert Dietrich, Director of Development, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Lisa Hastings, Director of Leadership Gifts, Boston College

Jody McArthur, Leadership Gifts Officer, Phillips Andover Academy

Brenda Prescott, Associate Director, Harvard College Fund

Susan Rockwell, CASE District I Administrator

Kate Stoddard, Assistant Vice President for Grants and Major Gifts, Quinnipiac College

Jane Fisher and Elaine Kuttner, Principals, Cambridge Concord Associates, provided strategic planning consultation.

Appendix

Overview of the Strategic Planning Process
The major steps in the strategic planning process included:

Preliminary planning (December 2000): The Strategic Planning Committee held its first meeting and developed a plan and timetable for planning, did an initial situation assessment (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats), and took a preliminary look at CASE District I’s mission. It also began the design of subsequent information gathering.

Engaging the Board and focusing on the future (January 2001): At its January meeting the Board was updated on the strategic planning process and they actively engaged in developing information for the situation scan, looking at how the world of education is changing. They also shared their thoughts about a future vision for CASE. As a result of discussions with the Board, the planning process was expanded somewhat and an increased emphasis was placed on defining the District’s relationship with CASE headquarters and enhancing that relationship moving forward.

Information Gathering (February - April 2001): The Strategic Planning Committee identified key individuals from throughout CASE (members, staff, people from other districts, people involved with communities of practice, etc.) to contribute to the strategic planning process. Using a common interview guide, members of the Strategic Planning Committee and the District Board carried out telephone interviews with these individuals. Question areas included strengths and weaknesses, trends and changes in the environment, the future of the advancement profession, and ideas for future priorities for CASE District I. Results were shared with the Board and Strategic Planning Committee.

Developing the plan (April - June 2001) At another joint meeting of the Board and the Strategic Planning Committee, the group discussed the implications of the interview results and worked to define a preferred future for CASE District I. This material provided the basis for in-depth discussions by the Strategic Planning Committee at a later meeting. The Planning Committee’s May meeting defined some strategic directions or priorities for CASE District I and began the process of identifying strategies. A draft of proposed directions and strategies was shared with the Board in June, and the final plan was developed based on the draft and feedback from that meeting.

Appendix

Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
The following analysis of CASE District I’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the opportunities and threats in the external environment, is based on interviews and discussions with people within CASE District I and external to it. The Strategic Planning Committee’s discussions of this information provided important context for its work in defining the appropriate directions and strategies for CASE District I.

Strengths of CASE District I

• The tremendous skills, expertise, and commitment of the volunteers.
  
  
• The District is itself a resource, with a concentration of high quality institutions and a wide range of members. These resources provide many networking opportunities that inform people of trends in the profession and what other institutions are doing.
  
  
• CASE District I has a niche in education, with a reputation for strong conferences that are particularly good for entry level people.
  
  
• Knowledge base: there is strong continuity of leadership in the governance and administration of the District.
  
  
• District I is the oldest and most sophisticated of the CASE districts, and it is seen as a leader by CASE headquarters and other districts.
  
  
• The caliber of programs and professionals in District I is without peer, for both colleges and universities and independent schools. We’re innovative.
  
  
• There is a high degree of loyalty to CASE (but is that eroding with increased competition?)
  
  
• CASE and District I have a strong reputation among new people.
  
  
• The District has ample financial resources and fiscal stability.
  
  

Weaknesses of CASE District I

• CASE is volunteer driven, which can be difficult when volunteers are busy and can’t participate. We go to the same people over and over. We need a more creative and sustained way to identify future leaders and conference speakers.
  
  
• Volunteer time is harder to access; everyone is busy. Even though there are lots of good ideas, it is hard to get people to implement them.
  
  
• The success of our programs sometimes leads to complacency.
  
  
• There is a lack of a "District presence." We’re seen as a conference, and we haven’t supplemented that with enough other offerings. Some feel there is too much focus on the conference.
  
  
• Few senior professionals are involved with CASE District I, and there is also concern that middle managers are not sufficiently engaged with CASE. They participated as newcomers but now may only come to conferences if they are speakers. They don’t see what’s in it for them.
  
  
• University presidents/CEOs don’t understand or appreciate CASE or the advancement field. This can make it difficult for members to get buy-in for members to participate in CASE programs and activities.
  
  
• The conferences and educational programs do not attract many high level people or mid level people (5-10 years in the profession, need networking opportunities).
  
  
• Too often we have a tendency toward the tactical rather than the big picture.
  
  

Opportunities and Threats facing CASE District I

Opportunities and threats are closely connected and include:

• There is increasing competition to provide support to advancement professionals. Communities of practice are growing and offer their own, more focused programs. People may gravitate to more focused groups, such as public institutions, or a planned giving group, or other specialty based on type of institution or specific area of professional practice. What is CASE’s best role in this situation?
  
  
• There is a great opportunity in the environment based on the strong economy. There has been a huge expansion of the profession and colleges and universities are investing more in advancement and professional education. We have the opportunity to offer educational programs that meet the needs of increasing numbers of professionals in the field, and to explore new delivery mechanisms.
  
  
• There are many opportunities for partnerships, collaborations with other professional organizations to fill in voids in programming and serve members better.
  
  
• District programs and CASE headquarters programs need to be better coordinated. How can we make the concept of a "seamless organization" of CASE headquarters and the districts work best for our members?
  
  
• Members need more hard data and research on specific topics in advancement. They turn to others for that information, but perhaps CASE could play a role.
  
  
• CASE plays an important role in setting standards and benchmarks, and it needs to balance the "cop" role and the service role
  
  
• As people become more senior, their interest tends to turn to the field and how it is changing. CASE needs to look at both direct service, such as conferences and educational programs, and indirect service, such as influencing the field so that we are creating a better context for our members to do their work.
  
  
• An issue facing seniors is how to recruit, train, and keep middle managers. Can we help address this?
  
  
• How do we get volunteers engaged, keep them engaged, and move them up the ladder?
  
  
• There has been a change in volunteer accountability at CASE and other volunteer organizations. People are busy and aren’t always following through on what they commit to. We need a cultural shift.
  
  
• How can we strengthen the quality and integrity of the organization, especially the conference, and still address the big picture of influencing the environment? We can’t do it at the expense of core services.
  
  
• Younger volunteers and future leaders gravitate toward "venture philanthropy," where most of the innovation is. Can CASE provide leadership to attract these people?
  
  
• The CASE Network, an initiative to build a large web site to serve both CASE headquarters and the districts, offers opportunities, although it is not yet clear what role District I will play.
  
  
• The web site needs to be improved and there should be greater connection between CASE headquarters’ web site and the District I web site. The web site might provide chat rooms for seniors or other services of interest to seniors.
  
  

If you have questions about district activities, please contact CASE's District Relations Office: districts@case.org ..