STRATEGIC PLAN 2008 – EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
MAY 16, 2008
INTRODUCTION
The Board of Directors of Dress for Success Pittsburgh contracted with 501c32 to
conduct a comprehensive Strategic Planning process. Led by the firm’s principal
Linda Dickerson and overseen by our Board Chairs and Executive Director, the
process consisted of a full day opening retreat, a series of topical breakout sessions
that included volunteers, staff and other stakeholders, and a closing full day
“advance” session attended by the board and ED. Our full board, staff and dozens
of other committed people participated in the process, providing excellent ideas
and recommendations that are expressed throughout the plan, and we thank them
for their participation.
The “end” result is this 3 year plan, which provides us with a road map to follow
through 2010. But this plan represents the beginning of the next stage for our young,
nearly 3 year old organization.
As good fortune and timing would have it, this Spring we were awarded a significant
contract with the state Department of Public Welfare that in fact already
accelerated elements of the Strategic Plan, in particular Goal #1 relating to client,
affiliate and geographic growth. This contract, which was months in the making, also
changed our immediate staffing needs, as expressed in the plan.
We anticipate and welcome changes to our plan while keeping our mission and
vision clear and focused. We are confident that this plan, coupled with strong
volunteer and staff leadership, will ensure that clients served by Dress for Success
Pittsburgh becomes a predominant employment advancement and retention
organization serving disadvantaged women in our region.
Sincerely,
Beth A. Slagle and Cindy Cooney
Co-Chairs, Dress for Success Board of Directors
Summary of 4 key goals (detail of strategies and tactics are included in main plan)
Goal 1: By 2010, Serve 3,500 people /year
Goal 2: Recast the Dress for Success Pittsburgh brand, focusing on increased
professional development programming.
Goal 3: Add three new professional development programs so that 60% of all programs
delivered are in the professional development arena in five years.
Goal 4: Raise the amounts of contributed revenue in the timeframes
indicated below:
CORPORATE/FOUNDATION/INDIVIDUAL
2008
2009
2010
$60,000
$120,000
$180,000
GOVERNMENT
$100,000
$120,000
$150,000
2008 Budget
Total Projected Revenue:
$156,208
Administrative Expenses
$56,320
Program Expenses
$86,525
Total Expenses:
$142,845
Excess (Shortage):
$13,363
Impact of Goal Tactics on 2008 Budget
Total Projected Revenue:
$316,208
Government Contract
$120,000
Other Funding Sources
$196,208
Administrative Expenses
$56,320
Program Expenses
$86,525
Goal 1 Tactics Expenses
$100,500
Goal 2 Tactics Expenses
$3,000
Goal 3 Tactics Expenses
$7,500
Goal 4 Tactics Expenses
$29,000
Total Expenses:
Excess (Deficit):
$282,845
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$33,363
DRESS FOR SUCCESS PITTSBURGH STRATEGIC PLAN 2008
MISSION STATEMENT
The mission for Dress for Success Pittsburgh is to promote the economic independence of
disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and the career
development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
VISION STATEMENT
Because of their affiliation with Dress for Success Pittsburgh, our clients will be empowered
and achieve self-sufficiency, success, and life-balance through support, mentoring, and
other services.
Dress for Success Pittsburgh is fiscally sound and has built a strong, diverse base of supporters
that allows for expanded reach and steady growth.
A strong group of ambassadors, high-profile spokespeople, and focused public relations
have positioned Dress for Success Pittsburgh as a prominent leader in women’s
empowerment and advancement.
SWOT ANALYSIS
As a fledgling non-profit, Dress for Success Pittsburgh has achieved a good balance
between strengths and weaknesses and between opportunities and threats. A SWOT
analysis appears below.
