Annual Strategic Plan May May Author: Anthony Ryan Version: V2.0 Date: May 2016

Transcription

1 Annual Strategic Plan May May 2017 Author: Anthony Ryan Version: V2.0 Date: May 2016

2 This is a strategic plan for the Edmund Rice Foundation for the period May 2016 to May The plan is influenced by the following key documents 1. The Strategic Development Framework of the Edmund Rice Mission 2020 (appendix 1) 2. The Millenium Sustainable Development Goals (appendix 2) 3. The ACFID and DFAT development frameworks The above three documents provide the Edmund Rice Foundation the base for all operational and development strategies of Edmund Rice. The strategic plan is also reflective of the Foundations transition from a welfare and fundraising agency to that of a professional NGO that insists upon development as the cornerstone of all operations. This development is inspired by the charism of Edmund Rice. The ERFA strategic Plan is driven by a need to transition to a true NGO operating from a development context. ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 2

3 The Edmund Rice Foundations vision is to Liberate Lives. This vision has a double meaning. We understand that the projects we support are liberated by our presence, networking and influence but in doing so we too are liberated in our daily lives. The Edmund Rice foundation strategic plan is therfore developed to ensure the continuity of this vison of liberation and draws upon the strategic plan of April 2016 which identified 13 stakeholders who would be key to the growth of the Edmund Rice Foundation. The new strategic plan has integrated these 13 stakeholders in to five categories. Each of these categories is linked to the key documents mentioned at the beginning of this document. The five distinct categories are: 1. Governance 2. Monitoring and Evaluation 3. Capacity Building 4. Communication and Community Engagement 5. Financial procedures This Strategic Plan acknowledges the following stakeholders and is directed at building relationships with each stakeholder and addressing the needs and expectations of each stakeholder: Oceania Province Oceania Ministry Directorate African Province East African District ERFA Board Employees EREA National EREA Principals EREA Parents and former students Donors Development Accreditation agencies ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 3

4 Category 1: Governance/Staff related strategies May 2016 May 2017 Progress Evidence of success Develop a new reporting template for Board meetings which provides clear metrics of operational matters, budgets, income. In progress. New templates will include the following; 1. Financials - revenue and expense against budget and highlighting areas of concern; 2. Staff - progress on key tasks and areas of concern 3. Key strategic imperatives how we are tracking for the year on meeting them, and hurdles encountered 4. Funding Applications acquittal reports and any issues identified 5. Progress on projects being funded a general overview 6. Nights away you identify the nights spent away on year to date and against the projected 75 days 7. Other important issues DFAT outcome and progress on Metanoia Matters Ø Board satisfaction and feedback Provide ongoing professional/personal development opportunities for Board and staff. Especially opportunities provided by DFAT and ACFID or via the Edmund Rice Network Improve communication with all Members of the ERFA company and provide information sessions for all Members. Build and resource a reputable Development office within Australia. Create two satellite Ø ERFA Board/staff have already begun liasing with DFAT. Ø Have approached Belinda Lucas (DFAT contracted) to consider working with ERFA staff/board Ø Board members attendance at Gone Fishing Ø Staff to join immersion/field report opportunities. Ø Victorian Members have been provided opportunity to attend an information evening Ø Steve Graham has already provided a three year commitment to fuund this Ø By May 2017 all Board Members have attended professional develoment opportunities Ø By May 2017 key staff have attended at lease one international trip to assist in Immersions and/or field evaluation reports. Ø An additional Board member has attended Gone Fishing Ø A qualified development professional has assisted ERFA in the formation of a new Development office. Ø All company Members have been given the opprtunity to attend an ERFA informatiuon evening that focuses upon their role as Members Ø By May 2017 the Development office is operational and fully ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 4

