The Leadership Challenge: Moving towards a governance model for the Washtenaw County Literacy Coalition

Slide 1: The Leadership Challenge Moving towards a governance model for the Washtenaw County Literacy Coalition April 14, 2008 Haley Gallagher & Virginia Knechtel Erika Malinoski & Buzzy Nielsen This presentation is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution‐Share Alike 3.0 license. Please visit http://www.creativecommons.org for more information. Gerald R. Ford Background image source: "Book" by Steve Mishos School of Public Policy <http://flickr.com/photos/flyzipper/342012313/>

Slide 2: 1 class: Public Policy 578 ‐ Applied Policy Seminar 2 instructors: Elisabeth Gerber & Bob Guenzel 3 groups: Emergency dispatch, government consolidation, & literacy governance 4 students: Haley, Virginia, Erika, & Buzzy Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 3: & General Findings & Critical Qualities for Success & Model I: Educational Outreach & Model II: County Leadership & Model III: Nonprofit Expansion & Variation: Suborganization & Model IV: New Nonprofit & Conclusions Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 4: General findings about nonprofit coalitions Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Graph source: Chapin Hall Center for Children (2000), p. 17

Slide 5: Questionnaire respondents 15 Clients 200 to millions Staff 0 to 1,400 Use volunteers? Yes, 75% Budgets $60,000 to $190 million Taxes, fees, donations, grants, Budget sources memberships, endowments, . . . Efforts in other coalitions Significant Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 6: Priority of 72.7% ranked it as a medium priority literacy coalition Are there barriers 72.7% said yes, citing time, money, and staffing to involvement Hours/month Average: 2‐5 devoted to coalition Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 7: Resources the task force needs and has the capacity to fill 4 3 Responses 2 Volunteers Program evaluation Literacy resources 1 0 Resource is Resource is We have We could This is a critical helpful enough contribute strength Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 8: Resources in which the task force has strong capacity Respondents saying they had enough or could contribute resource Legal advice Publicity Service expansion Referrals Fundraising Administrative Support Literacy strategies 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 9: Resources that the task force needs Respondents saying more of resource is helpful or critical Referrals Fundraising Administrative Support Literacy strategies 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 10: The Good: & Strong support for a coalition effort on literacy & Breadth of strengths among members & New partnerships/opportunities already arising & Agreement on an overall goal for expanding referrals networks & Willingness to invest time in a successful coalition Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 11: The Bad: & Different conceptions of mission & Distrust from previous coalition attempts & Need for leadership & Concern for specific populations & Overextended capacity & funding issues & Different conceptions of organizational form Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 12: & Public awareness & Education & Training & For network members & Political capital & For staff/volunteers & Sustainable funding & Data collection & A central hub for literacy & Asset inventory services/information & Including satellite services in neediest areas Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 13: & Strong leadership & Board of Directors & Common and realistic mission & Patience and willingness to reevaluate & Willingness for members to contribute & Ideally, a nonprofit structure Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 14: A strong LEADER must emerge. Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 15: Problems identified in previous coalitions Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy Graph source: Chapin Hall Center for Children (2000), p. 18