Strengths
Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s core strengths lie in its connections and rapport with its referral
agencies as well as its demonstrated ability to produce results for clients. A detailed list of its
strengths appears below:
Priority Strengths
Operations manager, who is experienced, capable and compassionate
A strong referral network
Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s ability to leverage DFS Worldwide’s success and growth
A clear, concise, easily communicated mission
A cause that resonates
An easily recognizable name
Creativity among members who think out of the box and are well networked
Board synergy and compatibility
Good communication with funders, volunteers, clients, referring agencies, and
DFS Worldwide
The Professional Women’s Group (PWG) program and other mentoring activities that Dress for
Success Pittsburgh conducts
A proven track record of accomplishments to show potential donors
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Other Strengths
Committee volunteers
Developmental stage
Energy throughout the organization
Capacity to interact with multiple agencies
Strong, sustainable growth for Dress for Success Pittsburgh vis-à-vis peers
Positioned well for and well received by corps.
Training for image consultants
Provide continuum for services
Weaknesses
Most of Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s weaknesses are related to development and
fundraising. A comprehensive list of weaknesses appears below.
Priority Weaknesses
Lack of time for board and volunteers and staff
Lack of funding and continuing donations
No donor acquisition and cultivation strategy
Clothing donations taking the place of cash donations
Lack of awareness of the challenges confronting clients
Lack of key influencers on board
Lack of a comprehensive strategy
Fragmented, inconsistent communications
Dress for Success Pittsburgh name not representative of its scope of service
Lack of emphasis on upcoming needs in board communications
Insufficient staffing
Other Weaknesses
Over-reliance on one or two individuals
Absence of an elevator speech
Lack of public awareness among funders, referral agencies and the general public
Incidental cost impedes client participation
Small board size and lack of diversity
Erratic need for clothing
Lack of longitudinal data (success stores)
Opportunities
Opportunities abound for Dress for Success Pittsburgh, especially in connecting with other
organizations from which Dress for Success Pittsburgh can leverage value. Other
opportunities to build public awareness are outlined below.
Priority Opportunities
Leveraging potential revenue generating services (companies, higher ed, public schools)
Forming corporate partnerships and a Corporate Guild
Taking advantage of the press opportunities available through the move and new location
Partnering with for-profits (e.g., car dealerships)
Lobbying for federal money
Forming a speaker’s bureau
Connecting to higher ed and high schools
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Emerging as the dominant organization in the field as client’s needs are expanding and no
clear leader in the field currently exists
Doing outreach with the faith-based community and women’s associations
Partnerships with nonprofits to increase reach efficiently (e.g., mammograms)
Creating a PWG Leadership Council
Other Opportunities
Conducting service learning
Connecting to other area nonprofits and other organizations
Increasing transparency
Being a role model for other Dress for Success affiliates
Expanding regionally
Pursing the Increased opportunities for state grant money
Providing work clothes other than suits (i.e., scrubs, uniforms, etc.)
Threats
Changing externalities on the national scene and at DFS Worldwide comprise the primary
threats to Dress for Success Pittsburgh. These are detailed below.
Priority Threats
Volatile political environment
Regional and national slowing economy
Tarnished image creating skepticism among certain key fundraisers
Fate of the national organization
Decreased demand for services related to clothing
Other Threats
Changing guidelines for proper employment attire
Personnel and other stakeholder’s burn out
RECOMMENDATIONS BASED ON SWOT
The tactics below address the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats listed above.
These tactics, along with others that emerged in the strategic planning process, appear later
in this document in the section on the organization’s goals, strategies, and tactics.
Strengths
Direct the operations manager to prepare “how to” guidelines that others could follow to
achieve her same level of excellence.
Document on video the techniques that the operations manager employs to use as a
training tool for others.
Seek an intern to compile best practices from DFS Worldwide and other DFS offices.
Utilize DFS Worldwide’s executive and other personalities for local Dress for Success Pittsburgh
events, marketing them as speakers at key women’s events (e.g., International Women’s
Forum, Athena Award).
Develop a turnkey fundraising package that could be used at other women’s meetings and
groups across Southwestern PA.
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Weaknesses
Expand the board and recruit more volunteers with connections to the community. Use
direct marketing to locate individuals who appear to meet the demographic and
socioeconomic characteristics of other volunteers (use Claritas).
