Here’s what Greater Greater Washington will work on in 2016

As Greater Greater Washington grows into a more professional, sustainable organization (while working hard to keep our creative, fast-moving, and community-driven culture), we’re trying to do more planning around what we want to achieve. Part of that is to set goals for ourselves.

Recently, the staff, board, and editors went through a process of defining organizational goals for 2016. These lay out the general directions where we want to devote effort in the coming year. This includes trying new things and making sure that we keep doing what we’re already doing well.

To achieve these goals, individual staff members, the board of directors, and the editorial board are creating their own SMART goals. Those goals all key off the high-level organizational ones to identify how each person and group will help us get where we need to go.

One of our goals is to share more with you about what’s going on inside the organization alongside all of our discussion about what’s happening in the region. Here’s what we’ve put together.

Our mission

Greater Greater Washington builds informed and civically engaged communities who believe in a growing and inclusive Washington region and speaks up for livable communities and high-quality education for all.

2016 goals

1. Blog content - Maintain and increase the reach, breadth, and quality of the blog.
   1. Sustain Greater Greater Washington’s 2015 volume and quality of posts and Breakfast Links.

   2. Expand the geographic and subject matter range of content including more articles and Breakfast Links about land use, development, and housing; and Maryland, Virginia, and areas east of the Anacostia.

   3. Increase engagement with the blog via website and social media channels to maximize the reach of our existing work. Better utilize the daily email, Facebook, Twitter, and SEO/headlines.

   4. Evaluate opportunities to pursue different kinds of media (such as a podcast or video). Outline a project plan for implementing promising media strategies.

2. Volunteer engagement - Ensure volunteers remain a strong and growing part of the organization.
   1. Grow the base of active contributors. Recruit and train more contributors to be able and willing to submit multiple articles according to Greater Greater Washington’s editorial guidelines.

   2. Find opportunities to engage volunteers to support the organization in addition to writing posts.

   3. Ensure volunteers are involved, valued, listened to, and thanked for their commitment to the blog and organization. Use a combination of online posts and offline events to involve volunteers.

3. Policy and advocacy - Make a difference in policy outcomes in the region through a combination of online and offline engagement, advocacy, and organizing.
   1. Housing: Increase public awareness and understanding of housing supply issues through online and offline education.

   2. Housing: Mobilize support for policy changes that lead to increased housing supply using online and offline advocacy strategies.

   3. Transportation: Increase the public’s knowledge of and engagement in transportation issues in DC and the region. Continue using the blog, and identify opportunities to expand the focus on transportation.

   4. Other content areas: Identify possible future focus areas for policy and advocacy activities (e.g. education).

4. Fundraising/Development - Ensure that Greater Greater Washington has the financial resources to meet goals and further the mission.
   1. Grow individual donations (a combination of reader drive/small dollar, board/editorial board, and other large dollar individuals) from $20,765 to $25,000.

   2. Develop a corporate donation program that ensures a mutually beneficial relationship between Greater Greater Washington and corporate partners and maintains editorial independence. Secure $11,000 in corporate contributions.

   3. Develop foundation grants. Secure $45,000 in new foundation grants.

   4. Experiment with earned income activities. Pilot and evaluate promising activities and determine which are worth continuing to pursue in the future.

5. Organization/Infrastructure - Strengthen our organizational capacity to support goals and further the mission.
   1. Clarify the organizational structure and roles and responsibilities for individual staff, volunteers, advisory boards, and the Board of Directors.

   2. Strengthen the Board of Directors by adding members with key skills or contributions and/or diverse perspectives and backgrounds.

   3. Redesign and relaunch the Greater Greater Washington site to better maximize traffic and run on a modern web platform. Incorporate a new brand identity.

   4. Start tracking and reporting on key metrics across all program areas on a regular basis.

   5. Be transparent with our community by posting regularly on the blog about organizational goals and progress toward achieving them.