Action and Financial Plan

Introduction

Welcome to the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF). We salute your efforts to help blind people and dogs by starting a new guide dog organisation. At first you may feel overwhelmed by the large amount of information. Use it as a roadmap to develop your vision for a guide dog organisation that meets the specific needs of blind people in your country with the resources you have available. Use it to learn about successful paths taken by other organisations to become successful in their individual way.

The Action and Financial Plan consists of:

Part A: this document

Part B: a sample budget on a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet

Purpose of the document

Five factors evident in a successful guide dog organisation are characterised by:

  1. a reliable source of income - government or non government
  2. A reliable supply of sound dogs
  3. A reliable supply of suitable applicants
  4. Qualified staff
  5. Adherence to minimum standards

To achieve that level of service, each guide dog organisation has evolved uniquely with differing emphases on each of the 11 key elements of a guide dog organisation as outlined in ‘Starting and Developing a Guide Dog Organisation 2011’ (this was sent to you when you first enquired about IGDF. It can also be obtained from the IGDF Office). These 11 key elements are very much interconnected and this fact must be planned for, and where possible, in consultation with the experience of others who have achieved success before.

The completion of an action and financial planis a requirement of applying for applicant status with IGDF and it is also highly recommended for new guide dog organisations just starting out. Therefore this document aims to assist in the creation of an action and financial plan.

Who this document is for

This document is to assist those that wish to become part of IGDF with aspirations of becoming a full IGDF member in the future, when they meet the criteria. This could be one of two groups:

  • Newly established guide dog organisations that are producing guide dog teams and may qualify for applicant status with IGDF,
  • Individuals or groups enquiring because they are considering or are in the process of starting a guide dog organisation and would like to be recognised by IGDF while they develop their organisation

The action and financial plan

In the following pages a sample action and financial plan shows the key points identified by colleagues with many years of experience in starting and helping others start successful guide dog organisations. This action plan:

  • Is a tool that can be referred to often over your first 5 to 7 years and beyond.
  • Can be used as a check list.
  • Is designed to ensure you have at least considered all the important factors.
  • Contains action points that have been pertinent for many organisations existing in a variety of cultures and geographical settings.
  • Specifically guides your new organisation toward meeting all IGDF Standards and gain full membershipwith IGDF (i.e. training 20 teams and operating for a min of 5 years post incorporation/registration. In special circumstances, the Board may grant a 2 year extension out to 7 years).
  • Helps you to think of and plan for the important steps in a logical sequential way and to make decisions on the many issues encountered when establishing a successful new operation.
  • Have 11 sections that correspond to the 11 key elements outlined in the document ‘Starting and Developing a Guide Dog Organisation 2011.

As the action and financial plan is followed and progress is made, in the interest of continuity and structure, it is wise to develop and implement a revised action/business plan that will cover the next 3 to 5 year. It is recommended you continue the practice of assessing your development needs and create subsequent plans for future years as your organisation develops.

Requirements related to the action and financial plan

New enquiry organisations are advised to develop an action and financial plan as experience has seen so many emerging organisations make some critical and costly mistakes in the early years. These could have been avoided if an action and financial plan was in place.

Organisations applying for applicant status must complete an action and financial plan. The action and financial plan in this document can be used to assist this. It can:

  • Be used as a template which is completed to create an action and financial plan.
  • Be used to identify and act on items that are important to your organisation requirements.
  • Be adapted so you can remove those items that are not required at present (but keep them in mind for the future).
  • Be added to so any other items relevant to your organisation that may have been missed in this document can be included.

While it is our hope that over the first 5 to 7 years your organisation will closely work with this Action and financial plan you do NOT have to action or follow all of the items. They are listed as a comprehensive guide for you to consider. The DC recognises that each organisation evolves in its own way so add to it or change it as needed as your organisation grows and develops.

Creating an action and financial plan may appear overwhelming at first. However, just as with any big project, proceed in a manageable fashion - one step at a time. Having a sound and realistic action and financial plan to start with will reduce the number of mistakes that take you off of your path and prove costly.

