AAUW Oklahoma 2020-2022 Strategic Plan

AAUW-OK  Strategic Plan 2020 – 2022 DRAFT                                 

  1. GOVERNANCE AND SUSTAINABILITY                             

Goal 1:  To support the AAUW mission – to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy.                                                                           

Action step 1: To increase organizational pride in, identification with, and affiliation to AAUW.

* Actively participate in local and state events which support the AAUW mission.

* *Raise awareness of Women’s History Month and other milestone events (i.e., 19th amendment).                                                                                                                                                     

Action step 2:  To communicate historical and current information about AAUW and its mission statement.

             * Reinforce the AAUW mission and current initiatives in all communications and at all events.

* Encourage branches to share AAUW national, state, and their own branch origins and milestones at least once per year.

Action step 3:  To provide resources to members to enable them to communicate the AAUW mission and membership information.

           * Develop electronic, concise resources (one-page handout / brochure) to be available statewide.                                                                                                                                                          

Goal 2:  To encourage mentoring of women and girls.                                                                                             

Action step 1:   To promote leadership development and mentoring skills among members.     

            * Provide leadership training via the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Support training at the branch level upon request.                                                                                   

       Action step 2:  To institute a succession plan for the AAUW/OK Board.

* Actively recruit from branches via board appointments and the nomination process.

* Continue to follow tenure guidelines.

* Enable remote communication options for board meetings to better accommodate varying obligations and distance challenges.

* Encourage branch and student members to participate in state board meetings.

* Regularly inform all members about state board activities.                                                            

     Action step 3:  To encourage each board member to be involved in mentoring.                         

           * Foster mentoring relationships and programs within and outside AAUW.                                        

Goal 3:  To develop and maintain a strong financial foundation.                                                             

       Action step 1:   To develop a state financial plan which reflects the AAUW mission.

             * Develop a working budget annually to be approved by the state board.

* Present a finance report at each board meeting.

* Conduct an annual audit of state income and expenditures.

* Host statewide fundraisers to support activities which reflect the AAUW mission.                   

       Action step 2:   To ensure financial accountability to state membership

* Publish the state budget and annual summary of the finance report in The Leader.

* Periodically assess state dues and other income sources to determine if the amounts are sufficient to meet organizational goals.

  1. PROGRAMS                                                    

Goal 1. To reflect the AAUW mission statement in progamming.                                                        

       Action step 1:    To provide state and local programs that align with AAUW National Strategic Initiatives.

* Incorporate at least three of the national initiatives into state programs each year.

* Update members about AAUW’s current focus via email, social media, and programming at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).                                                                                                                                                                     

       Action step 2:   To improve economic security in Oklahoma.

* Promote on-line participation in WorkSmart.

* Assist with implementation of in-person WorkSmart workshops.

* Provide economic security skills to women and girls via programming at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).                                                                                                                                                                  

       Action step 3:  To distribute the latest information on issues related to gender equity in education and the workplace.

* Communicate when new research findings are released by AAUW via email, social media, and The Leader.

* Share resources (i.e., links to press releases or video summaries) of new information provided by reliable sources to  enable social media postings and easy sharing at branch meetings.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            

Goal 2. To support and encourage branches to implement programs which are important to their local communities and in line with AAUW’s mission.                                                                       

      Action step 1:  To enable state-wide sharing of branch programming opportunities.

             * Encourage branches to provide updates and photos for The Leader.

* Ask branches to share a list of their programs annually with the state board.

* Choose a branch to present one of their programs at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

       Action step 2: To recognize branch accomplishments.   

             * Educate branches about AAUW’s Five-Star Program.

* Continue to support local branch scholarship efforts.

* Develop a state-wide branch recognition program.                                                        

III.  ADVANCEMENT                                                                             

Goal 1: To create and maintain a strong and active membership.                                                          

       Action step 1:   To increase full membership by 10% annually.

* Educate branches about new member incentives.

* Encourage branches to use the one free C/U membership per year to recruit a new member.

* Promote the “Give a Grad” gift program.

* Recognize the branch which recruits the most new members.

       Action step 2: To strive for 90% retention of branch members annually.         

             * Send reminders for renewal.

* Actively follow-up with those who have not renewed.

* Create statewide incentives [i.e., renew by the month before the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) to qualify for drawing of a free membership].

* Provide opportunities at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) for members to renew on-sight.

* Recognize branches which have 100% renewal.

       Action step 3:   To achieve 100% online Membership Payment Program (MPP) participation by branches.     

             * Provide resources to branches to educate members as to how to use MPP.

* Identify a member in each branch to assist the state Finance Officer in completion of the membership dues process.

* Recognize branches with 100% MPP participation.

       Action step 4:  To promote College/University (C/U) memberships.

* Personally contact existing College & University representatives for annual renewal.

* Reach out to colleges and universities which are not C/U members.

* Regularly communicate the benefits of C/U membership.

* Invite college and university representatives to the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Recognize C/U members for every five years of membership.

       Action step 5:  To increase participation by Student Affiliate members.

* Provide opportunities for student members to interact with the state board and local branches.

* Include student-led programming at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Include programming relevant to students at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Continue state support of students to participate in NCCWSL

Goal 2:  To promote diversity in membership.                                           

Action step 1:   To encourage active recruitment of members from diverse populations – examples include diversity in age (from students to retirees), sex, gender identity, religious affiliations, ethnicity, race, and socioeconomic background.

