Preparation for State 4-H Strategic Planning

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Preparation for State 4-H Strategic Planning

• State 4-H Leadership Council Meeting
• Thursday, May 15, 2003
• Lynchburg, VA
• Dr. Robert Ray Meadows
• Associate Director, 4-H

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Opening Statement and Authority

• Purpose of 4-H Leadership Council to establish
  policies as necessary for maximum program
  outcomes.
• As State 4-H Leader and Department Head for the
  Virginia 4-H Program, it is my responsibility to
  make final administrative decisions concerning
  the direction and operation of the 4-H program.
• With regards to programmatic policy, we share
  this responsibility as I have delegated some of
  this authority to the 4-H Leadership Council.

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• It is imperative that stakeholders are involved
  in the process of bettering our efforts for the
  future.
• I greatly value input from our stakeholders.
• A strategic plan is needed for the Virginia 4-H
  program.

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• There are several reasons as to why strategic
  planning is necessary. Major reasons include
• Our old 4-H strategic plan (1999-2002) expired in
  2002.
• Significant organizational and staff
  developmental changes.
• Reduced resources and sense of urgency as to the
  future of the Virginia 4-H program have greatly
  impacted the morale and enthusiasm of staff.
• New agents have been employed within the last
  year, along with multiple 4-H program assistants
  to fill vacancies created by the early
  retirements---lack preparation skills.
• The demographics of our customers (youth and
  adults) are changing.
• The Virginia 4-H program needs to focus on its
  key strengths---focused programs get results.

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• All stakeholders with the Virginia 4-H program
  need to be brought up to date concerning this
  process.

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What is Strategic Planning?

• Strategic planning is a MANAGEMENT TOOL. As a
  management tool, it is used for one purpose only
  help an organization do a better job---
• To focus its energy
• To ensure that members of the organization are
  working toward the same goals and
• To assess and adjust the organizations direction
  in response to a changing environment.

(Adapted from Brysons Strategic Planning in
Public and Nonprofit Organizations).
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• Strategic planning is a disciplined effort to
  produce fundamental decisions and actions that
  shape and guide what an organization is, what it
  does, and why it does it with a focus on the
  future!
• Strategic planning is a process because it
  involves preparing the best way to respond to the
  circumstances of the organizations environment,
  whether or not its circumstances are known in
  advance.

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• Being STRATEGIC means
• Being clear about the organizations objectives
• Being aware of the organizations resources
• Incorporating both into being consciously
  responsive to a dynamic environment
• Strategic planning is about planning because it
  involves intentionally setting goals and
  developing an approach to achieving those goals.

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• STRATEGIC PLANNING The plan is ultimately no
  more, no less, than a set of decisions about
• What to do
• Why to do it
• How to do it

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• STRATEGIC PLANNING differs from LONG-RANGE
  PLANNING
• Long-Range Planning means the development of a
  plan for accomplishing a goal or set of goals
  over a period of several years.
• Strategic Planning stresses the importance of
  making decisions that will ensure the
  organizations ability to successfully respond to
  changes in the environment.

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• How Does This Strategic Planning Process Differ
  From the Last Time?
• First, the 4-H Leadership Council will not be a
  single group working with a proposed Virginia 4-H
  Strategic Plan for 2003-2007. the combination of
  staff from various levels, clients and external
  stakeholders will include
• 2 Agents
• 2 Specialists
• 1 4-H volunteer
• 1 External stakeholder
• 2 4-H youth
• 1 Facilitator
• 1 State 4-H Associate Director/Program Leader
• The facilitator for this planning group is Susan
  Halbert, Executive Vice-President of the National
  4-H Council, and former State 4-H Program Leader
  for Alaska

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• Secondly, careful attention will be given to
  environmental scanning of both internal and
  external factors in the planning process.
  Additionally, we will focus on an analysis of our
  strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats
  (a S.W.O.T. analysis).
• Thirdly, the plan will be developed with the
  concurrent input of stakeholder groups. This is
  an essential step if our planning is to be
  effective.

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• Lastly, I propose that we set up an additional
  4-H Leadership Council Committee to monitor the
  benchmarks, accomplishments, and issues that will
  be encountered as the plan is enacted. This
  committee will be the keeper of the 4-H
  strategic plan for its duration and will be
  called the Strategic Planning Committee.

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• The products of this strategic planning process
  will be
• Mission and vision statements for the next four
  years
• Situational assessment
• Competitive analysis of programs
• Goals
• Measurable objectives (for each goal)
• Strategies (for each objective)
• Strategic plan document
• Annual operating plan for year 1

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• Proposed timeline for completion of this work is
• Face-to-face meetings between May 2003 and May
  2004 with Planning Committee.
• Multiple conference calls between May 2003 and
  May 2004 with Planning Committee.
• District and/or regional meetings to engage
  stakeholders in the strategic planning process
  between May 2003 and May 2004.

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• Strategic Planning
• For
• Successful Programming
• Impacting the lives of those we serve.