Strategic Plan 2013 - 2015
Introduction
Partnerships for Children (PFC) was established as a 501(c)3 in August 2003
to help bridge the gap between limited government resources and critical
needs of Austin area children served by Child Protective Services (CPS). PFC
operates programs designed to help CPS caseworkers provide resources and
support to families and children they serve.
Before Partnerships for Children, caseworkers relied on their own personal
resources or spent hours of time searching for resources to meet the needs of
the children they served.
Now with programs like the Rainbow Room, YES Mentor, and Holiday Wishes,
caseworkers have immediate access to emergency items and basic
necessities. We hope to enhance and grow our programs to best fit the
needs of the ever growing population of abused and neglected children and
teens.
Mission and Vision
Mission
Partnerships for Children provides critical resources to
abused and neglected children in our community who
are in the care of Child Protective Services.
Vision
We envision a community in which all the needs of
abused and neglected children are met.
PFC Strategic Plan Overview
Our Mission
Provides critical resources to
abused and neglected children in
our community who are in the
care of Child Protective Services
Our Work, Services and
Programs
Rainbow Room


Special Requests
Caseworker Appreciation
YES Mentor Program
Holiday Wishes
Our Vision
We envision a community in
which all the needs of abused and
neglected children are met
Goals
Position
ourselves as the
best option to
support CPS and
DFPS
Build
relationships
and collaborate
with key
stakeholders
Continue to provide
high quality programs
that meet the needs
of children in the care
of CPS
Empower the
Board and
Staff to most
effectively
represent the
organization
Increase
external
visibility
Ensure
sustainability
Our Core Values
Collaboration
Impact
Support
Empowerment
Community
Compassion
Rainbow Room
Primary Program Focus:
The Rainbow Room is a resource center located within CPS headquarters and
distributes new essential items such as clothing, formula, diapers, food and hygiene
supplies to clients of CPS caseworkers, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Due to the
caseworker’s increasing caseloads and the large geographic area served, a second CPS
complex opened in South Austin in 2008. To serve more children, PFC has a second
Rainbow Room in this location.
Additional Services Offered:
Ready Bags, Safe Sleeping Program, Back to School Backpacks, Easter Baskets,
Thanksgiving Meals
Plans for 2013 – 2015:
Growth plans for program: Building retail relationships, Rainbow Room drives,
ongoing caseworker training presentations and brochure to hand out. Continue to
partner with agencies that serve the same population to best utilize our resources.
Special Requests
Primary Program Focus:
The Special Request program is a project that provides larger items that are not
generally stocked in the Rainbow Room. These request include a wide range of items
such as twin beds, medications or equipment so that a child may participate in sports.
Additional Services Offered:
Household items for ‘graduating’ drug court clients to assist them in setting up a home
Plans for 2013 - 2015
Discuss additional resources needed for the program: strategically solicit grants and
partnerships to fund special requests so that we can increase the budget and number
of children served.
Discuss new collaborations/partnerships: PFC will increase caseworker awareness of
this project and associated guidelines. PFC will also maintain and grow partnerships
with other organizations that also provide special request type services.
Caseworker Appreciation
Primary Program Focus:
Staff turnover continues to be a significant problem for CPS caseworkers. Caseworker
Appreciation events are one means by which PFC shows their gratitude for the caseworkers’
hard work in our combined efforts to help foster youth. Caseworker Appreciation activities
also provide for increased visibility and education of the caseworkers regarding PFC and its
programs and projects.
Additional Services Offered:
Quarterly caseworker appreciation event, Monthly caseworker e-newsletter providing
information on new items to look for in the Rainbow Room, any events coming up,
caseworker of the month etc., gift certificates for supervisors to use for recognition.
Plan for 2013 - 2015
Discuss growth plans for program: we will continue to modify and grow it annually as
necessary.
Discuss additional resources needed for program: PFC will build relationships with retailers
and vendors to provide services, events and giveaways for caseworkers.
Youth Empowerment & Success
Primary Program Focus:
Youth Empowerment & Success (YES) was started to support the CPS program,
Preparation for Adult Living (PAL). PAL was implemented in 1986 to ensure older youth
in substitute care are prepared for their inevitable departure from Texas Department
of Family and Protective Services’ care and support. At any given time, there are about
3,500 youth 16 years of age and older in substitute care in Central Texas. Through our
partnership with PAL, YES services programs aimed at improving youths' self esteem
and improving their ability to make responsible decisions through training, mentoring
and financial support. These programs strive to provide each youth with skills and
resources they will need to be healthy productive adults
Additional Services Offered:
Mentor Program, FEAD financial literacy, Teen Conferences
Plan for 2013 - 2015:
PFC will strengthen relationship with CPS units that work directly with the PAL population
and those working with children aging out of foster care; PFC will target funding possibilities
to grow the YES program to serve more teens (secure a 2 year minimum funding
commitment to replace the Impact Austin grant)
Holiday Wishes
Primary Program Focus:
Our Holiday Wishes program provides gifts to children in the care of CPS who
might otherwise not experience the joy of the holiday season and opening
presents. We work with local companies, churches, nonprofits and individuals
to provide these children with gifts from their individual wish lists. Each year
we provide gifts for over 3,700 children and this number just keeps growing.
Additional Services Offered:
For those children that might have entered the CPS system after wish lists
were submitted or for other reasons a child may not have a gift, gifts are also
provided through a stock of ‘general gifts’. The ‘general gifts’ room is open
24/7 to ensure all kids have a present to open for the holidays.