Assign priorities so that board members focus their energies and time.
Increase funding, repeat donations, and donor acquisition through direct marketing
programs such as Claritas.
Build relationships with key donors.
Opportunities
Explore with the McCune Foundation the development of a Dress for Success Pittsburgh
training module to be marketed to public schools, local colleges, and companies as a social
venture capital project, such as a training module for new employee orientation programs.
Conduct a focus group of corporate executives on how best to partner with corporations.
Threats
Enlist the in-kind and pro-bono services of image consultants and a PR firm to enhance the
DFS image in Pittsburgh.
RETURN ON INVESTMENT ANALYSIS
Early in its planning process, Dress for Success Pittsburgh identified the following three
strategic priorities:
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Building the Board
Fundraising
Opportunities for Growth
The organization hosted three roundtable discussions with board members and outside
stakeholders to explore each of the above priorities. During these roundtable discussions,
participants generated the list of action items in Appendix A. These action items informed
the strategies and tactics outlined below. Participants rated each of the proposed action
steps based on its ability to generate a return and its cost of implementation. The results of
their ratings appear in Appendix A as well.
Building the Board
The planning process identified two constraints diminishing board effectiveness:
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Time commitment
o Board members already are overextended; prospective board members’ time
is limited, thereby making board membership less attractive to them.
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Fundraising
o Current board members do not have a propensity to fundraise.
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Desired characteristics of a Dress for Success Pittsburgh board member:
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Diversity of race, sex, age
Time to devote to Dress for Success Pittsburgh
“Worker bee” orientation
Penchant for being a connector
Recognized individuals with clout
Expertise in marketing and PR
Entrepreneurial spirit/instinct
Ties to corporations, particularly manufacturing and high-tech firms
Sources of potential Dress for Success Pittsburgh board members:
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Leaders of corporate women’s associations
Leadership Pittsburgh graduates
Boards by Design
Young Executives for Success (YES)
Leadership Development Initiative (LDI) and Leadership On-Board
Older women who have broken through the glass ceiling
Colleagues of board members
Sports personalities (i.e., Pittsburgh Passion, Pirates, wife of a player or coach)
Politician or staff member for a politician
Member of local media (i.e., Elaine Effort)
Referring agencies and their case managers
Referring agency board members
Hospital CEOs
Organizations such as Jack and Jill Sorority, Junior League, Big Brothers Big Sisters
Connectors to particular industries (i.e., hospitality, casino, retail owners)
UPMC
Pitt, CMU, and other universities
Macy’s, Target, and other department stores
Verizon (a worldwide corporate sponsor)
Comcast
American Eagle
Kimpton Hotel (if one comes to Pittsburgh, a world-wide corporate sponsor)
Fundraising
The most likely donor to Dress for Success Pittsburgh is…
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A woman, particularly a wealthy woman
A working professional
An individual who can relate to the clients’ experience
A member of the 40-60 age cohort
An individual with time, income, or retirement age
A past client who “graduated” from the program
A Dress for Success Pittsburgh volunteer
A female entrepreneur
A woman who has faced, and overcome, personal challenges
A man who has demonstrated support for women
A man who has a daughter diligently pursuing a career
A man with money and a need to be positioned as supportive of women
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The previous demographic and socioeconomic characteristics should be used to identify
categories of prospects to serve as board members or volunteers. A tool like Claritas,
mentioned above, is useful in finding such prospects.
In recruiting prospective board members, volunteers, and donors, positioning Dress for
Success Pittsburgh to resonate with the prospect is key. Alternative positioning statements
that tie into the organization’s mission and vision follow.