           * Provide resources as to how to correctly interact with diverse populations and to avoid microaggressions.

* Include programming at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) which is relevant to diverse populations.

* Celebrate diverse populations in statewide communications (i.e., Black History month).                                                                                                                                                                     

       Action step 2:   To raise awareness of global issues that impact women and girls.

* Include programming of global issues at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Provide resources of relevant information as provided by reliable sources.

Goal 3: To encourage member contributions which assist in accomplishing the mission of AAUW.

Action step 1: To increase member support of the Greatest Needs Fund.                                   

* Set a goal of $30/member annually.

* Provide opportunities at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) for members to donate on-sight.

     Action step 2:  To increase Legacy Circle member participation.          

* Share information about planned giving in The Leader.

* Share information about planned giving at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

       Action step 3:  To encourage member support of state programs which empower women and girls.   

* Use student presentations at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) to educate members about the value of state NCCWSL sponsorships.

* Enable branch participation in implementation of state programs (i.e., Teen Voices).

* Recognize branch contributions to state programs.

  1. PUBLIC POLICY    

Goal 1:  To be an advocate of equity for all.                                                                                                  

     Action step 1:   To appoint a Public Policy Chair.                                    

           * Select a person who is passionate and knowledgeable about public policy to lead the state in this area.                                                                                                                                                           Action step 2:   To represent AAUW in Public Policy.                             

           * Meet annually with the Governor and both U.S. Senators.

* Participate in OWC’s “Legislative Day at the Capitol” to meet with U.S. Representatives and state elected officials.

* Consider sponsoring or co-sponsoring a bill.                                                                                   

       Action step 3:  To collaborate with other organizations which have similar public policy missions.

* Continue to be a member of OWC.

* Attend OWC’s Legislative Summit to identify issue-related legislation to actively support.

* Participate in other advocacy events.                                                                                                

       Action step 4:  To promote passage of the Equal Rights Amendment.

             * Work with OWC and other organizations.

* Educate branches and the public about the ERA status and what they can do.                             

Goal 2:  To enable members to be actively involved in Public Policy Issues.

     Action step 1:    To increase member participation in advocacy events which support similar public policy missions.

* Organize an AAUW presence at activities hosted by OWC, the Oklahoma Commission on the Status of Women, and other advocacy events (i.e., Tulsa Women’s March).

* Recognize branches who participate in advocacy events.                                                             

       Action step 2:   To enable more members to become individually involved in public policy.

* Educate members about signing up for action alerts to track legislation.

* Provide resources to members on how to become a 2-minute Activist.

* Show members how to subscribe to OWC’s newsletter.

* Update members on issue-related legislation (and what AAUW is doing) via email, social media, and at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

       Action step 3: To increase Voter Education activities.     

             * Promote issue and candidate forums at the local level.

* Encourage branches to hold Voter Registration drives.

* Recognize branches which conduct Voter Education activities.                                                   

  1. COMMUNICATION & EXTERNAL RELATIONS                                                                                         

Goal 1:  To increase AAUW visibility and recognition.                                                                               

     Action step 1: To appoint chairs responsible for communication and external relations.

* Select people who have the knowledge, resources, and talent to serve as communication chair, newsletter editor, and webmaster.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

       Action step 2:  To employ multiple means of communication to promote external relations.

* Provide up-to-date information on the state web page and Facebook pages.

             * Publish press releases identifying state (and branch) sponsorship of and participation in activities.

* Implement Instagram and Twitter accounts.

* Continue to investigate evolving means of communication.                                                         

      Action step 3:  To become more identifiable at public events.

            * Wear AAUW gear (and, as needed, design that gear).

* Employ additional publicity items, such as banners, signs, and tablecloth.

* Distribute AAUW give-away items.                                                                                                    

       Action step 4:  To promote branch external relations.

               * Provide resources, support, and education at the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years) to branches to: (1) Develop an active website, which includes meeting and membership information; (2) Engage in social media; (3) Develop a newsletter; (4) Publish press releases; and (5) Enable remote access to better involve all members and the public during branch programs and meetings.                              

Goal 2:   To promote communication among members to facilitate AAUW’s mission                                                                                                                                             

       Action step 1: To develop resources which promote external communications.

* Provide links to public officials and other relevant / timely resources.

* Include WorkSmart information on the state website and social media.                                           

       Action step 2:  To employ multiple means of communication to interconnect members.       

             * Provide a membership directory annually to board members and branch presidents.

* Mentor branches in the use of the Membership Services Database (MSD).

             * Regularly provide updates to branch presidents, other branch delegates, or to individual members via email.

* Continue to publish The Leader.

* Continue to conduct the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Continue to investigate evolving means of communication.                                                          

       Action step 3: To employ multiple means of communication to between board members.

* Use the closed AAUW Facebook Page and cloud-based sharing of documents for board communications.

* Continue to investigate evolving means of communication.                                                         

       Action step 4:  To increase state relations with branches.

* Create a survey to ask branches in what ways the state board can provide support.

* Ask for branch input on ideas for the State Convention (even years) and State Leadership Meeting (odd years).

* Increase communication between the state board and branches.

* Visit each branch biannually (i.e., via holding a board meeting in conjunction with a branch meeting; or via participating in a branch activity).