The following Strategic Plan for 2013-2017 was published on the District Website on March 9, 2013. It was presented and approved at the District 5790 Business Meeting on May 17, 2013. Respectfully submitted: The Strategic Planning Committee (2012-2013) District 5790 Rotary International Charles Kurtzman, PDG Tom Sheriff, PDG Co-Chair Co-Chair Harris Brooks, AG Becky Downing, PDG Jim Giffin, DGE J. Paul Lucas, PDG Larry Petrash, DGN Troy Secord, DGNN (non-voting)
Introduction As Rotary has entered into its second century of service, clubs, districts, and Rotary International are (a) looking beyond an immediate year and (b) considering what kind of organizations they want to be, including reviewing their long term goals and purposes, and how these goals and purposes will be achieved. One of the great strengths of Rotary is its infusion of new leadership every year. At every level in Rotary, new leaders have the freedom to propose new initiatives, new ways to organize to achieve them and new actions for their accomplishment. At the same time, this freedom raises concerns about continuity, communication and the possibility that frequent changes in direction may detract from the effectiveness of the organization. To address this concern, Rotary International required each Rotary District to develop, adopt and implement a District Leadership Plan (DLP) by July 1, 2002; indeed, District 5790 is currently operating under District Leadership Plan, Version 9.0. This Strategic Plan is being prepared as required by such District Leadership Plan as explained below. In the District Financial Plan addendum to Version 9.0 of the DLP, the District policy is set forth as follows. "The District shall engage in strategic planning to envision a 5 year future. This planning shall be formally reviewed and updated each year." In the preface of the DLP (Version 9.0) the District has addressed the purpose and role of District-level leadership. This Strategic Plan has been completed consistent with the District's policy set forth below. "The primary purpose for the existence of all district-level Rotary leadership is to help the Rotary clubs in District 5790 to be successful in furthering the Object of Rotary in their communities and wherever their influence and service projects may extend to other parts of the world. It is recognized and understood that the most important unit in Rotary is each individual Rotary club. Rotary, at all levels, exists to provide needed services rather than to build hierarchies or bureaucracies." We note that the Manual of Procedure and the District Leadership Plan provide, in considerable detail, how districts operate. The purpose of a District Strategic Plan is to provide broad guidance to the district leadership with respect to: 1) long term goals and commitments; 2) how such long-term goals and commitments might best be achieved; and 3) to communicate to clubs in the district ways in which the district plans to support each club in achieving their goals and objectives. 2
Mission We provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders. Priorities and Goals 1. SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN CLUBS The District's leadership believes that developing new Rotary leaders, both inside and beyond the clubs in our District, is critical to the ability of Rotary Clubs in our District to further the object of Rotary in their communities. To this end, the District will continue to offer and/or support, at a minimum, the following programs: A. Foster Club innovation and flexibility Facilitate club s use of online tools and social media provided by Rotary International, District 5790. B. Encourage Clubs to participate in a variety of service activities Focus on local community projects, especially with the smaller clubs maximizing the use of the District Block Grant to achieve local awareness of Rotary and strengthening the clubs. Utilize the District Block Grant funds to enhance the capabilities of smaller clubs to execute more significant community projects, both in their communities and together with another club in a community not currently served by Rotary. C. Promote membership diversity D. Improve member recruitment and retention We will seek a net growth in the membership of D5790 at a rate equal to or greater than the increase in the population of the territory served by D5790. The District will provide support to our clubs to attain this goal through effective District-level committees for both Membership Development and Extension led by Rotarians with a record of success in growing membership. 3
E. Develop Leaders 1. Lone Star PETS ("President Elect Training Seminar") 2. All Presidents-elect in District 3. All eligible Assistant Governors in District 4. District Leadership Seminar 5. AG Training Seminar 6. Institute for Leadership 7. District Assembly 8. Foundation/ Membership Seminars 9. Multi-District Training Seminar 10. RI Presidential Emphasis Seminars 11. Other Training/Strategy Seminars F. Start New Dynamic Clubs G. Encourage strategic planning at club and district levels H. Encourage risk assessment / risk management for clubs and District 5790. 2. FOCUS AND INCREASE HUMANITARIAN SERVICE We will encourage and provide assistance to clubs as needed to increase their involvement in community, international, and vocational projects or activities including, but not limited to, projects listed below. Also, we note that certain projects are considered "core projects" by the District, and as such, the District's commitment to these projects is a multi-year commitment as explained more fully below. The following projects have been deemed "core programs" for District 5790. As such, the District has, at a minimum, a five year "rolling commitment" to each of the projects. The purpose of the "rolling five year commitment" is to provide a level of continuity to each "core program" for the benefit of both the District's leaders as well as the communities served by each "core program". 4