Plan for 2013 - 2015:
PFC will increase the participation of caseworkers thus increasing the number
of wish lists submitted. PFC will continue to build relationships with other
service organizations to build our pool of volunteers. PFC will also continue to
build relationships with vendors to increase in kind donations. Define what
counties and what CPS units will participate each year.
PFC Strategic Plan
The Details
2013 Strategic Plan Goals
1. Position ourselves as the best option to support CPS and DFPS
-Speaks to our relationships with CPS caseworkers with an increased focus on DFPS
administration and their utilization of our programs
2. Build relationships and collaborate with key stakeholders.
-Speaks to our position as a key thought leader in the area of abused and neglected
children while focusing on collaboration with other non profits, community partners
and other related organizations
3. Continue to provide high quality programs that meet the needs of children in the
care of CPS.
Speaks to maintaining high quality programs and assessing ever changing needs
4. Empower the Board and Staff to most effectively represent the organization
Speaks to board and staff education and development
5. Increase external visibility
Speaks to public outreach, social media, marketing and awareness
6. Ensure sustainability
-Speaks to development, financial management, internal operations and volunteer
cultivation
Goal 1 Metrics:
Position ourselves as the best option to
support CPS and DFPS
Strategies & Metrics
Caseworker
Communication
• Newsletter
• CW survey
Caseworker Appreciation
• Small gifts with timely
PFC information
attached
• $50 GC for staff
meetings
• Annual event
Strengthen relationships
with DFPS and CPS
Administration
Create an information
packet for newly hired
CWs
Timeframe
Quarterly or as needed
Annually
Quarterly
Individual
Accountable
ED
Program Manager
ED
CW Appreciation chairs
Resources
Needed
Newsletter template
Budget for graphic design
Timely information
Buy in from CPS
Management
Budget
Calendar
Monthly
Annually
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
June 30, 2013
ED
Training dates from CPS
Access to training events
Goal 2 Metrics:
Build relationships and collaborate with key
stakeholders
Strategies & Metrics
Timeframe
Individual
Accountable
Create a resource list of
other agencies and non
profits in our field to help
CW best utilize available
services
Summer 2013
ED
Network with
organizations similar to
PFC in Austin and other
cities
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
Board
Partner with DFPS to host
an annual educational
forum that includes other
organizations working in
the areas of child
protection, adoption,
foster care, etc.
Annually
ED
Resources Needed
Budget for meeting
space/refreshments, etc.
Goal 3 Metrics:
Continue to provide high quality programs that meet the
needs of the children in the care of CPS
Strategies & Metrics
Timeframe
Individual
Accountable
Resources Needed
Staff S. Rainbow Room 12 days a week
Ongoing
ED
Program Manager
Staff
Volunteers
Identify greatest need for
Holiday Wishes
Spring of each year
ED with input from
CPS/DFPS management
Prior year statistics
CW Feedback
YES Program
• Increase participation
• Continue to assess
program to ensure it
is meeting the needs
of the population
Ongoing
ED
Program Manager
Mentor/mentee feedback
CW recommendations
Establish and implement
a plan of action for the
visitation rooms
October 2013
ED
Board
Grant money
Volunteers
Ensure each of our
programs is necessary
and meeting the needs of
the population we serve
Annually
ED
Board
Goal 4 Metrics:
Increase external visibility
Strategies & Metrics
Timeframe
Individual
Accountable
Resources
Needed
Website redesign
2014
ED
Web designer
Create a new video
April 2014
ED
Development Director
Production team
Create a PR plan
• Targeted approach to
using social media
January 2014
ED
Development Director
PR consultant
Increase number of
subscribers to newsletter,
Facebook, Twitter
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
Board
Custom template design
for newsletter
Dedicated person to
manage FB and Twitter
accounts
Goal 5 Metrics:
Empower the board and staff to most effectively
represent the organization
Strategies & Metrics
Timeframe
Individual
Accountable
Resources Needed
Create a development
packet
January 2014
ED
Development
Director
Graphic designer budget
Board business cards
Board/staff retreat
Annual
Board chair
ED
Location
Budget
Ongoing board education
• Abuse and neglect
issues/stories
• Other organizations
in our space
• CPS issues and
changes
Onboarding a new board
member
ED
Board chair
New board member packet
Review and update board
and staff job descriptions
June 2013
Monthly board meetings
ED
Board chair
Goal 6 Metrics:
Ensure sustainability
Strategies & Metrics
Timeframe
Individual
Accountable
Continue to expand our
donor base and
strengthen existing
relationships
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
Board
Continue to gather data
and update our
development plan
2014
ED
Development Director
Review donation levels
and benefits of donation
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
Business Manager
Continue to create
meaningful volunteer
opportunities
Ongoing
Program Manager
ED
Development Director
Continue to research
endowment possibilities
Ongoing
ED
Development Director
Build and maintain a nest
egg of $55K
12/2014
Treasurer
ED
Resources Needed
Development packet
Board business cards
Strategic Program & Services Changes
2013-2015 Programs
New Strategic Focus
Rainbow Room
Keep, grow & improve
YES
Keep, grow & improve
Special Requests
Keep & grow
Caseworker Appreciation
Keep & grow
Holiday Wishes
Keep, grow and target specific need
Thanksgiving meals, Back-to-School
backpacks, Easter baskets
Keep the same through Rainbow Room
Update Strategic Plan
The Partnerships for Children board and staff commit to conducting a
new 3 year strategic plan in Spring, 2016.