5 Development offices in Africa and Oceania Build a new Tripartite alliance with all international projects which ensures that ERFA increases influence in Project operations Introduce an annual staff retreat and team building activity. office ($85,000 * 5 years) Ø Regular meetings with Gone Fishing alumni to galvanise support for a development office Ø Discussions have already commenced with the Oceania Ministry Directorate and Oceania Leadership Team. Ø ERFA will be presenting to the EAD and all East African Project Leaders in July/September Ø Have introduced this concept at the April 2016 staff meeting. supported by two other donors. The aim is to have the Development office supported to the amount of $170,000 per year. Ø By May 2017, ERFA will have tripartite MOUs with all International Projects which are designed to increase the influence that ERFA has with the whole Project Cycle. Ø By December 2016, the ERFA staff have attended a retreat/team building at Amberley Centre in Melbourne ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 5

6 Category 2: Monitoring and Evaluation of all operational matters May May 2017 Progress Evidence of success Develop a comprehensive beginning to end project cycle management manual that outlines all expectations for projects that ERFA forms an alliance. Implement training of the Project Cycle Management manual in the Oceania and African Provinces as well as any other groups that seek an alliance with ERFA As part of the new PCM implement a gradual improvement in all Quarterly and Annual Reports. Ensure that all projects can demonstrate; Improving the effectiveness of the monitoring and evaluation committee Strategic Plans which list measurable KPIs Evidence that they are achieving KPIs Comprehensive Risk matrix reports An understanding and acceptance of all ERFA policies Independent audit reports and management reports Evidence that Projects are responding to requests made in Management Reports Evidence that the project is working toward sustainability Ø A manual is currently being developed by the ERFA team after advice we received from the DFAT evaluation team. Ø The PCM will be finalised by early July in readiness for our training weekend with the Oceania Developing Nations Project Managers Ø We have approached professionals in International Development to assist with the creation of this manual Ø Oceania Training Day has been set aside for July 8-9 Ø Africa training day is still being decided upon. We have received an open invitation to attend the ERMEA conference on July 10 or September. Ø The Monitoring and Evaluation committee has already been formed and has provided feedback on the last two quarterly s Ø The PCM will be rolled out in July The strategy decided upon by the ERFA management is to increase expectations of all operations over a three year period. Ø By July 2016 Project Cycle Manual is finalised and ready for implementation. Ø Engaged Development experts provide approval for this document Ø By the fourth quarter 2016 the ERFA PCM has been fully integrated in to the African and Oceania Provinces Ø PCM is operational by 4 th quarter and the new application process for 2017 has introduced required steps to reflect the PCM ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 6

7 Create a three year field evaluation grid that encompasses all international operations. Develop new templates for Field Reports and Evaluation Reports that are at DFAT accepted standards Ø A grid has already been created Ø New templates are being developed and will be in implemented at the May field trip to the Philippines Ø The Evaluation and field reports have taken place and submitted to the Board for their approval. Ø Any recommendations from field reports have been scrutinised by the monitoring and evaluation committee Ø We engage development specialists to review our reporting procedures and seek their advice and approval Category 3: Partnerships and Capacity Building May May 2017 Progress Evidence of Success Develop Compliance requirements in all tripartite MOUs Ø Conversations have >begun with Oceania Ministries Directorate Ø By October 2016 all tripartite MOUs are in place and Africa province. Ø All projects aligned with ERFA will have capacity and compliance requirements clearly articulated in the tripartite MOUs Ø A clear understanding by Governing Authorities of compliance and capacity requirements is observed in the 2017 Funding application procedures. Develop a negotiated agreement at the project level that projects sign to agree to project objectives and outcomes and expenditure reporting this could be a variation on the funding approval letter. Develop a set of assessable criteria for all Projects which measure the following; Technical capacity Professional capacity Resource capacity Ensure that these Capacity assessments are systematic and documented. These templates will assess the sustainability of each project and build progress toward an exit strategy Ø Communication has begun as stated above Ø Compliance agreement will be negotiated at the Ministries conferences in Oceania and Africa. Ø All new alliance groups such as Kain will understand their responsibilities in this area. Ø Capacity assessment templates have now been developed which evaluate technical,, professional and resource capacity Ø Ø Ø Ø By end of September all Compliance agreements have been successfully adopted and understood by all Governing authorities In the funding application round for 2017 all project leaders understand their commitments to the tripartite MOUs. By October the Capacity Assessment philosophy has been understood and adopted by each Governing Authority The new templates have been cited and adopted by Project Leaders. ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 7