A. Eradicate Polio 1. Continue to support the RI effort to eradicate Polio 2. Continue to encourage clubs to meet the RI commitment to raise funds to match the Gates Foundation Challenge. B. Increase sustainable service focused on: New Generations Service Programs 1. Rotary Youth Exchange 2. RYLA 3. INTERACT 4. ROTARACT 5. 4-Way Test Speech Contests C. The Rotary Foundation s six areas of focus 1. Peace and Conflict Resolution a. RITE ("Rotary District 5790 Inter Country Teacher Exchange") b. RYE ("Rotary Youth Exchange ") c. Peace Scholars 2. Disease prevention and treatment a. Gift of Mobility (Wheelchairs) b. Blood Bank Technology Exchange c. Blood Donations (Governor's Challenge) 3. Water and Sanitation Water and Sanitation (Water Projects in Honduras, Dominican Republic, etc.) 4. Maternal and Child Health Vision Up Haiti 5. Economic and Community Development a. Disaster Readiness ("See Disaster Readiness Plan") b. Micro lending 6. Basic Education and Literacy a. Ambassadorial Scholar b. Group Study Exchange c. District 5790 Book Project d. Dictionaries (Children, Adult) e. Mentoring f. Reading Programs 5
` Participation with Rotarian Action Groups Currently there are 16 RAGs with a combined membership of nearly 30,000 in more than 100 countries worldwide. Each RAG specializes in a particular area of service, with most RAGs having significant expertise in one or more of Rotary s six areas of focus. Many RAGs also have valuable connections to external partnering organizations and funding sources that Rotary service projects can benefit from. We think of RAGs as volunteer consultants that can help clubs design and implement new service projects, or enhance existing projects to make them more effective and sustainable While the RI Board of Directors sets policies for RAGs and decides whether to recognize prospective RAGs, the RAGs operate independently of RI and must obtain Governor s permission before contacting clubs to offer their assistance. We strongly encourage the Governor and Governor-elect to look with favor on the services that these groups have to offer and facilitate connections between clubs and the RAGs whenever possible. By working together rather than separately, the leveraged strength of clubs and districts, RAGs, Rotary s professional staff, and our many partners around the world can dramatically enhance Rotary s global humanitarian service impact. D. Increase collaborations and connection with other organizations Increase collaborations & connections with other organizations including schools and colleges (scholarships, mentoring, service learning, RYLA, Rotaract, Interact, international service project & programs, etc. Example: Promote club scholarships in partnership with their local community colleges to leverage the club scholarship to provide for two years of college tuition. E. Create significant projects both locally and internationally Utilize features of the new Future Vision Grants Model for humanitarian projects, scholarships, and vocational training teams. 1. District Grants Small and intermediate grants primarily local and some international. 2. Global Grants Large International Grants which are based on sustainability and the six areas of focus. 6
3. ENHANCE PUBLIC IMAGE AND AWARENESS We will strive to improve the level of awareness of Rotary and its ideals and accomplishments both internally (among the District's Rotarians) and externally (among the Public). We encourage the District committee to consider the following in working with the Clubs in our District: A. Unify image and brand awareness B. Publicize action oriented service 1. Bill Boards - Consider all strategic geographical locations 2. Press Releases 3. Grant from Rotary International to do Radio and Television public service announcements when available 4. Websites (District, Club)/ Social Networks such as Facebook and Twitter 5. District Spokesperson acting under District Governor's guidance. 6. Events C. Promote core values 1. Service 2. Fellowship 3. Diversity 4. Integrity 5. Leadership D. Emphasize vocational service E. Encourage clubs to promote their networking opportunities and their signature activities 1. Use technology to disseminate information effectively. 2. Awards Programs (Increase participation in focus programs) 3. Governor's Newsletter including online summary page with links to specific articles 4. Governor Club Visits 5. District Assembly 6. Conference (Focus on Achievements) 7. Membership & Foundation Seminar 8. Annual Foundation Dinner 9. Websites (District and Club)/ Social Networks such as Facebook and Twitter 10. Speakers' Bureau 7
4. STRATEGIC PLANNING PROCESS In order to comply with the District's policy to formally review and update the District's five year Strategic Plan each year, a standing committee to be known as the "District 5790 Strategic Planning Committee" is established. The Committee's year will coincide with the "Rotary year", and the committee be comprised of eight voting members with six members selected "at large" with each to serve a three year term and also including the DGE and the DGN each year. Each District Governor shall select two Rotarians from the District to serve upon the committee starting in the Rotary year following the Governor s term. The DGN Nominee (DGNN) upon selection will serve as a non-voting member. The terms of service of the "at large" members will be staggered so that two of the six "at large" members' terms will expire at the end of each Rotary year. Rotarians to fill any vacancies on the Committee will be selected by the remaining members of the Committee to fill that unexpired term. Any replacements so named, during a Rotary year, will be presented to and presumably approved by the membership at the District Conference. The chair of the Committee will be selected each year by the members of the Committee and will serve a one year term. Composition of 2013-2014 District Strategic Planning Committee Voting Members: Position 1 2011-2014 Nancy Smith (appointment by Strategic Planning Committee filling Roberto Aguirre s unexpired term for 2013-2014) Position 2 2011-2014 Harris Brooks (filling Larry Petrash s unexpired term) Position 3 2012-2015 Tom Sheriff, PDG Position 4 2012-2015 Paul Lucas. PDG Position 5 2013-2016 Michelle Stefan (appointment by DG Hollis Lackey) Position 6 2013-2016 Deborah West (appointment by DG Hollis Lackey) DGE Position - Larry Petrash DGN Position - Troy Secord Non-voting Member: DGNN Position - upon selection in January 2014 8