Justin Wynn Fund

In March 2015, Giving Tree Associates was retained by the Justin Wynn Fund (JWF) to help lead staff and key lay leaders through their strategic planning process. Giving Tree consultant, Tina Herpe managed the project and guided the team through the 5-month process.

The Justin Wynn Fund, based in Evanston, IL, celebrates and nurtures youth leaders by helping them develop a deep sense of self and responsibility for improving their communities. After more than 25 years in existence, JWF found itself at a crossroads. The board and staff felt ready to expand programs and services yet, at the same time, knew they needed to build out the organization’s infrastructure in order to do so. In an effort to solidify their vision and create concrete goals around next steps, JWF retained Giving Tree Associates to guide their strategic planning process.

In order to build a roadmap for the future, Giving Tree worked with the board and staff to examine every aspect of the organization. In addition to developing strategic goals, objectives and tactics, the planning process included the creation and adoption of new bylaws and mission/vision statements.

Giving Tree prides itself on being an attentive and thorough partner throughout the strategic planning process. With JWF, we looked holistically at the organization and studied its past in order to identify the goals that would drive it forward for the next 3-5 years.  Then, we worked with leadership to clearly outline the action steps needed to implement the plan.

Read below for some thoughts from JWF on the process:

Q1: Why did your organization embark upon the development of a strategic plan?

After 25 years our program had outgrown our resources. We needed to evaluate current operations and create consensus around future needs.

Q2: How has your organization benefited from the plan?

The strategic planning process pushed the organization to examine its mission, vision, staffing structure, program delivery, fundraising, finance, and communications practices.  It allowed us to prioritize for the future. Going through the process re-energized our board and staff, as it helped to give us direction and clearly articulate our mission and message.

Q3: How did a partnership with Giving Tree Associates enhance the process?

Our consultant expertly guided us through a very thorough process and kept us motivated to stay on task until the finish. She pushed us to think about every aspect of our organization.

Q4: Would you recommend Giving Tree to others seeking the creation or updating of a plan? If so, why?

I would strongly recommend Giving Tree to other organizations. They are responsive, attentive, helpful, and very thorough in what they do.

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About Giving Tree’s Strategic Planning Services