8 Continue to monitor and refine all internal and external policies and monitor these regularly. Develop a set of criteria for partnerships and then create a checklist to assess these partnerships (This has already been done in 2015 but we have not yet been able to demonstrate this in the Project Cycle) Ø These are being developed for the May Philippines field trip and then will be fine- tuned for every field and evaluation trip thereafter. Ø A checklist has been developed as a result of our preparation for DFAT. It now needs to be implemented by May 26 th 2016 at the next Philippines field report. Ø By May all field and evaluation reports will also include a capacity assessment check. See above Category 4: Communication and Community Engagement May May 2017 Progress Evidence of success Develop and Implement a communication strategy for all stakeholders. SDM has developed a draft Communications strategy. Appendix 3 By July Communications strategy is underway in draft form Launch the new communications strategy with all stakeholders Organise a Communications Working Group to fine tune the draft strategy with the view to implement by July 30 th TBA but in essence communications strategy is working and the public face and network of ERFA has increased. Introduce a new role (as a component of the Development office) which will be responsible to implementing the community engagement and communication strategies for ERFA Metanoia Matters website is activated throughout Oceania and Africa. A distinct 0.2 role will be created to implement and grow the influence of the website with stakeholders. The Metanoia Matters website will be a large component of the communication and partner engagement strategy To be developed as a part of the new Development office. The role will be advertised in June There will be roll outs at the Oceania Ministries Conference in July 8-9 The Metanoia Site will be rolled out at the ERMEA Conference in Africa in either July or September Progress will be made via the new role. This will be measured by such things as; Social media posts Social media engagement Media opportunities Uptake of Metanoia Matters Chapter feedback Role will be active by July 2016 Project Leaders see the relevance of Metanoia Matters as a unique and easy way to assist their KPIs. By October 2016 all stakeholder groups are aware of the benefits of the Metanoia site and are actively promoting and engaging in the site. ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 8

9 Category 5: Financial systems and Financial Management May May 2017 Progress Evidence of success Oversee the roll out of the new ERFA/ERD Finance Manual (appendix 4). ERFA develops a template that will monitor and provide constant communication to EREA Executive and Regional Directors of all key EREA donors and supporters. This will be in line with the operational outlay of the communications strategy. Change the financial reporting procedures of all aligned Projects to ensure that they are only reporting on ERFA funding. Include all independent audits and management reports are scrutinised each quarter as a vital component of the Monitoring and Reporting committee Develop a financial reporting template within our quarterly and annual applications that matches strategic outcomes to financial capacity. Include this as a vital part of the Evaluation strategy for each project The Roll out will take place in the following stages: ERFA Finance Committee to evaluate and approve Africa Rollout to take place in July Oceania rollout will take place gradually over three years. Ø A list of all donations from EREA for the 2014 and 2015 financial year has been developed. Ø ERFA has presented this to EREA and there are arrangement to build strategies for EREA PSS funding Ø Communication with Regional Directors to be maintained Ø To be rolled out as follows; Africa July Oceania next funding cycle Ø This will be included in the next quarterly Monitoring and Evaluation Committee meeting in the second week of May. Ø Reports will be made available to Members of ERFA and the Board. Ø These reports will be included in each CEO report to the Board Ø These templates will be trialled as a component of the new Field reports in May. Governing Authorities, Project Managers and all new aligned parties will have adopted new Financial Procedures as a component of the Project Cycle Manual. Ø PSS continues to grow in Ø Positive feedback from EREA schools and new sources of income are established Ø Projects Leaders and Governing Authorities report only on ERFA funded projects by the following timeline. Africa 4 th Quarter Oceania 1 st Quarter 2017 All Annual Acquittals for 2016 Ø Achieved for Annual Acquittal for 2016 Ø To be done in the following timeline: Africa 4 th quarterly report Oceania 2017 ERFA Annual Strategic Plan 9