Tag: funding

Project Opportunity Analysis Template

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    Opportunity Analysis – Name of Project
     
    1. Key Strategic Priority Areas/Critical Success Factors
10 A Creatively addresses more than one of the nine key strategic priority areas.
7 B Directly targets a significant improvement in one key strategic priority area.
3 C Contributes to the achievement of one key strategic priority area.
  D Provides benefits, but does not address any of the nine key strategic priority areas.
     
    2. Annual Strategic Plan
10 A An integral and significant preplanned component of the annual strategic plan.
7 B An initiative within the annual plan.
3 C Consistent with focus areas of the plan, but not defined as a planned initiative.
  D Provides benefits, but is not connected to the initiatives defined in the plan.
     
    3. Mission, Vision and Precepts 
10 A Creatively addresses more than one precept or component of the mission.
7 B Directly targets a precept or component of the mission.
3 C Contributes to a precept or component of the mission.
  D Provides benefits, but the connection to the mission and precepts is weak.
     
    4. Long-term Strategic Plan
5 A Creatively addresses more than one goal of the plan.
4 B Directly targets a significant improvement in one goal of the plan.
2 C Contributes to the achievement of one goal of the plan.
  D Provides benefits, but does not address specific goals of the plan.
     
    5. Program/Product Portfolio
5 A Builds on an existing area of strength, leveraging a core competency.
4 B Provides services the organization has targeted for growth or improvement.
2 C Addresses an area of weakness considered critical to portfolio of services.
  D Serves a new area, a weak area, or one that de-emphasized.
     
    6. Customer(s) Served
5 A Targeted to serve an existing primary customer group.
4 B Serves a customer group which has been identified for growth potential.
2 C Serves a secondary customer group, by leveraging an existing program.
  D Serves a secondary customer group or channel,  which others could serve as well.
     
    7. Proven Demand for this Service
5 A Members, customers and sponsors have paid for this program before.
4 B Marketing research and tests indicate that this is a top priority service.
2 C Marketing research supports some demand, but dollar value is unproven.
  D Some constituents demand this service, but no research or market proof.
     
    8. Brand Consistency
5 A Service reinforces key brand messages and is promoted with existing vehicles.
4 B Service is consistent with key brand messages, but requires separate promotion.
2 C Service connects with some brand messages and requires separate promotion.
  D Service is not consistent with key brand messages.
     
    9. Delivery Channel Environment
5 A Reinforces historical and current programs and values in delivery organizations..
4 B Consistent with historical programs and values in delivery organizations.
2 C Some degree of innovation or stretch that may be a concern to some players.
  D Innovative program designed to introduce change for delivery partners.
     
    10. Financial Resources
5 A Earns a financial payback of investment in one year or less.
4 B Earns a financial payback in two years or less.
2 C Breaks even in more than 2 years, but provides significant qualitative benefits.
  D Qualitative benefits are deemed to exceed quantitative costs.
     
    11. Sponsor/Funding Resources
5 A Creates a strong opportunity to attract new sponsors and contributions.
4 B An attractive project 80% likely funded in a year, without harming programs.
2 C More than 50% funding chance, but may compete with existing programs.
  D Less than a 50% funding chance or clearly competes with existing programs.
     
    12. Information Technology
5 A Uses existing capabilities without modification.
4 B Uses existing or planned strong capabilities with minor enhancements.
2 C Uses existing capabilities, but requires development outside of current plans.
  D Requires pioneering development work to provide appropriate service.
     
    13. Delivery/Operations/Processing Capabilities
5 A Uses existing strong capabilities without modification.
4 B Uses existing strong capabilities with minor enhancements.
2 C Uses existing capabilities, but requires significant development.
  D Requires pioneering development work to provide appropriate service.
     
    14. Human Resources
5 A Service can be provided by existing staff and structure.
4 B Service requires some additions to staff in existing categories.
2 C Service requires new staff skills and minor adjustments to structure.
  D Service requires major initiatives in recruiting, retention and structure.
     
    15. Monitoring and Evaluation
5 A Success is easily measured by existing measurement and evaluation tools.
4 B Success can be measured with only minor enhancements to current system.
2 C Success can be measured, but will require adjustments to existing measures.
  D Success is difficult, if not cost prohibitive, to measure directly.

Indiana School Finances

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Indiana state school funding will decline for the next 3 years.  The current 5% expense reduction is just the first step.   School districts need to take bold actions to reduce their underlying cost structures.  Other organizations are reducing costs by 10% and increasing labor productivity by 5-8%.  Innovative schools can achieve the same financial gains while improving the quality of education.  These 20 ideas may be infeasible, but they might help to generate some creative solutions.