What are the next steps once an action and financial plan is complete?

-Submit the completed Action and Financial Plan to the IGDF office - along with your application form. You do not need to submit the budget to the IGDF office.

-Your application pack will be reviewed by the Board.

-Assuming all is in order and your organisation meets the applicant status criteria your organisation will gain AGDO status.

-You will be notified of the outcome and if successful you will receive an invoice for the applicant status fee.

-Upon receipt of payment your information will be forwarded to the DC so we can provide direct support if requested.

How this form functions

This document is an electronic form that allows you to check off items as completed and add comments in the fields. To move down the page, use the scroll bar on the right of the document. Clicking the down arrow will take you to the next checkbox or comments field.

If you prefer to not use these form features, you can turn it off by going to Toolbar Options in Microsoft Word, clicking the down arrow at the end of your toolbar icons, choosing add or remove buttons, then choose customise, check off Forms and add the icon that looks like a lock and click it.

Element 1: Governance and Management

  • Forming the organisation
  • Forming and maintaining the Board
  • Appointing a Director/CEO

Actions / Done / Details
A. Registering the organisation
1. Has the organisation been registered according to the laws of your country?
2. Has the right to raise funds been granted?
3. Are you eligible for government or semi government funding; health insurance funding?
B. Board of Directors
1. Formation of the Board
  1. Has a Board been formed?
  2. Decide if the board is appointed or voted on.
  3. Find out if the laws of your country require a minimum number of board members.
  4. Does your Board have at least the positions of Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer?
  5. Have you created any subcommittees for fund raising, client services, etc?
  6. Remember, the larger the number can mean it is more difficult to make decisions. Perhaps start with a Board of 5 to 9 persons initially, and then grow the number if they work well together consistently.

2. Terms of Service for the Board
  1. Decide how long board members service- 4 years maybe appropriate
  2. Can they be reappointed for a further term?
  3. Have you decided how you will organise the Board retirements? Note: It is helpful to introduce a Board rotation system and stagger the end of terms for various board members such as elections every 2 years with each member serving 4 years to ensure continuity.
  4. Determine how to ensure continuity of Governance. I.e. do you have others in line who can take over who have already served 2 years?

3. Skills of Board Members
  1. Are they Volunteers or paid? Note: Board members are normally volunteers.
  2. Will the Board and Organisation management be able to work well together?
  3. Do the Board Members and Organisation Management have enough influence to raise funds and gather support of the community? Board members can help significantly if they represent industries and or have backgrounds in useful fields which may include but not limited to blind people; veterinary care; fund raising, public relations and media; accounting; vocational services; staff training; human rights and access; health, education and welfare sectors.
  4. It is unlikely you will have all of these represented in the early stages; however continue to grow the strength and expertise of your Board.
  5. Have you considered appointing a qualified blind person to the Board?

4. Board Function
  1. Decide how often and where will your Board meet?
  2. Decide who will take, ratify and distribute the minutes?
  3. Is it clear the Board’s function is to oversee the organisation performance by providing direction to and managing the Director/CEO and monitoring her/him against the performance outcomes outlined in their position description?

5 Mission Statement
  1. Has the Board created and agreed on the mission statement?
  2. Has the Mission statement been published and is it readily accessible to all?

C. Director/CEO Function & Organisational Goals
  1. Have you developed a position description and appointed a Director/CEO?
  2. Has the Director/CEO developed an agreed organisation chart and distributed it?
  3. Have job descriptions been developed and distributed to all staff, including volunteers?
  4. Have overall goals and strategy for the organisation been agreed and sharedwith all relevant "stakeholders", such as Board, staff, volunteers and donors, etc.?
  5. Has the Director developed a 5 year Action and Financial plan ensuring appropriate consultation, taking into consideration results of an environment analysis?
  6. Does the Director/CEO report on the financial and operation activities to the Board in a timely and effective way?
  7. Once approved by the Board, is the Director/CEO communicating effectively including to staff, volunteersand donors?

