Greening Greater Memphis
Strategic Plan Outline
Mission (What good; for whom)
Greening Greater Memphis is creating a greener, more sustainable community.
Vision (What will be different in 3-5 years)
Greater Memphis will be a more attractive place of choice for people to live and thrive, enjoying improved health, improved stewardship of our natural resources and the environment, and a stronger economy. Our citizens will benefit from an improved quality of life with equal access to an integrated network of diverse recreational and open space opportunities, including parks, trails, greenways, and blueways.
Overview (Organizational concept)
Through Greening Greater Memphis the efforts of individuals, families, and partnering organizations with support from business and government will result in a more coordinated approach to advancing green and sustainable efforts throughout the community. Greening Greater Memphis will become the clearinghouse for green and sustainable efforts community-wide – serving as convener, coordinator and advocate.
Greening Greater Memphis will provide partnering organizations with a number of strategic services built around the coordination function. In particular, Greening Greater Memphis will focus initially on marketing/communication and education/research. With marketing/communication, Greening Greater Memphis will develop a variety of tools and resources for improving the communication between partners, as well as raising the visibility of partners, events and activities. Greening Greater Memphis will typically not develop its own research, but will likely serve as a centralized repository for what existing partners have produced – making it available to the community through the website. Education resources may be inventoried on the website and/or packaged into a speaker’s bureau available to the community.
Based on the initial budget assumption of $80K - $100K per year for three years, the essential determinant will be what source(s) will generate the revenue. A preliminary budget outline could call for grants with matching funds to be raised from the business and citizen community through corporate sponsorships and citizen supporters.
The board of directors will operate Greening Greater Memphis. Additional input will come from the committee structure, Partners Council, and citizen supporters. Part-time contractors will be responsible for the website, database management and PR.
Goals/Objectives (What; How)
1.0 Programs
The programmatic goal of Greening Greater Memphis is to become the clearinghouse for green and sustainable efforts by serving as a convener, coordinator and advocate.
1.1 Convener (annual + quarterly stakeholder forums; strategy sessions; etc.)
1.2 Coordinator (communication; education; research ; and committees)
1.3 Advocate (larger voice for community action)
Important to note that coordinator role related to education or research is more about compiling what exists and making it more accessible.
2.0 Marketing/Communication
Marketing/communication is one of the single-most important strategic services to be initiated and coordinated by Greening Greater Memphis, strengthening the collective efforts by existing organizations.
2.1 Database management (citizen supporters, donors, elected officials, etc.)
2.2 GreenHub (website, e-newsletter, e-blasts, PR, speakers bureau, etc.)
2.3 Education/research (gather existing education and research, etc.)
Important to note that the GreenHub website is considered to be the most important element that Greening Greater Memphis can initially offer to partnering organizations and the community.
3.0 Finance
Greening Greater Memphis will need an initial annual budget of $80K -$100K per year for three years to develop its infrastructure and meet basic operational needs. The key to any budget is establishing a reliable, sustainable source of revenue to support the organization.
3.1 Budget (3-year, revenues vs. expenses, etc.)
3.2 Earned revenue (partner structure, fees, etc.)
3.3 Unearned revenue (grants, sponsors, donations, special events, etc.)
Important to note the current intent is not having paid membership structure for individuals/families, but offering donor levels for individuals/families; sliding scale partner fees for participating Greening Greater Memphis organizations will comprise the partners council.
4.0 HR/Volunteers
Greening Greater Memphis does not plan to have any full-time paid staff initially. The organization will run as a volunteer organization and pay contracted part-time individuals for specific services including webmaster, database manager, accounting and public relations.
4.1 Staff (paid part-time webmaster, database manager, accounting, PR, etc.)
4.2 Volunteer (board, committee chairs, committees, etc.)
4.3 Committees (program, membership, communication, finance, etc.)
Important to note that a great deal of responsibility will fall on the shoulders of the board, committee chairs, and committee members.
5.0 Governance
Greening Greater Memphis will have a governing board of 15-21 members that will operate and make decisions on behalf of the organization. The Partners Council will serve as an advisory board.
5.1 Board (diverse 15-21 members – 1/3 sponsors/1/3 partners/1/3 at large)
5.2 Partners council (organizational partner advisory board)
5.3 Citizen support structure (individual and family, sponsors, etc.)
Important to note that each of these three groups offers Greening Greater Memphis different opportunities for community involvement.
BOARD SERVICE EXPECTATIONS
- Serves as an informed ambassador of the organization to the community
- Regularly attends board meetings and important related activities, events and meetings
- Makes a serious commitment to lead/participate actively in committee work
- Sets policy for the organization
- Provides financial oversight of the organization
- Actively participates in fundraising for the organization
- Develops and implements the organization’s strategic plan