Strategic Planning and Goals for 2015-2018

A few times a year, one phrase is heard in different agency meetings around Tobosa that remind people to look at the big picture. This phrase is “Strategic Planning/Strategic Goals.” Strategic Planning is where we sit down and plan out the goals and direction for our organization for the next 3-5 years. The goals look at the big picture and map out how we accomplish our mission through them. We use the retreat as an opportune time to complete our strategic planning.

The retreat is a way for people from different areas of the organization to come together without distractions. Being away really helps our group thinking process by being able to step outside of the box of our building and do some thought processing together. At these retreats we come together and identify things Tobosa is great at as well as the areas we need improvement in. After these have been identified, we look at the opportunities and threats for the organization. From these things we develop outcomes/goals that incorporate everything we have identified and then write action plans for each.

I remember back to my first experience with this. It was a planning meeting for the annual retreat in June of 2015. During that meeting I was informed that we would be conducting the SWOT Analysis at the retreat to develop our strategic goals. Looking back, I remember thinking, “What? For one, they don’t even know how to spell SWAT and for another, what does special weapons and tactics have to do with Tobosa?” I also remember being very nervous as the retreat approached and not knowing what to expect. What I was not surprised about in arriving at the retreat is that we went right into a meeting (as professionals we are very good at calling meetings). I was surprised, however, at the amount of thinking and brainstorming that we did in this meeting and what ultimately came from our hard work. This meeting entailed the execution of our SWOT Analysis and the development of the Strategic Goals for 2015 – 2018 for Tobosa.

As a result of this process in 2015, Tobosa developed five Strategic Goals (along with sub-outcomes or a plan of action for each one):

• Tobosa will maintain, improve and/or add new quality programming as necessary to meet individual and community needs.
  • Early Intervention will grow by 50%
  • Los Pasitos will have a 30% growth
  • Add Social Work/Family Counseling to Early Intervention programming
  • Develop/Implement programs for elderly/medically involved clientele w/specialized training for staff
  • Make four specific changes to improve programs: med error procedures, client care, best practices
• Tobosa will implement and maintain an effective and timely marketing plan
  • Publish book by 40th anniversary
  • Implement a “Legislative Forum” meeting every year
  • Research the various programs offered by school systems which may provide opportunities to spotlight Tobosa programs, e.g. Career Day, DECA
  • Engage social/regular media to showcase programs, services, and successes
• Tobosa will improve stewardship of our company assets and secure future funding for additional assets.
  • Identify future projects necessary to continue/improve programs and present needs to various funding services, e.g. Legislative, grants
• Tobosa will stabilize and diversify its finances.
  • Explore new fundraising projects, e.g. Karaoke nights, giant bubbles, professional fundraiser
  • Focus on Donor Pools to secure donors who will give on a continuous basis
  • Explore possibilities in finding another major funding source e.g. NISH
• Tobosa will maintain a dynamic and effective workforce.
  • Research possibilities to establish a CNA certified center agency at Tobosa
  • Establish committees to review/revise/develop new agency manuals
  • Review and update salary schedule/benefits
  • Develop and implement interdepartmental team building activities

In September 2016, the Tobosa Board of Directors met and came up with a sixth goal.

• Goal IV: Tobosa Leadership will establish and promote synergy within the organization in support of its mission.
  • This goal includes sub-outcomes of: Create active Board committees, Board members will attend Tobosa activities, and the Give and Get program.

These Strategic Goals will be our driving force until 2018. I am glad to report that we attended our first ever Annual Winter Retreat in an effort to look at our progress of these goals and rekindle our fire and passion to complete the remainder of them. Our Winter Retreat took place Jan 12-14, 2017. I am looking forward to sharing with you, all of the hard work that was conducted while we were away..