D. Budget
  1. Develop a detailed budget that includes all eleven (11) key elements (if pertinent) for your first year.
  2. Develop a projected budget for the next four years including operating, capital costs and income for all eleven elements.
Note:
- The budget is for your purposes. It does not need to be submitted to the IGDF.
- As a guide, we have a sample budget that can be used to help you identify the types of expenses your organisation may have. Ask the IGDF office if you did not receive it.

Element 2: Administration support services; record keeping systems; resources

  • Establish expectations for administrators
  • Establish use of record keeping system(s)
  • Create or import policies and procedures
  • Decide and act on facility requirements
  • Obtain appropriate dog and client transportation
  • Identify sources and acquire equipment

Actions / Done / Details
A. Establish expectations for administrators
1. Have administrators been hired to cover the current and 12 month projected work load for all 11 elements this year? Note: most new organisations could most likely only afford one part time administrator in the beginning.
2. Is the number of administrators managing aspects of the organisation in balance with financial resources and workloads?
3. Have expectations for administrators been established? Are there job descriptions to clearly define their areas of responsibility? Note: Good leaders allow staff overseeing the other 10 key elements to have responsibility over his or her division, or subdivision or working group. As the boss, your role is to provide those you supervise with resources, give them guidance and help them work effectively with other people in the broader organisation, while, at the same time, they are responsible for the day to day running.
This principle is very important because at every level, employees need to feel they are responsible and accountable. An effective leader not only has to set priorities but also has to mobilise the organisation to implement them. But this will happen only if the employees have a true sense of owning and being responsible for these functions in the broadest sense.
B. Establish use of a record keeping system(s)
1. Are you creating & storing records for the following?
  • Board and Board Subcommittee Minutes
  • Dog, Client, Staff and Volunteer (such as puppy raiser, etc), data. NOTERelDog Lite (RDL) is a software program developed for guide dog organisations available at no cost and runs on Microsoft Access software which is part of Microsoft Office Professional. It can be downloaded from the IGDF website link and can be used to store dog, client, staff & volunteer information for very small up to larger schools. As you grow, you will have all of your data available and readily accessible as you use more of its functions.
  • Agreements related to breeding stock, puppies, graduated and adoption/career change dogs
  • Fund Raising and Public Relations clients, including Media and Communications – grow the number of contacts and funds derived from individual dog sponsors, major donors, government funding sources and/or health insurance funded
  • Human resources – staff and volunteer staff - technical and non-technical, including performance management system, peer reviews, supervision, performance appraisal and development reviews, staff and volunteer recruitment, induction, exiting and grievance procedures
2. Is there controlled access to confidential data and records consistent with applicable laws and IGDF standards?
3. Have you sourced a Fund Raising database? Note: Many organisations operate with 2 systems, one for dog, client, staff and volunteer information and the other for Fund Raising, PR, Media
4. Are you in a position to purchase computer equipment to meet your organisations current needs? This may include computers, networking hardware and software.
C. Create or import policies and procedures
Have policies and procedures been developed, acquired, monitored and shared appropriately?
D. Decide and act on facility requirements
  1. Do you plan to build facilities?
  2. Do you have the appropriate size land available to build on?
  3. If in the Northern hemisphere, can the kennels face south?
  4. If in the Southern Hemisphere, can the kennels face north?
  5. Have you checked to see that your plans meet government regulations and IGDF standards?
  6. Have you factored in the government required Health and Safety requirements?
  7. Have you made arrangements to visit Guide Dog organisations so you can viewand study the designs and purpose built facilities, such as kennels, breeding centres, isolation facilities, etc?
  8. Have you looked at detailed architectural plans and structural reports of other guide Dog facilities around the world?

E. Obtain appropriate dog and client transport
  1. Have you looked at purpose modified vehicles used by other guide dog organisations?
  2. Will the vehicles you purchase be designed to ensure the safety and security re transportation of clients, dogs, volunteers and staff?
  3. With appropriate climate control and continuous ventilation, even when parked?

