Strategic Planning is one of Compass’ service lines because we believe that strategic planning makes nonprofits  more successful and sustainable. Other critical activities, such as fundraising and board development, rely on a Strategic Plan to give them focus.

The WBJ article, by John Bauser of OAI, emphasizes strategic planning as a crucial process to maintaining long-term success. Bauser says that many nonprofits have postponed their strategic planning due to their struggle to adapt to a “rapidly changing economic environment,” when in fact, they should keep their efforts going despite economic uncertainties.

In the article, Bauser states,

“when nonprofits postpone their planning sessions, they lose out on the direct benefits a strategic plan affords: improved focus, increased efficiency and better alignment of resources. They also lose indirect benefits: increased fundraising, improved governance, better leadership development and stronger succession planning…”

Bauser’s article discusses the many benefits of strategic planning, as well as the new approaches that many businesses and nonprofits are taking to help maximize the planning process and the plan itself. He also provides tips and suggestions for nonprofits considering embarking on a strategic planning process.

To read the complete article, please click here: Nonprofits Need to Revive Strategic Planning Efforts

To our volunteers working hard to help our clients plan for the future, we say thank you!

To our clients who have sought outside help and have committed thetime and effort to plan strategically, we say congratulations – you are doing the right thing!

This article was written by Compass Assistant Program Manager, Georgia Katinas.

Works Cited:

Bauser, John. “Nonprofits Need to Revive Strategic Planning efforts.” The Washington Business Journal. Dec. 9, 2011:  n. pag. Web. 21 Feb. 2011.

After 20 years assisting telecommunications and software companies with their strategic marketing and product development efforts, I felt it was time for me to give back.  I wanted to apply my marketing and business experience to non-profit organizations and believed my expertise would be easily transferable. When I learned about Compass from a business colleague, I found out I was right. Its mission to provide an opportunity for business professionals to use their business skills to help non-profit groups was exactly what I was looking for.

In my first year with Compass, I was thrilled to be assigned to a strategic alignment project for the Helen Hayes Awards.  After the client accepted our recommendation at the end of the first year, I became the Project Leader of the team that helped make those recommendations a reality the next year. Today, the Helen Hayes Awards is “theatreWashington,” the unified voice of Washington theatre, dedicated to promoting, representing, and supporting all segments of Washington’s professional theatre community. At the end of the project, not only did Helen Hayes have a new name, it had a new website, new program ideas and a new board governance and organizational structure.

Without question, theatreWashington turned out to be one of the best projects of my career. It wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible team of volunteers, many of whom worked on the project both years. I think it made a big difference that we not only had bright and capable volunteers, but, just as importantly, we had volunteers who had a real affinity for what the client did, and, as a result, worked to ensure success. The fact that we were working with such a terrific client didn’t hurt either.

This year, I am co-leading the project for Kid Power. Once again, I couldn’t be more excited about the opportunity to help them identify and evaluate strong partnership relationships. Compass has given us a fabulous team of dedicated volunteers who are equally attracted to Kid Power’s mission.

“The fact that Compass’ volunteer base now exceeds 200 people, with so many returning year after year, speaks to the many benefits we volunteers receive as a result of serving on a Compass project”

I believe that one of Compass’ real strengths is the way they match volunteers with client projects. An important part of this process is one of my favorite events, the Compass Project Launch. This is an evening when volunteers and clients have the opportunity to meet each other and determine whether there is a fit, which is why I often refer to it as “speed dating” for client projects.

Every time I go to a Compass event, I meet the most interesting, bright people, whom I admire for what they give to the community, whether as part of a non-profit organization or as part of a team of volunteers trying to help that non-profit be more successful in serving its constituents. I know Compass receives sincere thanks from the clients it serves. The fact that Compass’ volunteer base now exceeds 200 people, with so many returning year after year, speaks to the many benefits we volunteers receive as a result of serving on a Compass project.

Thank you, Compass!

Petra Kahn is a high level marketing professional with over 25 years of experience directing strategic marketing, sales support, product management and program implementation for non-profit and for-profit organizations. Her consulting assignments focus on market strategy and programs that differentiate organizations and capture market share. She works closely with top management and ensures a collaborative approach to all assignments.

What did you work on with your Client this month?

In the last month, Compass met with the Executive Director, Director of Programs and Social Services, and two board members to understand the Perry School Vision. We discussed the history of the organization, the impact of the current economy on funding and demand for services, and what Perry School wants to achieve in the future. It’s not an easy move forward and with a variety of factors involved, stakeholders must remain diligent and focused.

That’s not all!! Stone Soup Films – a nonprofit cooperative that produces and donates promotional films to worthy organizations is filming our team’s engagement with the Perry School. What for? You’ll have to wait for our next report! Lights, Camera, Action!