Positioning Statements
Dress for Success Pittsburgh is…
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A building block for stronger families
A second chance, a life saver
A vehicle for independence
An economic development tool
A networking tool
A self-esteem builder
A business education
A tool for sustainable empowerment
A community-builder
A balancing tool for life and work
Impediments to Fundraising
Board Constraints
The current board’s reluctance to fundraise is one of several impediments to fundraising
facing the organization. The strategic and tactical recommendations that appear later in
this plan address these impediments and create an environment for board members and
staff to overcome the barriers that follow:
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Board members’ reluctance to ask
Board members’ lack of experience in “closing the sale”
Other non-profit affiliations competing for board members’ attention
An insufficient prospect pool
No prioritization of prospects
Board members’ lack of experience with corporate solicitation
Board members’ fear of rejection
Board members’ tendency to sympathize with prospects’ reasons not to give
Staff Distractions
In addition to the above impediments, the organization’s senior staff faces several
distractions that hinder fundraising. These distractions are itemized below:
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Office management
Worldwide reporting
Accounting/Bookkeeping
Database management
Internal communication
Regulatory compliance
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Because the organization needs to shift its focus to fundraising and development, it must
identify means to handle the above priorities efficiently, leaving more time to focus on raising
money.
Organizational Constraints
In addition to the factors impeding board and staff from fundraising, the organization faces
several other critical constraints to its growth and fundraising success. These constraints
appear below.
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Limited resources (staff, time, and money)
Organizational mindset whereas fundraising is not a core value
Staff, board, and volunteer burnout
Lack of broad scale public awareness
DFS Worldwide restrictions
Mission creep
Dress for Success Pittsburgh name (emphasis on clothing, not professional
development)
GOALS, STRATEGIES, AND TACTICS
Goal 1: By 2010, Serve 3,500 people /year
In 2007, Dress for Success Pittsburgh had 704 suiting appointments and provided services to
657 total participants (including PWG and pre-employment workshops).
Strategies:
1. Significantly expand outreach activities
2. Solidify operations to handle additional clients
3. Identify potential satellite locations to service clients beyond Allegheny County
4. Identify and increase government contracts
Tactics:
1. Increase the number of referral agencies ($1,000 /year)
2. Increase staff and volunteers
a. Overall operations (year 1 (2008): $43,000; year 2 (2009): additional $18,000;
year 3 (2010): additional $40,000)
b. Government Contract oversight and staffing (year 1 (2008): $53,000, year 2
(2009): $50,000, year 3 (2010): $25,000)
3. Increase hours of operation and inventory
4. Direct the operations manager to prepare “how to” guidelines that others could
follow to achieve her same level of excellence
5. Document on video the techniques that the operations manager employs to use as a
training tool for others
6. Seek an intern to compile best practices from DFS WW and other DFS offices
7. Determine the best way to reach clients outside of Allegheny County ($1,000/year)
8. Establish standard operating procedures
9. Create marketing materials that can be continuously updated
10. Educate all referral agencies, especially PA CareerLink and Department of Public
Welfare Work Training Programs (e.g., EARN) ($2,500/year)
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Responsibility: A committee comprised of staff, board, clients, constituents, and key
stakeholders will meet to advise DFS Pittsburgh’s ED & Board implementation.
Total Incremental Cost: $100,500 in Year 1 (2008); $72,500 in Year 2 (2009), + $69,500 in Year 3
(2010)
Goal 2: Recast the Dress for Success Pittsburgh brand, focusing on increased
professional development programming.
Strategies:
1. Educate stakeholders
2. Introduce new brand in Dress for Success Pittsburgh marketing materials/activities
Tactics:
1. Form a committee of volunteers, board members, staff, and external individuals to
examine marketing strategies and materials
2. Localize the national tagline, “Suits to Self-Sufficiency”
3. Develop materials to reflect the new Dress for Success Pittsburgh branding philosophy;
potential new media include a new dedicated website, improvement to our pages
on DFSWW affiliate website, newsletter, brochures, press materials, Speaker’s Bureau
and packaged presentation, annual report, annual appeal letters, and e-mail
correspondence
4. Flesh out the Speaker’s Bureau in Year 1 (2008)
5. Enlist pro-bono PR services to enhance the Dress for Success Pittsburgh image in
Greater Pittsburgh
6. Create a new board member orientation (Year 1 (2008): $1,500; Year 2 (2009): $1,000;
Year 3 (2010): $1,000)
7. Develop a volunteer orientation
8. Identify and implement ways for Advisory board and key volunteers to play a primary
role in implementing this goal
Responsibility: Primarily the Board Chairs and Executive Director
Cost: $3,000 in Year 1 (2008); minimum $5,000 + pro bono in Year 2 (2009) and Year 3 (2010)
Goal 3: Add three new professional development programs so that 60% of all programs
delivered are in the professional development arena in five years.