F. Identify sources and acquire equipment
  1. Have you sourced specialised guide dog equipment for breeding stock; puppies; dogs in assessment and training, graduated dogs/dogs in service?
  2. Have you ascertained if you can obtain equipment at a lower cost by purchasing equipment from an IGDF Member organisation that gets discounts by purchasing in bulk?

Element 3: Fund Raising & Public Relations - Media & Communications

  • Hire or identify someone to FundRaise
  • Get approval to FundRaise
  • Create a Fund Raising (FR) Plan
  • Find donors
  • Hire or identify someone to do Public Relations, Media and Communications
  • Create a Public Relations, Media & Communications (PR, M C) Plan
  • Create ways for the public to become aware of your organisation
  • Obtain permission for guide dogs, puppy raisers and breeding stock to enter public places and use public transportation

It is impossible to develop a new organisation without raising funds (and volunteers) – unless you are 100% government funded.

Reliable and adequate funding sources are one of the more critical key elements required to set up and operate successfully.

Hundreds of successful guide dog fund raising ideas have been implemented around the world by IGDF Member guide dog organisations since the 1920’s.

Before you start this activity, have you visited a variety of new and existing small, medium and large, and perhaps well-established IGDF member organisations that can assist with proven fund raising, public relations and media ideas so your efforts are not wasted?

The following questions and comments raise a number of the important things to be considered:

Actions / Done / Details
A. Fund Raising Personnel
  1. Have you appointed people with a proven track record who will take responsibility for and co-ordinate fund raising?

B. Approval to FundRaise
  1. Has government approval been given to FR?
Note: It is illegal in some countries as the guide dog organisations are entirely government funded or by government insurance subsidy
C. FundRaising Plan
  1. Have you developed a FR plan?
  2. Do the FR plans involve blind people and their guide dogs and if so, are they are in full agreement?
  3. Have you asked other Guide Dog organisations/IGDF members for ideas and information about all the different types of FR activities and programs that are successfully used such as sponsoring a puppy?

D. Find Donors
  1. Have you identified donors to provide financial support through donations of services and/or money?
  2. Note: some ideas
Individuals-to donate. E.g. signing up for puppy sponsorship
Philanthropists- to donate to a major project? E.g. building a client residence
Successful companies- with particular interest and synergy with dogs and blindness E.g. Dog food companies supplying free product; pharmaceutical companies providing free vaccines, parasite control
Government- Seed funding or add your organisation into existing social services support.
Community Campaigns: check if your country has campaigns like United Way and Community Chest in the USA that donate money.
Veterinarians: ask veterinarians to provide a discount or sponsor the care of individual dogs. The type of support you need includes the veterinary expenses for dog production from breeding through to dog assessment and training, and then again for dogs in service/graduated dogs.
Actions / Done
A. PR, M &C Personnel
  1. Have you appointed someone with a proven track record who will take responsibility for and co-ordinate public relations, media and communications?

B. Public Relations & Communications (PR, M&C) Plan
  1. Have you developed aPR, M & C plan?
  2. Has it been determined if PR, M &C plan involves blind people and their guide dogs and if so, that they are in full agreement?
  3. Have you asked other Guide Dog organisations/IGDF members for ideas and information about PR, M&C?
  4. Have you asked for examples of the PR materials they use and their media activities and releases?

C. Public Awareness of Your Organisation
  1. Have you developed a website?
  2. Have you developed a variety of brochures about the organisation; I.e. General, For Potential Clients, Potential Puppy Raisers, etc? Are they available on line?
  3. Have positive contacts been established with radio, newspapers, TV channels, electronic media, social network sites, etc?
  4. Have you considered seeking sponsorship to make a short documentary about the new organisation and arrange it to be disseminated nationwide via TV, internet, etc?

D. Pubic Access for Dogs
  1. Have you created apublic access campaign so Guide Dog teams, Guide Dog trainers, puppy handlers and breeding stock holders are not refused entry in to public places and all forms of public transport, bus, train, taxi, ferry, aircraft?

Element 4: Staff Development and Training