What will your organization achieve this year, and how will you judge success? Here’s a sample of how to structure clear, measurable organizational goals.
Universal Health Care Now
Jan – Dec 20XX
Priority 1*: Create significant traction for universal coverage legislation
Goal 1: By Dec. 31, universal state health coverage bill introduced in one chamber with public support of either key committee chair or leadership.
Goal 2: By Dec. 31, secure commitment of at least 75% of declared governor candidates to include universal state coverage in campaign platform.
Priority 2: Intensify and broaden grassroots support
Goal 1: By Oct. 1, build out a comprehensive database of grassroots supporters including demographic data to ensure that the issue of universal coverage has support among people across the socio-economic spectrum and ethnicities.
Goal 2: By Dec. 31, mobilize at least 18,000 grassroots supporters to contact state legislators through a minimum of 3 calls to action, with at least 60% of contacts from majority BIPOC districts.
Goal 3: By Dec. 15, 10% of existing (i.e., in database as of Jan. 1) grassroots supporters are “super activists,” as defined by having forwarded each action alert to at least 10 friends or having organized an in-person mobilization event (e.g., a house party). 30% of “super activists” identify as low-income and/or BIPOC.
Priority 3: Raise the profile of health care crisis in the media
Goal 1: By Dec. 31, at least one major national media hit (estimated viewership/readership of 1 million+) and at least 5 minor (state or regional) media hits generated.
Goal 2: By Dec. 31, get at least six positive mentions in media sources reaching BIPOC, with at least two in non-English outlets and two in outlets reaching Black audiences.
Priority 4: Strengthen our financial sustainability
Goal 1: By Dec. 31, a total of at least $1,850,000 raised, including $1,600,000 in general support.
Goal 2: By March 1, launch a small-donor empowerment program to engage members from lower-income backgrounds, with a goal of increasing our membership in this demographic by 25%.
Priority 5: Build a strong, diverse team
Goal 1: All open positions filled by June 30, where for each open position, at least two finalists identify as BIPOC.
Goal 2: By Dec. 31, 90% of staff identified as high performers at start of year have committed to stay another year, with no gaps across race/ethnicity.
*Limit your organizational priorities (ideally three to five) in order to focus your staff’s efforts.