Statement of Work
Otsego County Community Foundation
Address: 123 W. Main Street, Gaylord, MI 49735
Contact: Dana Bensinger, Executive Director
Contact Phone: (989) 731-0597
Contact Email:
Engagement Title: Otsego County Community Foundation CCAT and Strategic Plan Engagement
Engagement Type: Organizational Capacity Assessment; Strategic Plan
This statement of work, dated January 29, 2014 is by and between Otsego County Community Foundation and NorthSky Nonprofit Network (NorthSky.) See appendix 1 for description of NorthSky. Otsego County Community Foundation has requested assistance with organizational capacity building including an organizational capacity assessment and development of a strategic plan including clarification of organization’s mission, strategic vision/focus and direction for the organization. The terms of the agreement are outlined below.
GUIDING OUTCOMES
The project will complete the key activities outlined in the next section to advance Otsego County Community Foundation closer to reaching the following capacity building guiding outcomes. All of these outcomes will not all be achieved by the close of this engagement, but are meant to ground the engagement in the longer-term capacity building best practices that relate to this work.
1) Use of baseline data to identify areas for organizational capacity building.
2) Organizational agreement on priority areas for capacity building
3) Board and staff understanding of the recognized best practices for nonprofit organizations related to capacity building, governance transformation and organizational revitalization.
4) Organization has a clear mission that reflects its values and purpose.
5) Organization has a clear, specific, and compelling vision.
6) Vision is translated into clear, bold goals.
7) Goals are used to direct actions and set priorities.
8) Organization has concrete, realistic and detailed strategic plan.
9) Information is systematically collected and used to support and improve planning efforts.
10) Planning is an ongoing activity to allow for innovation and adaptation as needed to meet new challenges or needs
11) Strategic plan is used to direct operations.
INPUTS
NorthSky will provide Jennifer Booher as lead consultant for this project (see appendix 3 for consultant bio). The project is anticipated to take not more than 59 hours.
Otsego County Community Foundation agrees to provide the following leadership and support to the project:
o Convene a project team that will work directly with the NorthSky consultant on project activities.
o Access to project team, data and materials as pertinent to the project.
o Coordinate scheduling of all participants in meetings
o Active participation in all meetings and additional activities scheduled
o Provision of all refreshments, meeting location and meeting supplies
o Complete NorthSky evaluations of the engagement
ACTIVITIES & OUTPUTS
NorthSky will provide the following services to Otsego County Community Foundation to be completed by June 2014.
April 2014 Conduct Organizational Capacity Assessment and Planning Session I
The NorthSky consultant will meet with Otsego County Community Foundation leadership and undergo an orientation to the organization, information gathering and prepare materials for governance training and completion of the organizational capacity assessment. See attachment 2 for information request.
The NorthSky consultant will provide a three-hour Board briefing and planning session focused on the following topics.
o Discussion of Otsego County Community Foundation strategic challenges and implications for board roles and responsibilities.
o Education on organizational capacity assessment and the role the Board (and the strategic plan) plays in sustaining a nonprofit organization.
o Briefing on current climate of nonprofit sector and implications for the strategic plan
o Refresher on best practices related to Board fiduciary roles and responsibilities.
o Begin strategic plan development
o Instructions for the organizational capacity assessment
April/May 2014 Completion of Organizational Capacity Assessment
The NorthSky consultant will distribute the organizational capacity assessment to Otsego County Community Foundation Board and staff. The team will complete the assessment. The NorthSky consultant will compile the assessment results and prepare for board session.
May 2014 Planning Session II
The consultant will conduct a 4-hour session with the Board of Directors and management team to review the results of the organizational capacity assessment, identify priority areas for capacity building and continue strategic planning. The agenda for the session will include the following.
o Review information and research findings gathered from the organizational capacity assessment, and information gathering.
o Facilitate the Board and staff in identifying priority areas for capacity building.
o Refine mission and organizational purpose
o Develop/ refine shared vision/ focus and direction.
o Review current business model and identify desired future business model.
o Outline key goals and strategies.
May/June 2014 Planning Session III: Completion of Strategic Plan
The consultant will develop a draft strategic plan based on the work completed during planning sessions I and II. The documents will be routed via email to the Board and management team for review and comment. The consultant will produce a revised draft that will be used for planning session III. Agenda topics for planning session III include:
o Refinement of the strategic vision/ focus/ direction
o Refinement of the funding model
o Refinement of the business model
o Refinement of goals and strategies
o Development of an implementation plan with assignments and timelines
o Development of an organizational structure/ committee structure to support the plan
June 2014 Finalize Strategic Plan
The consultant will produce a final strategic plan based on planning session III and route it to the Board and staff via email for comment. The consultant will produce final documents for Board approval.
Deliverables
The following deliverables will be provided to Otsego County Community Foundation by the close of the engagement.
1) At least (3) planning sessions
2) Organizational capacity assessment data and report
3) A final Strategic Plan
Timeline
The project will be initiated in April 2014 and completed by June 2014.
FEES AND TERMS
The project is anticipated to take not more than 59 hours of time. The NorthSky hourly rate is $90/hour. The total project cost (including CCAT test fee and cost for materials) will not be greater than $5,540 without the written approval of Otsego County Community Foundation.
Organizational capacity assessment / 15 / $90 / $1,350
CCAT Test Fee / $200
Strategic plan development / 44 / $90 / $3,960
Materials / $30
TOTAL / $5,540
To initiate the engagement, Otsego County Community Foundation will be billed $2,885 immediately for the first 29.5 hours of the engagement, the CCAT test fee and material costs. Thereafter, Otsego County Community Foundation will be billed monthly for actual consultant hours worked less the initial fee paid to initiate project.
