United Way Retirees Association
POSITIONING FOR THE FUTURE
Strategic Direction/Strategic Plan
2009-2013
By any standard measurement the United Way Retirees Association has moved forward since its inception in 1989. From an informal organization to a recognized 501(C)3. From being staffed by volunteers to having a paid professional staff. From no programs other than social to a myriad of programs in support of local United Ways and benefits to its membership.
The past 20 years have set the stage and now it is time to strategically position the Association for the future. In December 2001, the Association drafted its first strategic plan and generally followed it for the next seven years. In May 2008, this plan was reviewed and updated. This document represents that effort.
Positioning an organization for the future is largely influenced by what one thinks that likely future scenario will be. To gain an understanding of the future we try to examine trends in the social, economic, political and technological areas and identify those that will most significantly affect the organization either as threats or opportunities.
The list of trends stated below was selected by the UWRA Board as having the most influence on the future of the organization as part of the United Way System. These trends are not mutually exclusive. They interact with each other and with trends and events not herein specified.
1. Increasing reliance on technology including the growing digital divide; the escalating reliance on technology for communications and visualization (allowing bypassing of human contact in making transactions).
2. Diminishing top volunteer leadership and expansion/changing volunteerism (shorter commitments)
3. Globalization of U.S. and foreign companies and their philanthropy
4. The increasing diversity of the U.S. (racial, ethnic and religious)
5. Increasing competition across all sectors and blurring of roles between sectors
6. Accelerating split between haves and have nots
7. Retiree base growing with Boomer retirement
8. Increased rate of career changes
9. Increasing personal responsibility for ones quality of life in retirement
10. Changing U.S. economy
11. Need for people to work longer
12. Access to and affordability of health care
Within philanthropy/United Way system
1. Fewer career professionals in UW system due to lack of interest to remain in the field and the resulting increased hiring of senior executives from outside the UW field
2. Inability of UWRA to attract new members due to career changes and lack of identification of prospects within local United Ways.
3. Growth of mentoring
4. The increasing number of nonprofits and resultant competition for resources and service provision continues but collaboration building
5. Donors wanting to express their choice in giving and become involved/associated with causes/charities that interest them continues but 70% of UW $ remain flexible but this is decreasing.
6. Lack of interest within NP sector for retirement planning
7. Members finding added value in UWRA
8. United Way System consolidation
Implications of these trends
When the identified trends are studied as a whole, it is clear that the next five years will be very challenging.
Tough economic times in the U.S. brought on by globalization, large Federal deficits, and the rising prices of gas and oil, food and other essentials will place an increasing strain on philanthropy to raise funds from more financially strapped donors.
Depersonalization will continue as technology replaces person to person interaction. This will force some nonprofits out of business and those remaining to depend more on the Internet and other electronic means for information transfers and resource acquisition. If well done, this may have the positive affect of greater efficiency and enhancement of information and resource transfer.
With tough economic times comes increasing requests for help from the philanthropic sector. Increased demand vs. decreasing resources will be the name of the game.
The focus of the United Way System on Health, Education and Income should improve its competitive positioning both within the U.S. and its global efforts.
Specific implications for UWRA
Tougher competition for the philanthropic dollar will escalate the need for United Way System consolidation thus reducing the number of local United Ways. This reduction could limit requests for UWRA’s mentoring program support to the smaller United Ways but UWRA participation in UWA’s LEAD program could expand mentoring to larger United Ways. It could also improve opportunities for UWRA’s retirement planning program.
Financial support for UWRA by local United Ways will most likely be pressured as local United Ways face a tougher fund raising climate and the demand for more and better focused services.
Membership acquisition for UWRA will continue to be difficult as local staff turnover increases due to employees seeking better economic opportunities, lessening interest in United Way as a career and as more United Ways fill executive/senior positions from outside the United Way field.
UWA’s new strategic direction, Advancing the Common Good, may require UWRA to examine it programs and services for relevance to this effort and that could cause program realignment, discontinuation, and new program thrusts.
