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2011 - 2013 Strategic Organizational Goals
Every organization benefits from good planning. In 2010, Countryside Association completed our strategic plan for the period 2011-2013. Part of the process included soliciting input from our various stakeholders via an on-line poll, discussion at various stakeholder meetings including families, clients and employees, focusing on proposed priorities and discussion amongst management and board members. An analysis of the survey results produced the following priorities from which organizational goals were developed.
Top Goal Priorities from 2010 Stakeholder Survey
Develop additional sources of funding………………………………..… 70%
Continue to provide meaningful work and day activities for participants… 31%
Maintain stability of the organization………………............................... 26%
Promote additional advocacy for our mission at the state level…………... 24%
Developing residential services …………………………………… …… 21%
Maintain service quality…………………………………………………. 21%
Increase the visibility of the organization………………………………… 20%
Complete building expansion and improvement………………………….. 16%
Goal Area – Facilities
Objective 1 Complete 1B model of expansion and renovation at the Palatine campus as approved by the Association and Foundation Board May, 2010.
To be completed in Fiscal Year 2011 - 2013:
- Obtain engineering and permit for Sanitary Sewer Design
- Obtain engineering and permit for Palatine site renovations & construction
- If approved with permits and board, obtain final engineering for build
- If approved by the board complete sewer access by end of 2010
- If approved by board let contract for creation of building construction plans. Begin construction in 2011, finishing in 2012.
Objective 2 Address continued renovation needs at Lakeside location with plan and identified sources for funding.
Goal Area – Residential Options
Objective 1 Continue to monitor the state’s ability to expand and adequately support community group homes. Take action when consistency of support improves. Renew current residential license in 2010.
Goal Area – Services
Objective 1 Developmental Training – will continue to provide support services for eligible, state sponsored, Medicaid funded individuals. State certification and national accreditation will be maintained.
Objective 2 Seniors Supports – Golden Opportunities will continue at both of our centers. National accreditation will be obtained in May 2011. Funding will continue from the state Department of DD augmented by Township and private funding.
Objective 3 Transition Services – High school age participants will continue to receive services based on documented and measurable support services at both our work centers. National accreditation will be obtained in May 2011.
Objective 4 Community Employment Services – State and federal funded initiatives together with local private funding will continue to support our community employment efforts. Where possible, additional private funding will be obtained for our mobile work crew(s).
Objective 5 In Home Respite Services will continue using available state funding. If eliminated, the funding obtained from townships and local United Ways will be used to continue services but at a significantly reduced level.
Objective 6 Home Care– a for-profit venture to provide Home Care services to persons with disabilities in their home will be developed and operational in calendar year 2010. Any profit will benefit services provided to families in our traditional In-Home Respite program.
Objective 7 Production Services – Continue effort to offer at least 50% of production time to both work and training centers.
Goal Area – Resource Development
Objective 1 The capital campaign entitled, Building Opportunities will begin in 2010 and our efforts to raise $3.0 million required for phase 1B of a four-phase project will start. Strategies will include: 1) presenting individual proposals to identified corporations and foundations 2) stay abreast of State and Federal Economic Stimulus projects for corporate and capital development; 3) determine feasibility of Annual Giving Campaign tied to this specific project.
Objective 2 Significantly increase number of new donors to Countryside Association. Strategies include: 1) participation by all board members and other stakeholders in bringing interested individuals to either of campuses for tours and discussions, 2) Invitations by stakeholders of new community members to any or all of our annual special events, 3) introduce potential donors to development staff and executive director for community follow-up.
Objective 3 Increase number of returning donors and participants in monthly pledge program. Strategies include: 1) increase both formal and informal communications with lapsed and former donors, 2) developing targeted communications to donors with special interests, 3) reference importance of consistent donations in various printed materials.
Goal Area – Governance & Leadership
Objective 1 New members will be recruited based on their specific skills sets and/or connections to the larger community. An active nominating committee will be developed in 2010 to determine a strategic plan for member recruitment and development.
Objective 2 Board members will pair with development team members and Executive Director to help identify and present to potential contributors to our Capital Campaign.
Objective 3 Board progress and satisfaction will continue to be measured each year.
For more information on these objectives contact: Wayne A. Kulick, Executive Director (847) 540-3701 or waynek@countrysideassn.org. Click here to download a copy of The Case for Countryside Association.
2010 Accomplishments
This year Countryside Association made the following achievements in response to the identified needs of people with disabilities and their families.