What did you learn about your Client this month?

I learned the deep connection between the Perry School and the community. It’s amazing to see an organization so committed to the people of Washington, DC. The community center is comprised of ten organizations in a partnership to serve a wide-range of needs. One Director points to the changing demographics in the region. As new residential developments emerge in the area, the Perry Center is evaluating options to serve new constituents while remaining focused on core clients.

What did you learn about your teammates?

I learned our team has diverse skills and backgrounds. A team member recently worked with a nonprofit with a similar mission. His insight is instrumental as we move forward – starting with the interviews!

What is your team most proud of this month?

The team is quickly coming together and supporting each other. Team members are not shy to speak their minds and contribute.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

It’s daunting what nonprofits do. It’s inspiring to see volunteers committed to service. It’s encouraging to know that we can make a difference.

To learn more about the Perry Center, please visit their website: http://www.perryschool.org/

Andy Pak is a consultant at Booz Allen Hamilton, a management and technology consulting firm where he specializes in cyber security for federal agencies. He graduated from James Madison University in 2004 and Georgetown University in 2008.

In November, our Compass team had two goals:  to learn more about our client, The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County (AHCMC) and to get to know our Compass teammates.

We found a unique way to do both these things, by attending the Bethesda Art Walk, a monthly event that features downtown Bethesda galleries and studios that open their doors from 6 to 9 pm on the second Friday of every month (the next one is this Friday, February 10th!)

Since 1976, the AHCMC has been Montgomery County, Maryland’s designated local arts agency, “providing the infrastructure and support necessary to maintain a robust creative community that includes over 350 cultural organizations and 1,200 artists and scholars.” One of the services AHCMC provides is “Do & Go” an online Cultural Events Calendar (http://creativemoco.com).  While I had worked in Montgomery County over three years and frequently used the Washington Post’s Going Out Guide to search for events in the arts and cultural community, I was not aware that Montgomery County had such a dynamic equivalent.  On a brisk Friday night, our team converged from DC, Maryland and Virginia to check out the Bethesda Art Walk.

The Walk gave us a great opportunity to take part in an AHCMC highlighted event and to get to know each other as we strolled through downtown Bethesda.  Our first stop was a “Pop-up” gallery presented by Morton Fine Art, which was housed in a temporary space, but not easily visible from the street.  Gallery B, featured new art works by New York-based contemporary artists, and was a unique mix of abstract paintings, portraits and mixed media.  The Upstairs Art Studios featured the work of local members, who were onsite to show and explain their work and even make a few sales.

(photo courtesy Cheryl Stevens)

Our Compass team finished off the night at a local bar, where we could get to know each other and reflect on the vibrant arts community that we had just discovered right under our noses.  We had a new understanding of AHCMC’s challenges, how to publicize the great events they support and make it easier for the Montgomery County community to begin to support them financially.

The next Bethesda Art Walk is this Friday, February 10th!

Click here to learn more!

To learn more about the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, please visit their website at: www.creativemoco.com

Cheryl Stevens works full time for the Housing Opportunities Commission, Montgomery County’s housing authority, providing affordable housing and supportive services to families in Maryland.  She is a graduate of the University of Michigan’s MBA program, currently residing in McLean, VA.

In November the Compass volunteers on the Barker Foundation project participated in the Freddie Mac Foundation’s Adoption Expo, where we sat through a Panel Discussion moderated by Barker Foundation. The focus of the discussion was to inform prospective parents on Older Child Adoption, which is a key program at Barker. We were able to hear the powerful testimony of a teenage girl named Frenice who had gone through 14 foster homes by the age of 12 before being matched to her current adoptive parents. Listening to her story and the emotions that she went through really helped us understand the importance of Barker’s mission. The words we heard from Frenice had a powerful impact on many team members. To hear a teenager, who has endured so much hardship already at her young age, confidently share her experiences and how she is doing well in a loving family now thanks to Barker, was very inspiring.

“We feel very optimistic that we have a great team and will help a

great nonprofit develop a robust strategic plan

that will guide them for years to come”

During the first phase of our project, we have also gotten to know each other. Every member of our team has expressed how amazed they are by the level of commitment demonstrated by fellow members. Everyone has been eager to contribute. We feel very optimistic that we have a great team and will help a great nonprofit develop a robust strategic plan that will guide them for years to come.

To learn more about The Barker Foundation, please visit their website at: http://www.barkerfoundation.org/

This post was submitted by the Compass volunteers on The Barker Foundation team.

“Essentially, Compass is maximizing my most valuable resource: time”

Time… As a child it seems all we have is time. Times were great, times were easy, and best of all times were stress-free. And for that, I am eternally grateful to my parents. But at some point, times changed. The inevitable transition to adulthood occurred and along with it came new time commitments; the career, the bills, the few extra pounds, and countless other responsibilities which hurt too much to mention (like supporting the Redskins). And now time, that sweet, sweet time I once took for granted, has become a most precious commodity.

