ESCC’s Jerry Lewis and Mark Grote discuss strategic plan updats with Liz Carter, Executive Director, St. Vincent de Paul.

Challenge: St. Vincent de Paul already had a long-term vision and strategic plan when they called in ESCC for help. Executive Service Corps of Cincinnati was asked to confirm buy-in of local stakeholders to that long-term plan and to create a shorter-term strategic plan.

Solution: The ESCC project team and St. Vincent de Paul leadership designed a plan to tap the views of its stakeholders. ESCC gathered information and opinions from more than 200 stakeholders through surveys, focus groups and one-on-one interviews. Board members and some of the volunteers, staff, clients, donors, and other agencies were included. Major themes were identified and shared with St. Vincent de Paul. Liz Carter, SVDP Executive Director, said that this discernment process gave them the confidence to choose to work in a new direction. In addition, ESCC helped the organization develop a detailed strategic plan designed to move the organization to its new vision. It included work on volunteer and infrastructure development and groundwork for a family shelter. Carter commented: “I loved working with these guys. It’s fun to work with a group who are as passionate about what we do as we are.”