Strategic Plan: 2010-2013

Mission
To build, strengthen, and empower communities committed to college access and success so that all students, especially those underrepresented in postsecondary education, can achieve their educational dreams.  

Main Methodologies/Core Strategic Approaches
1.    Be a convener, provide technical assistance and member services, and share best practices among the access and success community.
2.    Advocate for public policy in support of student access and success.
3.    Provide strategic assistance to communities seeking to create college access and success programs and networks.  

Core Values and Guiding Principles
We Believe:

1. Education is the foundation of a just and equitable society.  We aspire to the day when all people have equal access and opportunities in education.
2. All students have the potential, and the right to be prepared, to enter and to succeed at higher education.
3. In the power of communities and our members
4. All students need to be supported throughout the educational system/stages

Guiding Principles for conducting all aspects of our work:

1. We are a diverse and inclusive organization
2. We are entrepreneurial, resourceful, and collaborative
3. We provide high quality customer service
4. We practice work-life balance and invest in the professional development of staff
5. We operate in an environmentally sensitive manner

Five-Year Outcome Goals

1.  Build the capacity of NCAN members to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education.   
2.  Develop three or more large scale projects that (a) help to build the capacity of NCAN members in order to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education, and (b) generate best practices that inform our work.
3. Diversity and equity are manifested in everything we do – in NCAN’s organization (including Board and staff), services, and advocacy.  
4.  There is a coordinated federal strategy for programs supporting college attainment and support services for under-represented students.
5.  We have created a sound foundation of financial sustainability that allows us to fund our goals and remain flexible and adaptable to the changing environments.

Two-Year Priorities for each Five-Year Outcome Goal

Build the capacity of NCAN members to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education.   

1. Present and promote the goal and engage the members
2. Establish the baseline, and then collect data annually from members
3. Provide members with training and support so that they can track students for reporting and evaluating program success
4. Use the baseline data to quantify NCAN’s outcome measures for this goal  
5.  Increase technical assistance available to members to strengthen college access and success services, e.g., Best Practices, daily listserv updates, funding opportunities, etc.

Develop three or more large scale projects that (a) help to build the capacity of NCAN members in order to increase the number of underrepresented students who successfully complete postsecondary education, and (b) generate best practices that inform our work.

1. Through the Board, staff, and members, identify and prioritize the critical gaps that the projects could address, e.g., cities/districts, technical assistance, state/regional networks, tool kits/provider coordination in schools, retention/transition, data/WEST, and research to practice
2. The projects will:  (a) include research and evaluation and will produce tools, model programs, or best practices that are replicable; (b) target underrepresented students; (c) address a need within student access and success and have the potential to move the needle on college access and success; and (d) develop innovative solutions, proposals, and approaches that can be brought to scale for each gap.
3. Identify stakeholders and potential partners
4. Pursue funding

Diversity and equity are manifested in everything we do – in NCAN’s organization (including Board and staff), services, and advocacy.

1. Undertake an internal equity assessment and planning process that engages board, staff, members, former board members, and the access community
2. Implement the plan and share results among members
3. Intentionally recruit staff, consultants, and Board members who reflect the community and students we seek to serve.

There is a coordinated federal strategy for programs supporting college attainment and support services for underrepresented students.

Year one:   

1. Inventory existing federal and state government programs, e.g., funding, function, target groups, etc.  
2. Identify and convene key stakeholders to develop a shared understanding and get buy-in with a process
3. Begin making key contacts with policymakers to identify potential champions and supporters
4. Obtain more resources to get this done, e.g., add new dedicated policy staff or a consultant

Year two:  

1. Continue working with stakeholders to identify the gaps and “the why” (a case statement) behind the work, and build relationships of trust and buy-in among stakeholders  
2. Develop a concept paper, including referencing existing research
3. Develop draft legislation and a legislative strategy with stakeholders
4. Find champions and supporters
5. Advocate with policymakers

We have created a sound foundation of financial sustainability that allows us to fund our goals and remain flexible and adaptable to the changing environments.

1. Analysis and planning to be completed by the end of 2009 with MAG’s help as part of phase two of the capacity building project
2. To include a short- and long-term funding plan that leads to:  a healthy reserve and/or endowment, balanced budgets each year, sufficient unrestricted income, a diversified funding base, and exploring new and innovative funding sources  
3. Identify and expand earned income revenue opportunities including WEST, membership expansion, and conference revenue