To improve the
quality of life of our members in retirement and to utilize the skills and
talents of UW retirees to assist the United Way system in achieving its mission
which is to improve lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities.
UWRA will be seen as the Association of choice by UW retirees and eligible UW employees; and as a valued provider of assistance to United Ways, their communities and other nonprofits.
Target Markets: UWRA Members, UWA, United Ways and their employees, and Other Nonprofits and their employees
1. Recruit and retain a satisfied membership
2. Develop and provide services needed by the United Way system
3. Continue to seek participation and improvement in relationships with UWA leadership
4. Improve UWRA's revenue in order to achieve its mission
5. Become a primary information/training source for the United Way system and its employees for lifestyle planning, saving for retirement, and offer these services to other nonprofits and their employees.
Goal 1: Recruit
and Retain a Satisfied Membership
2013 Objective: 75% of members rate UWRA between 8-10
on 0-10 scale
1. Develop avenues for creating visibility for UWRA at national, regional and state UW conferences using video and personal presentations. Continue to make presentations to UWA staff.
2. Have Board members take responsibility to market UWRA to their local UW.
3. Develop as needed and provide “Living in Retirement” information and materials.
4. Develop and conduct presentation on UWRA at new CPO orientation/training sessions.
5. Seek new products and services for the benefit of the membership.
6. Solicit membership among current senior staff of United Ways as well as those eligible staff who have left the field, or retired.
7. Use UWRA website and Updates, Listserv, Webinars and UWOnline to promote services, provide educational and training information as well as keep in communication with each other.
Goal 2: Develop and provide services
needed by United Ways
2013 Objective:75% of United Ways rate UWRA Services between 8 and 10 on a 0-10 scale.
1. Continue to examine UWRA’s existing programs for relevance for United Ways and develop new ones as feasible.
2. Conduct ongoing market research with UWA and United Ways on programs that UWRA might provide.
3. Recruit additional retirees with skills as needed by our programs to the field.
4. Continue to encourage and provide leadership in the preservation of the history of the United Way system (locally, nationally and internationally)
Goal 3: Sustain
and improve relationship with UWA leadership and their efforts to implement a
new strategic direction.
2013 Objective: 75%
of UWA Executive and Senior Staff express satisfaction with UWRA between 8 and 10 on a 0-10 scale.
1. Continue and expand relationships between UWRA and UWA staff (CPO and senior staff).
2. Develop and sustain relationship with State UW Directors and the Council of State Organizations
3. Continue and expand relationship with National Professional Council.
4. Encourage UWA to publicly note UWRA service to them and the field.
5. Continue participation as a member of the National Staff Planning Conference (SLC).
6. Seek participation with the 30‑year award program and offer a one year free membership to those awarded.
7. Explore fit and align existing UWRA programs and services with UWA’s Live United and Advancing the Common Good strategic directions and develop new programs and services where feasible.
8. Keep tied in with UWA’s strategic global efforts and find avenues and the means to provide assistance and the training that may be required.
Goal 4: Improve
UWRA's revenue
2013 Objective:
Revenue Totals $350,000
1. Develop a case for giving based on UWRA values of skills, experience, human resources, knowledge, and low or no cost.
2. Deliver that case to UWRA members, local UWs and their CPOs, and UWA.
3. Seek giving, service contracts and or grants from those individuals, organizations and corporations with whom UWRA might share a common interest.
4. Continue efforts to grow UWRA’s endowment fund.
5. Develop a targeted cultivation effort to orient those CEOs to UWRA who come into the United Way system from outside the field.
Goal
5: To become a primary focal point for United Ways and their employees for
lifestyle planning for retirement
2013 Objective: 75% of United Ways See UWRA
in this role and 95% of United Way staff are participating in a retirement
program
1. Develop information on retirement planning needs and deliver it by various methods
2. Seek collaborations and grants to develop a deliverable retirement program that will assist United Ways and other nonprofit organizations aid their employees in planning for retirement.
3. Develop a “model of excellence” for United Way performance as they seek to provide retirement planning and opportunities for retirement savings for their employees.