1. Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Presented by: Mike Cosby and Ami Thomas Image courtesy of: http://charitablewords.com/

2. Education and Nicaragua
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Headshot and background images courtesy of: seeds of learning.org2008-2012 Nicaragua Stats Source: http://www.panmissions.org/Facts-About-Nicaragua.page
65% primary aged children enrolled in
school; 22% of these finish grade six
rural schools offer one to two years
only
77%of population is literate; 25% of
rural population is literate
takes an average of 10.3 years to
complete the mandatory six years of
schooling

3. What is Seeds of Learning?
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org
Non-Profit Organization
Dedicated to Improving Educational
Opportunities in Rural Latin America
Build and Equip Schools in
Nicaragua and El Salvador
Building Bridges
Between Cultures
Constructed or Remodeled 152
Classrooms in 55 Communities
Developed Three Learning
Resource Centers
Scholarships
Literacy Programs for Rural
Communities
Encourages Academic and
Enrichment Activities

4. What We Stand For
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Vision
“A world in which all persons have access to quality education, where cross-
cultural experiences promote understanding, and where people are
empowered to effect positive change.”
Mission:
“To promote conditions for quality learning in developing communities of the Americas
and educate North American constituents about the rich cultural diversity and the
educational and social needs of poorly resourced communities in Central America.”
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

5. Where We’re Going
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Image courtesy of: seedsof learning.org
VisionMissionGoals
Access to Quality Education
Cross Cultural Experiences
Which Promote Understanding
People Are Empowered
to Effect Positive Change
Promote Conditions for Quality
Learning and Developing
Communities
Educate North American Constituents About the Rich
Cultural Diversity & the Educational & Social Needs of
Poorly Resourced Communities in Central America
1. Retrofit Existing Sites
2. Expand Latin America Programming
3. Develop & Pilot Innovative Educational
Approaches Including 21st Century Tech
Exploring Most Effective Way
for Cross Cultural Education
Attract New Human and
Financial Resources to
Accomplish Plan

6. Strategic Planning Team
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Site Managers (Nicaragua)
Executive Director
The Board
Headshot and background images courtesy of: seeds of learning.org
“People” image courtesy of: http://cliparts.co/cliparts/yTk/A5A/yTkA5A8Lc.png

7. Current Landscape
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Strengths Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
• Integrity of programs
• Respect from people with whom we work
and communities
• Mature organization
• Passionate and invested staff, domestically and
abroad
• Effective, proven model
• Strong work group fee income
• Reserve funds
• Co-founder bottlenecking, cap of growth in
Nicaragua
• Dependent in large part on fee income
• Targeting communication with people in
database
• Executive Director doesn’t spend enough
time looking at the overall organization.
• No formal marketing plan
• Board size and diversification
• Partnership with organizations interested in
funding
• Business support/partnerships
• Expansion into other countries and areas
within the countries we are already
• Replication of project in other countries
• Growth in programs, particularly vocational
education
• Expanding faster than we can support
administratively or financially
• Partnerships that are not well thought through
• Co-founder not able to let go
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

8. Consolidate the knowledge and experience gained over the last 24 years,
to inform us how to grow most efficiently and effectively
Strategy #1: Create and apply standards and measures for quality education
Strategy #2: Assess current programs and progress towards quality, refocusing towards quality goals
Strategy #3: Develop and implement a monitoring and evaluation plan
Short-Term Goal #1
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

9. Strategy: Harness 21st century technology in service of quality education
Retrofit existing sites to conform to newly established program model, standards
and measures of success
Strategy: Assess current programs and progress towards quality and REFOCUS work towards quality goals
Develop and pilot innovative educational approaches, including 21st century tech
Short-Term Goal #2
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Short-Term Goal #3
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

10. Expand Latin American programming while exploring the most
effective way for cross-cultural education
Strategy #1: Open a third site in Nicaragua, then building on that, launch a fourth site
Strategy #2: Review and redefine purpose of work group program
Attract new human and financial resources to accomplish this plan
Strategy #1: Increase revenue by hiring consultant, focusing on major gifts, & adding human resources
Strategy #2: Redesign SOL’s management and organizational structure
Strategy #3: Increase operational capacity by adding and investing in staff in North and Central America
Strategy #4: Make Board recruitment one of the Board’s top priorities
Long-Term Goal #1
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Long-Term Goal #2
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

11. Values Statement
Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
➨ Alignment of Values
➨ Empowered to Effect Positive (Social) Change
➨ But... how ?
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org

12. Reconnecting to the Vision for a Brighter Future
Vision:
People Are Empowered to
Effect Positive Change
Image courtesy of: seeds of learning.org
You!
Give/Get Program
$10K each for a total of $110K
You’re Empowered