Strategies:
1. Shift priorities in programming toward professional development as a complement to
providing appropriate professional attire
2. Use other Career Centers as a model for potential program additions
Tactics:
1. Use Year 1 (2008) to solidify existing programs; in Year 2 (2009), take programs into two
counties outside of Allegheny County; and in Year 3 (2010), examine the potential of
providing an employment and professional development training program for
prospective graduating high school students
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2. Explore the DFS worldwide model for programming and benchmark other analogous
programs in the Summer of Year 1 (2008)
3. Explore the development of a Dress for Success Pittsburgh training module to be
marketed to public schools, local colleges, and companies as a social venture capital
project, such as a training module for new employee orientation programs
4. Conduct a gap analysis/inventory unmet client needs (Spring Year 2 (2009))
5. Develop a career center model (Spring/Fall Year 2 (2009))
6. Benchmark best practices of other career centers
7. Examine the needs of referral agencies and identify recommended programs to
ensure that Dress for Success Pittsburgh does not replicate existing programs
8. Explore connections with groups that could be included in PWG (e.g., POWER)
9. Develop a career center action plan
10. Develop a career center differentiation strategy
11. Explore graduate level internships with professional writing majors (Begin in Fall, 2008)
Responsibility: Primarily the Executive Director, the Government Programs Director, and the
Chair of the Professional Development Committee, with Graduate level work-study
intern/Coro Fellow and Americorps Vista with supervision from the ED
Cost: Time; Year 1 (2008): $7,500; Year 2 (2009): $20,000; Year 3 (2010): $25,000
Goal 4: Raise the amounts of contributed revenue in the timeframes
indicated below:
CORPORATE/FOUNDATION/INDIVIDUAL
2011
2012
2013
$60,000
$120,000
$180,000
GOVERNMENT
$100,000
$120,000
$150,000
Strategies:
1. Host more events to generate increased awareness
2. Further engage the board in fundraising
3. Prepare and execute a comprehensive development plan
Tactics:
1. Create and implement a development strategy
2. Hold a board training session on fundraising and “making the sale” (Year 1 (2008):
$3,500; Year 2 (2009): $2,000; Year 3 (2010): $4,500)
3. Identify potential funders and corporate donors and develop a plan of approach (Fall
Year 1 (2008))
4. Identify corporate and other partners through local and worldwide board and
volunteer connections
5. Conduct a brainstorming session to identify high-profile spokespeople and generate
an action plan for getting them to sign on to represent Dress for Success Pittsburgh
a. Local personalities Ex: Patrice King, Kiya Tomlin, Chris Moore, Darieth Chisolm,
Martha Sanger
b. Utilize DFS Worldwide’s executive and other personalities for local Dress for Success
Pittsburgh events, marketing them as speakers at key women’s events (e.g.,
International Women’s Forum, Athena Award)
6. Develop a turnkey PR and information kit for use with board members, volunteers,
prospective donors, etc. (Year 1 (2008): $1,500; Years 2 (2009) and 3 (2010): $1,000)
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7. Conduct a focus group of corporate executives on how best to partner with
corporations
8. Revive the Corporate Guild concept ($2,000/year)
9. Hold a quarterly “learn about Dress for Success Pittsburgh” breakfast for potential
donors ($400/year)
10. Create and host a signature event (net revenue Year 1 (2008): $15,000; Year 2 (2009):
$40,000; Year 3 (2010): $60,000)
11. Conduct friendraisers ($2,000/year)
12. Reach out to cultivate existing donors
13. Hold donor appreciation events ($1,000/year)
14. Increase funding, repeat donations, and donor acquisition through direct marketing
programs such as Claritas (Year 1 (2008) and Year 2 (2009): $4,000; Year 3 (2010):
$5,000)
15. By Year 2 (2009), determine need to hire a part-time development staff person
(potential cost of $40,000 including benefits)