  1. Rank order career & technical programs and eliminate the single least effective one.
  2. Replace some career and guidance counselors with web resources and volunteers from local civic group partners.
  3. Assign administrators to jointly teach 1 FTE of classes in a technical field.
  4. Employ technology for teaching and testing and eliminate 1 staff/department.
  5. Carefully define “special needs” education and obtain separate funding or sponsorship.
  6. Double the fees for extracurricular programs to cover all costs, including coaching supplements and subsidies for low-income students.
  7. Maximize the use of capital budgets and bond funding for capital maintenance expenses.  Refinance bonds and use savings for capital maintenance.
  8. Reduce employee benefits by one-half for the first 5 years of employment.
  9. Add an additional teaching period for tenured staff.
  10. Assign a mentee to tenured staff and provide incentives for retention/progress.
  11. Provide teachers with a financial incentive in years 3-6 to remain in place.
  12. Eliminate future degree/credit hours based compensation increases.
  13. Outsource transportation, IT, HR, marketing and financial services.
  14. Extend textbook lives by 2 years.
  15. Move to a used computer strategy, recycling the 3-year-old units from local businesses.
  16. Consolidate library/AV staff and resources with community libraries.
  17. Reduce the cost of transportation by increasing the share of walkers, reducing the number of stops and limiting extra services.
  18. Move discipline problem students to countywide alternative programs after 3 strikes.
  19. Collect fees for AP and dual credit programs.
  20. Increase the use of teacher’s assistants when they can cost-effectively increase classroom sizes while providing quality education.

All changes have costs and benefits.  In a world of 10% less funding, schools that are able to identify the areas where the greatest cost reductions can be found with the least negative impact will be the ones that best serve their students, teachers and communities.  Schools should reach out to their communities for help in generating solutions to the coming crisis.

Value of Public Libraries

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The century old consensus regarding the value of public library services is increasingly
questioned.  Rising costs, anti-government sentiments, accountability demands, on-line
materials delivery, an increasingly individualistic and commercial society, and reduced
public funding combine to challenge libraries to clearly define their services, respond to
public demands and justify their very existence!
 
Libraries need to build upon their historical strengths to clearly define the value they
provide, measure ongoing progress and actively promote their value.
 
Libraries deserve public support because they deliver value:
 
1) Economic ROI of 200%+ compared with 10% returns for private capital.
 
2) Near-zero incremental cost personal growth with positive spillover benefits to the
community, leading to an improved quality of life for all citizens.
 
3) Libraries support the effectiveness of our democratic society, building universal
literacy, access to education, information and interaction opportunities.
 
4) Libraries serve as a physical embodiment of the community’s belief in itself.
 
1) Economic Returns
 
Materials can be used 30 times, rather than once.
Materials in all categories achieve targeted usage rates.
Services ensure that all age, socio-economic status and geographical groups benefit. 
Higher cost materials providing value to many patrons.
Lower demand materials are used by many individuals, schools and libraries.
Librarians maintain specialized knowledge of value to patrons.
Materials are professionally selected to be of highest value to patrons.
Short-term demands and long-term portfolio needs are balanced.
Libraries deliver highest demand services, creating a community asset.
 
2) Personal Growth Gains
 
Access to individual paced personal and career growth materials.
Develop a love of reading and learning in all students.
Facilitate an interest in life-long learning in adults.
Access to life-long professional growth.
Opportunities to explore materials of interest.
Opportunities beyond areas of mastery to explore diverse topics and cultures.
Provide adults with introductions, exploration and mastery level experiences beyond
careers, professions and economic progress.
 
3) Civic Benefits
 
Develop general, economic and political literacy.
Materials represent all sides of public policy issues.
Promote the core views of the American public, educating immigrants.
Offer diverse viewpoints, encouraging the general public to consider their views.
Sophisticated access to all materials and viewpoints.
Historical and contrary viewpoints on current issues to ensure full consideration.
Training and experience to evaluate claims from proponents of all views.
Encourage low income/resource individuals to use the library for personal growth.
 
4) Community Benefits
 
Spaces for community meetings.
Promotion of personal and community growth.
Common learning experiences unite diverse elements of society.
Opportunities for volunteers, donors, advisors, respondents and citizens.
Opportunities for intergenerational interaction.
A positive view of the future through progress.
 
Summary
 
Libraries face threats to their public funding.  By adapting programs, delivering value
and informing the public, libraries can continue to fill their vital value added role for
society.