For as long as I can remember, my mother has striven to instill the value of getting to know my community through service. She pushed and pulled me through it all; neighborhood clean-ups, tutoring, clinics, soup kitchens, Habitat for Humanity, and of course to “always do a good deed daily.”  Even though I stomped my feet and fussed through the majority of it, in retrospect, I couldn’t be more thankful for the lessons my mom provided me. As I grew older, I began to realize the value of service and started to proactively seek out community engagement opportunities on my own.

“Compass [...] promotes the organic growth of community and culture

in the DC Metropolitan area”

Just over three years ago, I was an eager young college graduate with a new job in a familiar city. It didn’t take more than a few months to realize that this so-called job-thing was really taking up a whole lot of my time and was getting in the way of what I like to call living. Regardless of my new and exhausting work demands, I still had the urge to do something more. I wanted to identify the most effective outlet to maximize my personal impact (and my time) on the broader community. A colleague of mine suggested investigating an organization called Compass, and, after a bit of “Google-ing,” I was sold. Compass effectively strengthens the capacity, effectiveness and sustainability of nonprofits, as well as promotes the organic growth of community and culture in the DC Metropolitan area. By joining Compass, I didn’t have to pick just one distinct cause or a specific charitable organization. Compass enriches the arts, fosters community, aids the needy and impoverished, educates our future young leaders, protects our natural environment and wildlife, celebrates our heritage and history and supports our veterans and our grandparents.

As a relatively new member of the professional workforce in the DC Metro area, I saw Compass as a great outlet to immerse myself in the community, utilize skills acquired academically and professionally to strengthen local non-profits, and to grow my social and professional network. Not only did Compass fulfill each of my presumptions, but it exceeded my expectations.

When I met my team members during the first meeting of my first project, I began to think I might have gotten myself in over my head.  I found myself sitting at a table with a high-powered lawyer, various business executives and other volunteers with MBAs from top ten schools. However, what I quickly realized is everyone brings something different to the table. Compass teams are great because they interconnect a diverse set of people with various perspectives, occupations and skill-sets. The result is a team capable of generating unbiased, comprehensive solutions. I began to recognize that I could have more impact on critical social issues by offering the professional expertise I developed and used every day at my firm. I was able to contribute to the team by providing data-gathering techniques, leveraging best practices/benchmarking strategies, analyzing options, facilitating leadership decision-making processes and by providing recommendations in the form of our infamous “decks” (PowerPoint).

“I began to recognize that I could have more impact on critical social issues by offering [my] professional expertise”

I continue to volunteer and donate to Compass because I believe it is a well-run organization, with an incredible mission, which values its volunteers and shows a true dedication to providing only the highest quality consulting services to its non-profit clientele. How could I not, when, year-after-year, Compass has provided me with incredible experiences as they supported my project team(s), empowering us to deliver solutions with exponentially more short-term and long-term impact on non-profits than I could have done on my own. Essentially, Compass is maximizing my most valuable resource: time. The five-year strategic plan recommendation we put together three years ago continues to strengthen the non-profit we were supporting. The fundraising project I am currently supporting will enable my non-profit client to continue operating and serving the community I grew up in for years to come. By collaborating one-on-one with leaders of the non-profit world, I feel we create a ripple effect throughout the DC Metro area. By providing guidance and strategic support at the leadership level we maximize our impact on the overall community, for the service providers, and eventually on individual end-users. One of the most powerful statistics Compass can advertise is the fact that it generates $10 in pro bono consulting services for every dollar invested. It is a simple Return-on-Investment opportunity. Give me those odds in just about any situation, and I am taking the opportunity, particularly when paired with such a great organization.

Year after year, I have enjoyed interacting, learning from and developing relationships with team members, Compass personnel and everyone on the non-profit side. My experience has provided a rewarding sense of accomplishment and impact on my community.  Most importantly, I had a great time doing it. I am sure you have heard the phrase “you get out of it, what you put into it,” but, as you can tell, I feel I have received much greater returns from my three short years with Compass… and I am still collecting.

In closing, I would like to leave you with a thought from a man who knows a little something about time; a man much, much more profound than I.

“We must use time wisely and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right”

-          Nelson Mandela

Michael Humenansky, a Booz Allen Hamilton employee, has over four years of experience in providing business analysis, strategic planning and program management to various clients. Michael graduated from Miami University and is looking forward to pursuing an MBA next fall. He has conducted three Compass consulting engagements and is currently the Deputy Project Leader of Main Street Child Development Center. In his free time, he is passionate about playing sports, staying active, and giving back whenever possible. Last, but not least, Michael is proud to be an avid fan of each and every Washington sports team.