16. Expand the board and recruit more volunteers
17. Identity/implement ways for the Advisory Board to participate in reaching this goal.
Responsibility: Dress for Success Pittsburgh staff, board and advisory board
Total Incremental Fundraising/Development Cost: $29,000 in Year 1 (2008), $82,400 in Year 2
(2009), and $95,900 in Year 3 (2010)
APPENDIX A
Building the Board
Low Cost, High Return
Involve potential board members first on events committee (6)
Encourage existing board members to ask qualified candidates to join the board (5)
Ask collaboration and affiliate organizations/partner groups top identify board members (5)
Convene a group of community people to brainstorm potential candidates (5)
Create a recruitment package with a consistent message (5)
Data mine existing board members and slot potential board members into areas of need (4)
Recruit retirees (4)*
High Cost, High Return
Proactively promote Dress for Success Pittsburgh (5)
Recruit retirees (4)*
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Low Cost, Low Return
Reduce the amount of time required of board members (6)
Consult the clients as a source for board members (5)
Fundraising
Low Cost, High Return
Create an elevator speech (7)
Leverage offers to donate clothing into discussions about Dress for Success Pittsburgh’s
broader mission (6)
Tap into existing corporate women’s groups (6)
Host and attend networking/”friendraiser” events (5)
Approach people in board members’ rolodexes to hear the Dress for Success Pittsburgh story
(5)
Document client success stories (5)
Solicit client employer testimonials (5)
Cultivate relationships with existing donors (5)
Identify entrepreneurs to host awareness events that tap into their clientele (5)
Collaborate with other organizations (3)*
High Cost, High Return
Create a local website (5)
Develop a speaker’s bureau (5)
Send an annual appeal letter (5)
Direct resources to PRE; publish an electronic newsletter (4)
Assemble a turnkey “sales kit” (4)
Develop a comprehensive cultivation plan (3)
Become a United Way donor option choice (1)
Expand the YES program (3)*
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Low Cost, Low Return
Seek introductions from clients (6)
Implement more clothing drives and Fill-A-Bag programs (4)
Expand the YES program (3)*
Collaborate with other organizations (3)*
Arm board members with Dress for Success Pittsburgh business cards (Low cost, low return – 2
votes)
Research and write grants as well as grant reports (High cost, low return – 2 votes; high cost,
high return – 2 votes; Low cost, low return – 3 votes)
Opportunities for Growth
Low Cost, High Return
Nurture referral partnerships (5)
Focus on recruiting a high profile individual or corporate donor/sponsor (5)
Recruit a well-known spokesperson (4)
Seek opportunities to serve as a resource at women’s conferences (3)
Provide pre-employment workshops (4)
Expand Professional Women’s Groups (4)
Leverage advantage from partners (3)
Niche market to career-oriented females (2)
Position Dress for Success Pittsburgh a policy expert (3)*
Solicit local women’s sports teams like Pittsburgh Passion and collegiate teams (3)*
High Cost, High Return
Engage in more aggressive PR (6)
Integrate vertically (expand services for existing clients (5)
Open a Career Center (5)
Provide childcare and bus passes (4)
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Provide worksite training (3)
Take a solicitation program on the road with a turnkey presentation (3)
Host a Celebrity Clothing Auction (3)
Position Dress for Success Pittsburgh a policy expert (3)*
Solicit local women’s sports teams like Pittsburgh Passion and collegiate teams (3)*
Offer volunteer training and retention programs (1)
Low Cost, Low Return
Target hair and nail salons as well as dry cleaners (4)
Offer individual “suiting” consultations (2)
APPENDIX B
Year 1 (2008) - Year 3 (2010) Incremental Budget
EXCEL SPREADSHEET (To be attached when final – currently sent as separate document)
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