Otsego County Community Foundation and NorthSky retain the right to terminate the project at any time with written notice. In this event, Otsego County Community Foundation will be billed and responsible for the consultant hours worked up to the date of termination less any amount paid in advance to initiate engagement. A dispute resolution process that is mutually acceptable to both organizations will be used in the event of a potential contract termination.
All Otsego County Community Foundation data and information will be held in the strictest confidence and will remain its exclusive property. Otsego County Community Foundation will retain ownership of all documents, reports and project data supplied as part of this project. Otsego County Community Foundation will have permission to use tools and templates provided by NorthSky for future work with proper credits.
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Dana Bensinger Date Marsha Smith Date
Executive Director Executive Director
Otsego County Community Foundation Rotary Charities
APPENDIX 1: BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT NORTHSKY NONPROFIT NETWORK
NorthSky’s mission is to build strong communities by helping nonprofit organizations achieve and sustain excellence.
NorthSky is a nonprofit program of Rotary Charities of Traverse City, a public foundation, that assists nonprofit organizations strengthen their capabilities through capacity building and sustainability support. It provides a wide range of services and resources to help nonprofit organizations deliver programs effectively and efficiently. It also serves as an advocate—securing state and national political support and technical and financial resources, bringing them home to the nonprofits in its region.
NorthSky’s primary service area includes the counties of Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford. Within this predominantly rural area, more than 1800 nonprofit organizations serve sectors that include arts and culture, education, environment, faith-based, health care, and social services.
In two years, NorthSky has provided 204 nonprofit organizations with 5,247 hours of counseling/consulting services and presented 88 professional development sessions to 1,258 people. The NorthSky website receives over 5,000 unique visits/month.
NorthSky’s Primary Service Lines Include:
Free Business Development Counseling
Recognizing the importance of the health of the nonprofit sector in relation to economic activity and impact, NorthSky Nonprofit Network and the Region 2 Small Business & Technology Development Center (SBTDC), launched a Region 2 SBTDC satellite office to service nonprofit corporations with business development services equivalent to those available to the for-profit sector. NorthSky is the only SBTDC office in the nation that has been designated to provide nonprofit-specific business development counseling.
Professional Development Series
In an increasingly fast-paced changing environment, it is essential that nonprofit staffs and volunteers continue to grow and hone their skills and knowledge. The NorthSky series provides a variety of learning vehicles including workshops and webinars on a wide range of topics to help meet this need.
Online Resource Center: Providing Examples of Best Practice Tools and Templates
One of the most effective and efficient means to manage is to start with tools, templates and systems that represent acknowledged best practices in the field. All materials in the NorthSky Resource Center are available free-of-charge.
Fee-Based Consulting
NorthSky has developed a network of consultants with vast expertise and experience in the nonprofit sector. Consultants in the network are vetted, including reference checks, and agree to meet annually for professional development and to utilize the NorthSky customer satisfaction evaluation process.
Contact NorthSky at:
231.929.3934, x 207
NorthSky Statement of Work 8
APPENDIX 2: INFORMATION REQUEST
Copy of logo
Mission statement
Vision statement – if one exists
Statement of values- if one exists
Previous strategic plan
Copy of bylaws
List of board members/ affiliations
Board role description
Board policies and procedures
Board committees
Revenue trends
• Income statement for past three years
• Sources of revenue
Grants
Earned Income- programs, dues, etc.
Investment or other income
Any satisfaction survey results? Evaluation results? Needs assessments?
Annual report, marketing materials, newsletters, etc.
APPENDIX 3: CONSULTANT BIO
JENNIFER J. BOOHER
Jennifer has over 12 years of experience in fund development and marketing. Throughout her career she has been recognized for her skills in creating and presenting both formal and informal presentations as well as her ability to initiate, strengthen and steward relationships. As a professional consultant, Jennifer has served organizations in areas such as fund development (focusing on donor relations), strategic planning, leadership coaching (staff and board level), board development, and grant writing (public and private foundations).
Jennifer is a graduate of Michigan State University with a dual major in Marketing and Advertising. She began her career representing national and international clients such as Saab Cars USA, Saturn Corporation and Ford Motor Company through various marketing efforts. During this time she managed cause-related marketing programs for clients resulting in her interest and desire to work with non-profit organizations directly to advance their missions.
In 2001 Jennifer accepted the position as Sponsorship Manager for the Detroit Zoological Society where she developed a formal sponsorship process which led to great success in securing major sponsorships and forging long-term relationships with individual and corporate donors. Prior to starting her consulting business, Jennifer held the first Fund Development Director position for Camp Daggett, a traditional summer camp and year-round adventure education center established in 1925 and located in Petoskey, Michigan. As Development Director, Jennifer worked to strengthen the organization’s infrastructure to effectively support fund development efforts. Her involvement while serving Camp Daggett included, developing and implementing a fund development plan and managing annual campaign, major gifts and grant programs centered on relationship based fundraising efforts. Other areas of focus included board development, event planning and management and volunteer management.
Jennifer has enthusiasm and affinity for relationship-based fundraising. In her experience as a consultant, she has been extremely successful in working with non-profits to establish strong fund development management within their organizations. Her approach to advancing these organizations toward achieving long-term sustainability focuses on strengthening relationships with current donors, building relationships with new, potential donors and stewardship of these valuable relationships. Jennifer has worked with individuals with many diverse backgrounds and personalities ranging from Executive Directors of sophisticated, national organizations to first-time board members of grassroots, start-up organizations in areas such as strategic planning and organizational management. In doing so, her approach is to provide guidance in assisting them in achieving their full potential by focusing on their strengths and helping them identify opportunities for growth.