There’s a reason people celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and reunions. These moments in time provide an opportunity to stop and reflect on the time that has passed, and to consider and dream about the time that’s ahead. In preparing to celebrate a decade of service to the Greater Washington community, we have had the pleasure of connecting, reconnecting and thinking about the people who did and do make Compass Compass.

Compass’ founding is almost a legend by now. In the summer of 2001, Ern Blackwelder, Gus Bessalel and Melissa Williams, all Harvard MBAs, started talking about engaging fellow alumni in volunteer consulting for local nonprofits. They scheduled the first meeting for September 15, and in the time between talking and meeting, the world changed. Either in spite of or because of September 11, the idea for Compass gained momentum. Five volunteers that first year became Compass’ founding board members: Ern, Melissa, Gus, Hilary Joel, and Burgess Levin.

Incredibly, since that time 10 years ago, over 1,000 Compass volunteers have worked on 156 pro bono consulting projects for nonprofits working in the fields of education, housing and homelessness, children and youth, domestic violence, adoption, arts and culture, loss and healing, senior services, job training, literacy, and more.

We refer to the early years of Compass as the kitchen table years, because Compass was literally operating out of Melissa’s kitchen. And like those early years when everyone knew everyone else, and despite the tremendous growth we’ve experienced since then, Compass remains a personal organization. Deputy Project Leaders have dinner at my home once a year. Project Leaders have dinner at my board chair’s home. All volunteers are invited to potlucks at the homes of Compass board members. We spend nine months getting to know our clients really well. So when I sat down to write this message, I couldn’t write from the organization’s perspective. This letter is from me.

Compass is and always will be its people. Everyone listed in our 10^th Anniversary Retrospective has had a hand in our success. There are people I call on when a need arises, and they always say “yes” (the Jules, Craigs, Nowells, Sasans, John Nolans, among so many others). There are the clients who always agree to speak or be interviewed on our behalf… yet again (the Robs, Judiths, Veronicas, Shannons, Lindseys, among so many others). Compass board members have always been our greatest supporters, talking about Compass to spouses, friends, employers, and neighbors.

Over the past 10 years, we’ve experienced the thrills and pains of growing up. We had to answer tough questions: “Do we want to be an MBA-based organization? Yes.” “Should we charge clients? No.” We had to accept the consequences of moving beyond our comfort zone so we could increase our impact – becoming an independent nonprofit organization… transitioning from a working board to a governing board… and, of course, fundraising.

Last year, we delivered on all of the goals in our first strategic plan a year early. Now we are in the midst of developing a new strategic plan. It’s such an interesting place – between the past and the future. I took the job at Compass because of the possibilities. They remain limitless. As we move into the future and test those limits, I hope all of you will be on our side, in our corner, and have our backs. This is our moment.

To everyone who’s been along for any or all of the ride, thank you! I’m in awe of the volunteers, clients, donors, foundations and partners who have made our work possible.

Finally, the only names missing in this note are those of my sons – George, Michael and Christopher, who graciously share me with Compass. They put up with some evenings out (it’s a training; an orientation; a board meeting; a celebration; a dinner; I’m meeting with…). They know the look I sometimes get on the weekends (I just have one thing to do…Just one email to send…I just remembered one thing…I won’t be long…dinner?). They have stamped, stuffed, and labeled. They have listened to my stories and been subjects for my newsletters. They have never complained while I do what I love.

So when people ask me why I love Compass, for so many reasons the answer is easy – it’s personal.

Suzanne Laporte
Executive Director

THANK YOU FOR ATTENDING THIS FUN EVENT!

Compass 10th Anniversary Celebration and Benefit
Friday, November 11, 2011
6:30 – 9:30 PM

Long View Gallery
1234 9th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001

Music by SonicFlow

Cocktail Attire

Click Here to Get Tickets

Compass Project Results in New Theatre Organization

Compass spent two years working with the Helen Hayes Awards on a new strategic plan. Their transformation from the Helen Hayes Awards to Theatre Washington is described in an article from Sunday’s Washington Post.

Click HERE to view the article.

Compass on Bruce DePuyt’s Show

Compass officially began the weekend after September 11, 2001. Bruce DePuyt from TBD Newstalk interviewed Compass’ co-founder and current board member, Ern Blackwelder recently. Ern and Bruce talked about the connection between September 11, 2001 and the founding of Compass. Ern joined Kathy Jankowski from the Catalogue for Philanthropy who spoke about the effect September 11 had on her.

The segment is now on the TBD website at this link. Scroll down to the black tv screen to view. The Compass segment begins 39 minutes into the show.

GOP debate; Being prepared; 9/11′s impact on our lives – NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt

Compass Project Launch 2011

*To view all of the pictures from the event, see our Facebook page here: Compass’ Fan Page