Strategic Goals, Tactics and Action Steps

Goal 1
Build a culture of collaboration and cultivate partnerships.

• Identify key organizational partners within the UC and Greater Cincinnati communities, nationwide, and internationally; initiate partnerships as appropriate.
  
  
• Assess current partnerships with UC units/colleges/offices; strategically work toward strengthening those that are mutually beneficial.
  
  
• Create an “alumni culture” among prospective and current students, enabling future alumni to gain greater awareness of UCAA and the value of lifelong engagement.
  
  
• Enlist “expert” alumni and friends to join the UCAA team in key positions (board, committees, etc.).
  
  
• Implement the memorandum of understanding between UCAA, the UC Foundation, and the university.
  
  
• Follow the diversity plan created by the university.
  

Goal 2
Develop meaningful programs and services.

• Identify underrepresented or disengaged alumni, find the source of disengagement, and implement a plan to (re)engage them. Ensure events and opportunities fall under various engagement categories, such as athletics, cultural, social, networking and career development, community service, philanthropy, etc. Commit to diversity through programs and services that appeal to alumni of differing ages, genders, ethnicities, geographic locations, socioeconomic status, etc.
  
  
• Develop new, exciting and unique UCAA member benefits that appeal to our diverse population of alumni (discount programs, corporate memberships, etc.).
  
  
• Develop and deliver value-added programs and services that will generate maximum revenue.
  
  
• Establish a system to measure success, value and relevance of programs and services, including online survey instruments to gauge program/service/event feedback, as well as overall perceptions of UCAA.
  
  
• Enlist volunteers to help create, execute and manage events as appropriate.
  
  
• Partner with local organizations and participate in events within the Greater Cincinnati community to gain exposure and maximize resources.
  

Goal 3
Develop and maximize various sources of organizational funding.

• Hire a professional dedicated to fundraising for UCAA initiatives, and create a plan to solicit private donations and major gifts.
  
  
• Develop a new membership model with compelling benefits portfolios to enhance the appeal of supporting UCAA through membership.
  
  
• Build a solid, sustainable sponsorship program, with potential sponsors strategically identified and approached with personalized proposals.
  
  
• Assess current vendor/affinity partner relationships and establish new revenue-generating partner programs.
  
  
• Create short- and long-term financial goals for the organization.
  
  
• Devise and implement a plan to ensure investment accounts are maintained and enhanced.
  
  
• Create formal facility rental rules and processes.
  

Goal 4
Develop and implement a comprehensive plan to market UCAA locally, regionally, nationally and internationally.

• Devise and implement a PR/communication plan geared toward current UC students.
  
  
• Support and work in tandem with UC and UCF marketing and communication teams.
  
  
• Focus on effectively defining and communicating the UCAA brand.
  
  
• Strive to incorporate all alumni interests in UCAA communication messaging.
  
  
• Make effective use of technology and new media to maximize key UCAA resources, including enhanced Web site content and capabilities, more strategic partnerships with other UC online resources and portals, and added vibrancy to the inCircle online community.
  
  
• Explore opportunities to fundamentally enhance UCAA e-mail communications in terms of reach, frequency, segmentation, quality of touch, etc.
  
  
• Add transparency to UCAA strategic initiatives via communications about organizational priorities, direction and progress (e.g., annual report).
  
  
• Develop a general UCAA collateral piece that communicates the organization’s value proposition and engagement opportunities.
  
  
• At UCAA events, focus on sharing current news and information about UC, UCAA, and the success of our alumni.
  
  
• Explore new/enhanced relationships with media options that can lead to greater UCAA exposure (e.g., radio programming, niche publications, alternative media, The News Record).
  
  
• Consistently communicate and collaborate with colleges and constituent groups toward supporting and enhancing their programs and services. Retask and/or reconfigure UCAA’s External Relations Committee to better address college-related engagement.
  
  
• Create a policy for marketing UCAA through targeted sponsorship of UC and community events and activities.
  
  
• As resources allow, create an annual programming planning calendar (events/activities) with goals and expected outcomes.
  
  
• Collect and store personal alumni information to facilitate target marketing efforts.
  
  
• Stay abreast of, and integrate, cultural changes and societal trends as they relate to alumni relations.
  

Goal 5
Increase staff/volunteer/alumni involvement in the community.

• Create mechanisms to underscore community involvement (e.g., online listings of volunteer opportunities).
  
  
• Partner with community development initiatives with which the university/administration is involved/invested (e.g., the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber).
  
  
• Collaborate with student groups on volunteer and service opportunities.
  
  
• Develop a strategy to create a nationwide community service initiative (which may leverage existing events).
  
  
• Expand our concept of “community” outside of the Greater Cincinnati region and create a sense of “community” for UC in our regional and international network locations.
  
  
• Consistently communicate with UC Government Relations and University Communications on community involvement initiatives.
  
  
• Support UC in strengthening relationships with relevant community and governmental entities as they relate to community and economic development activities.
  
  
• Encourage the staff to be leaders in community groups.
  

Goal 6
Develop organizational resources for volunteers and staff.

• Recruit, train and retain high-quality staff who will thrive in the alumni relations environment. Encourage ongoing interactions with peers from UC and other institutions, mentoring opportunities as appropriate, participation in community-based endeavors, and continuing education.
  
  
• Recruit, train and retain high-quality volunteers. Provide clear guidelines, roles and resources for their work, and systems and expectations for acknowledging their contributions.
  
  
• Regularly review and update the UCAA Constitution and Bylaws as appropriate.
  
  
• Communicate a clear Vision, Mission and Purpose for UCAA that all volunteers and staff know, understand and use to make decisions on behalf of the organization.
  
  
• In partnership with UC Foundation processes, gather and manage alumni data that will help engagement become more understood and quantifiable.
  
  
• Make necessary physical improvements to the Myers Alumni Center to better serve and represent UCAA’s goals and ambitions; this includes the structure itself and its internal systems, equipment and technologies.
  
  
• Work with the university and UC Foundation to identify the future location and nature of the Alumni Center within the context of an evolving campus.