Slide 16: This literacy champion should: & Build relationships among organizations & Connect varied goals to a common mission & Lead strategic planning and the push for progress & Hold organizations accountable for commitments & Facilitate collaboration and referrals & Emerge from the community & Be a new full‐time, funded position Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 17: The task force must agree on a COMMON MISSION. Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 19: Organizations should be willing to CONTRIBUTE individual resources and time for communal progress. Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 20: Priority of 72.7% ranked it as a medium priority literacy coalition Are there barriers 72.7% said yes, citing time, money, and staffing to involvement Hours/month Average: 2‐5 devoted to coalition Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 22: Such contributions may include: & Funding for a coordinator position & Willingness to funnel grant monies through a central organization & Time investments for more meetings, joint services, etc. Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 23: Build on relationships formed in the task force Typified by: & On‐the‐fly partnerships structures (meetings, listserv, etc.) Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 24: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Low‐risk & Low impact & Easy & Lost funding & Slight opportunities improvement & Large populations from status quo of needy people remain unserved Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 25: Center literacy coordination efforts through a higher education institution Typified by: & Creating a new position (possibly faculty‐level) within a college or university & Significant student volunteer involvement & Partnerships with local nonprofits and agencies Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 26: Capitol Area Literacy Coalition & Executive Director is MSU professor & 12‐15 member Board of Directors & Incentives for students & faculty participating in coalition‐sponsored activities & Multiple partnerships with public and private entities, including with a national literacy effort & Diversified funding sources Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 27: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Credibility & & Could be brand of colleges perceived as and universities overly academic & Stable funding and & University administration guidelines may & Access to student generate conflicts volunteers & Poor mission fit Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 28: Create a leadership position within the County Typified by: & Placement within a County department & County acting as a central point of access, funding, and referrals for clients, funders, and nonprofits & A 501(c)(3) continuing to act as fiduciary agent Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 29: & Established as a "Local Management Board," with board members from the County, nonprofits, and businesses & Created a position within the department of Health & Human Services & Key component: ChildLink, a referral & triage services provided by the County & multiple nonprofit partners Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 30: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Stable funding & Poor mission fit & Strong & Financial administrative difficulties capacity & County may be & Multiple service ineligible for locations certain types of throughout county external funding Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 31: An existing nonprofit leads the coalition Typified by: & Nonprofit acting as spokesperson for the coalition & Shared fundraising efforts, with the nonprofit acting as fiduciary agent & Nonprofit leader coordinating meetings and the provision of services to prevent duplication Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 32: & A pre‐existing nonprofit, Washtenaw Housing Alliance, leads the coalition & Includes Operations Committee with representatives from member organizations & Different work groups tasked with addressing different areas of need for the coalition & Central website, organization, and location foster dissemination of information and funding Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 33: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Strong mission & Heavy burden on identification one organization & Uses existing & Few nonprofits capacity (with have the capacity new funding & Mission drift infusions) & Organizational & Strong “branding” authority/trust Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 34: Create a suborganization within an existing nonprofit Typified by: & Ensure a set of services receives attention without drawing resources from core activities & Varying degrees of autonomy possible & May or may not use existing non‐profit's brand Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 35: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Separates & Complicates coalition functions decision‐making & Close coordination & Difficulty finding between new and leadership existing nonprofit & Time‐consuming & Capitalizes on creation process existing brand Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 36: Create a new umbrella nonprofit, which serve the same functions as an expanded organization would do Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 37: & Membership‐based organization & Includes Board of Directors, Advisory Roundtable (represents larger literacy community), and Adult Learners Network & Opts for strong Board decision‐making, rather than a strong executive director Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 38: Strengths: Weaknesses: & Executive director & Difficult to find fulfills needed leadership administrative & Less credibility & functions Does not unduly & Time‐consuming creation process burden current nonprofit & Creates additional bureaucracy Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 39: MODEL III: Variation Create a suborganization within an existing nonprofit Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 40: Existing nonprofit Existing nonprofit's Coalition programs & services suborganization Executive Coalition committee director Workgroups Data, research, Fundraising etc. & evaluation Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 41: Strengths: & Community/coalition support & Can capitalize on strengths of other models & Strong mission fit & Washtenaw County's particularly strong nonprofit sector & Provides the smoothest transition Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 42: Key considerations: & Nonprofits will need to broaden mission & The County should continue its strong support of the coalition & Further capacity for centralized space, volunteers, etc. will be needed & Coalition members will need to demonstrate sustained commitment by contributing time and other resources Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 43: We see strong commitment to the success of this coalition We believe the coalition has or can acquire the resources it needs for success With the leadership, strong mission commitment, and willingness to contribute to the common good, we believe this coalition WILL succeed. Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

Slide 44: This presentation is available online at http://www.slideshare.net/remnil/literacy‐governance Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy

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