Developing A Facility Plan Is Essential To Expanding and Renovating our Properties
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Countryside generated sufficient interest and support from 6 area state legislators to become a recipient of the 2010 Illinois Capital Plan resulting in an award of additional capital funding for facility renovation and expansion.
- Countryside Foundation and Association working with a local architect developed a detailed Conceptual Design & Master Plan for our Countryside Center location.
Expanding our donor base is crucial to stabilizing the services offered by Countryside
- The number of first-time donors to Countryside Association increased dramatically during 2010.
- Significantly improved our ongoing communication to all stakeholders by more frequent newsletters and promotional materials, emails and special mailings.
- Produced Faces of Countryside video to promote the organization and solicit support for immediate future needs.
- Expanded our social media presence via Twitter, Facebook and YouTube applications and made donation and special event registration easier by automating purchases and contributions via electronic transactions over the web.
- Added donor database (thanks to Clipped Wings) to better track and analyze our progress promoting donations and major gifts.
People with Disabilities Want to Work
- This year Countryside's Production Services generated more than $500,000 in subcontract revenue from both Work and Training Centers providing significant paid work opportunities for more than 319 adults with disabilities. Total revenue this year exceeds last year by 9%!
- Our Community Employment efforts were impacted by the economy however we continued to support more than 28 persons with disabilities in a variety of individual and group sites at employers throughout Cook and Lake Counties.
- Work crews were expanded at the Countryside Center location to include both paid and volunteer community activities.
People with Disabilities Want to Live More Independently
- In July 2009 Countryside Association was awarded its first CILA Group Home License. Further development in this area is delayed pending improvement in the state’s economic status.
People with Disabilities in Transition Receive Specialized Services
- Support services for seniors with developmental disabilities (Golden Opportunities) are now available at both our main service locations. Lakeside Center initiated this support service April, 2010.
- Transition Services for students with disabilities were developed for Waukegan High School students through a cooperative project with another area service provider.
- Transition Services were resumed for transition students from school district 211 (Palatine).
Families Need and Deserve Critical Support Services
- Countryside Association's In-Home Respite program provided this important support service to a total of 150 enrolled families this year.
- An additional 14 new families received in-home respite services during 2010.
A Committed, Stable Work Force is Essential
- The recent employee survey (November 2009) noted significant improvements in employee attitude and engagement compared to 2007.
- Direct Service Professionals turnover rates remain exceptionally low.
Transportation Services Are Critical to Accessing Services
- Countryside Association added a new, 14-passenger paratransit vehicle to our fleet thorough an award from the Illinois Department of Transportation.
- As a board member on the Lake County Coordinated Transportation Services Committee, Countryside Association assisted the County in attaining a New Freedom Federal transportation grant designed to increase paratransit services for residents with disabilities and seniors who reside in Avon, Grant, Antioch and Lake Villa Townships. Service began January 2010.
Leadership and Supervision is Essential to Provide Quality Services
- The Association Board of Directors increased their membership to 16 volunteer members. The Foundation increased their membership to 5 volunteer members.
- Twenty Countryside supervisors and managers successfully completed formal Supervisory Training offered by the Lake County Community College and funded by Lake County Workforce Development.
Community Support Is Essential to Maintain Current Services and Plan Future Growth
- A federal budget earmark has been submitted by Congressperson Melissa Bean in support of Countryside Center building renovation.
- Countryside received the fifth largest award (out of 50 state applicants) from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA). More than $200k was received in support of our community job development, training and support program.
- Our two major fundraiser's (Opportunity Walk and Recipe for Success) exceeded FY09 results for number of participants and resources raised.
- Private fundraising in general has increased significantly.
- The numbers of families engaged our fundraising efforts continue to grow.
2010 - 2011 Challenges and Projects That Need Your Support
The next fiscal year continues to offer significant challenges for Countryside Association. Specific projects for which we are seeking assistance include the following::
- The Countryside Center Design and Master Plan for building renovation and expansion has been completed yielding a $3M project for major improvements to control rain water distribution and to add an additional 9,000 sq feet to our existing Work and Training Center.
- A capital campaign entitled, Building Opportunities has successfully obtained 50% of the funds to make the Palatine Work and Training Center expansion a reality. A summary of that plan can be obtained here. Additional major gifts are necessary to help complete this project.
- Individual donor, corporate and foundation support must be increased to offset the state public funding reductions recently announced by the Governor of Illinois.
- Board development must continue to increase our leadership capacity to secure much needed resources.
Want to help with these projects or know someone who can? Contact Wayne A. Kulick, Executive Director (847) 540-3701.
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