WIDE ANGLE YOUTH MEDIA STRATEGIC PLAN

FY 2012 - FY 2017
MISSION
Wide Angle Youth Media is a non-profit organization that provides Baltimore youth with media education to tell their own stories and become engaged with their communities. Wide Angle Youth Media achieves its mission by: Providing free and accessible training in media production and literacy to more than 300 youth (ages 10-20) each year. Because these youth have limited access to technological resources, Wide Angle Youth Medias programs bridge the digital divide and promote their academic and job-readiness skills. Developing leaders who are socially responsible, civically engaged, and are able to think critically. In particular, Wide Angle Youth Media targets at-risk youth.

VISION
Through the power of media and filmmaking, Wide Angle Youth Media will share perspectives across age, culture, and background, creating a more compassionate Baltimore with healthier communities and greater opportunities for all. Our programs will encourage civic responsibility, inspiring our youth to become the next generation of active, conscientious, and motivated leaders.

CORE VALUES
1. Integrity 2. Creative Expression 3. Civic Responsibility

AREAS FOR ORGANIZATION-WIDE STRATEGIC PLANNING

Wide Angle Youth Media is addressing three interrelated areas over the next five years for sustainable growth: 1. Organizational structure, functioning, and staffing 2. Financial sustainability 3. Programming

Strategic Plan: Wide Angle Youth Media FY 2012-2017

STRATEGIC AREA 1: ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, FUNCTIONING, AND STAFFING

GOAL ONE: Enhance and optimize the staff through effective hiring, training, and identifying the right people for clearly defined roles and responsibilities. OBJECTIVE ONE: To fully support and solidify programming, Wide Angle Youth Media will increase its total full-time staff from three to eight positions by the end of fiscal year 2017. STRATEGY A: Increase marketing, promotional, and distribution efforts as well as build capacity for development and fundraising. STRATEGY B: Hire additional staff and contract with consultants to strengthen operations and programming. GOAL TWO: Enhance organizational capacity. OBJECTIVE ONE: Wide Angle Youth Media board members will focus on board-specific work for an average of three to four hours per month by FY16. STRATEGY A: In addition to meeting hiring goals as reflected in Goal One above, improve the organizations efficiency and build expertise by using consultants to support strategic marketing and promotions partnerships as well as fundraising efforts and to generate new marketing and fundraising ideas. STRATEGY B: Increase community involvement and support of Wide Angle Youth Medias programs through the involvement of volunteers. OBJECTIVE TWO: Wide Angle Youth Media will increase the size of its governing board from 11 to 17 members by FY17. STRATEGY A: Build and diversify the board to include people from varied socioeconomic and ethnic groups, which reflect the growing population Wide Angle Youth Media serves and interacts with, and with the varied skills required for the board to exercise appropriate oversight of the organization. OBJECTIVE THREE: The average tenure of a part-time instructor with Wide Angle Youth Media will increase from six months to two years by FY15, and the average tenure of a full-time instructor with Wide Angle Youth Media will increase from one year to three years by FY17. STRATEGY A: Develop a clear path for training, professional development, and career advancement for teachers, students, and staff to improve overall retention and ability to attract highly qualified candidates.

Strategic Plan: Wide Angle Youth Media FY 2012-2017

STRATEGIC AREA 2: FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

GOAL ONE: Diversify and grow Wide Angle Youth Medias revenue and sources of income. OBJECTIVE ONE: Annual revenue will increase by 20%, or approximately $50,000, each year. STRATEGY A: Expand outreach efforts to potential individual donors, corporations, foundations, and contract partners to diversify and increase the number of funding sources. OBJECTIVE TWO: By FY17, Wide Angle Youth Media will have an amount equal to three months of operation costs saved or invested and will increase the amount dedicated to marketing, communications, and development from 1% to 10% of the budget. STRATEGY A: Institutionalize additional cost savings into all operations and financial transactions with a particular emphasis on growing savings and investments. STRATEGY B: Create a distinct link between Wide Angle Youth Medias promotion and marketing efforts and Wide Angle Youth Medias income generation efforts. OBJECTIVE THREE: Together, the board will raise at least 10%, or approximately $30,000, of the annual operating budget. STRATEGY A: Hold each member accountable for bringing in new funds.

Strategic Plan: Wide Angle Youth Media FY 2012-2017

STRATEGIC AREA 3: PROGRAMMING

GOAL ONE: Effectively design, implement, and improve programs. OBJECTIVE ONE: Students who complete Wide Angle Youth Medias middle school programs will continue to make up 50% of the students participating in its high school programs. STRATEGY A: Ensure that middle school programming can adjust smoothly to location changes whether it is in school, library, or another site. OBJECTIVE TWO: By FY17, Wide Angle Youth Media will work with an evaluation consultant to identify at least two indicators that funders would like to see Wide Angle Youth Media use in evaluating its effectiveness. STRATEGY A: Increase efforts and focus so that Wide Angle Youth Media is on trend and at the forefront of measuring what is relevant in the educational environment. GOAL TWO: Grow media arts programming. OBJECTIVE ONE: Wide Angle Youth Media will add at least one, but no more than three, new programs by FY17 and increase to or maintain 10 sustained distribution and programming partnerships per year. STRATEGY A: Ensure that Wide Angle Youth Media adds only those programs that will be simultaneously mission-focused and cost-effective and that fit within its capabilities and mission. GOAL THREE: Achieve maximum impact on youth and their communities. OBJECTIVE ONE: Wide Angle Youth Media will complete all of its key tactics to maximize a positive impact on youth and their communities. At least 50% of these tactics will be implemented by FY17. STRATEGY A: Bolster media arts programming for youth. OBJECTIVE TWO: By the end of FY2017, Wide Angle Youth Media will demonstrate that its programming has both a statistically significant quantitative and qualitative impact on youth and their communities as defined by the evaluation consultant with full participation of and input by the Executive Director. STRATEGY A: Build consciousness and encourage outreach through media arts programming for youth.

Strategic Plan: Wide Angle Youth Media FY 2012-2017

STRATEGIC AREA 3: PROGRAMMING (CONTINUED)

GOAL FOUR: Expand the audience and increase awareness of the issues addressed in the media produced by Wide Angle Youth Media. OBJECTIVE ONE: By FY17, awareness about and engagement in Wide Angle Youth Media and the media they produce will reach 50,000 people in Baltimore compared to the 10,000 people reached in FY12. STRATEGY A: Involve students, parents, alumni, board and partners. OBJECTIVE TWO: Based on films created by Wide Angle Youth Media students pick three to five targeted audience groups per year, like middle school students, college students, political representatives, and so on, whom to distribute media. STRATEGY A: Deepen connections in targeted communities.

Strategic Plan: Wide Angle Youth Media FY 2012-2017