BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF THE NORTH BAY

According to a recent report – Struggling to Get By: The Real Cost Measure in California 2015 – there are 261,654 households in our North Bay region unable to meet basic human needs. Single mothers and families of color struggle disproportionately. In the face of these and other challenges, BBBSNB will focus on the following issues that matter most in our community where mentoring can be a critical part of the solution:

Build-out Program – Impact at Scale: Increase the number of children served from 450 to 600.

Provide high-quality effective programming that improves our “Littles'" lives in measurable ways.

Upgrade Infrastructure to Attract and Retain Employees and Supporters: Create the foundation for investment and growth.

Strengthen Financial Model: Develop a more robust, sustainable resource engine focused on our mission and vision, led by strong board and executive leadership, and strengthened by investments in our fund development systems and practices.

Advance our evaluation practices to keep up with program innovations.

Build-out Program – Impact at Scale: Increase the number of children served from 450 to 600.
Provide high-quality effective programming that improves our “Littles'" lives in measurable ways.
Further Advance Educational and Career Success for Youth: Provide “Littles" with tools and resources to stay on track toward on-time high school graduation, guide them towards career planning and preparation, including college readiness and college entry.
Expand Health Programming: Help our “Littles" get on track with healthy lifestyles to avoid illness and to keep open the full range of possibilities for their successful and fulfilling future.
Expand Our Professional Team and Volunteer Recruitment Efforts: Recruit, train and steward our talented professionals and volunteers.

Upgrade Infrastructure to Attract and Retain Employees and Supporters: Create the foundation for investment and growth.
Facilities: Renovation in San Rafael, more visible offices in Napa and a new office in Sonoma.
IT and Communications: Upgrade IT and phone systems, client relationship management system (CRM), donor management, grants management, calendaring, social media planning and execution, and website (shift to mobile-friendly/ design-responsive).
Create a Marketing Platform: To build influence, we must create and launch a platform that communicates our expertise, impact, credibility and integrity to others quickly and concisely.

Strengthen Financial Model: Develop a more robust, sustainable resource engine focused on our mission and vision, led by strong board and executive leadership, and strengthened by investments in our fund development systems and practices.
Cultivate Major Donors and Corporate Partners: Engage in mutually beneficial partnerships aimed at scaling mentoring programs in our region.
Leverage Our Human Capital: Provide our community of over 700 dedicated volunteers and supporters with the tools to engage new annual donors and recruit volunteers.
Build Board Capacity: Identify and cultivate top-tier philanthropists. Improve on-boarding, committee charters, and accountability. Create hands-on event steering committees to stretch the power of our human resources.
Position BBBSNB as a Leader and Resource for Evidence-Based Mentoring in the North Bay: Establish a role in each of our county's ongoing collaborative or collective planning efforts. Advocate for alignment of resources behind evidence-based prevention programs.

BBBS has strong and experienced leadership. Led by Karen Bluestone, Executive Director, and chaired by a current Big and CPA, the organization is governed by a 14-member Board, and further supported by 20 Emeritus and Honorary members. The Board of Directors includes representation from alumni, major local corporations, philanthropy, financial services, business and public relations. 100% of our Board members contribute $10,000 or more to the organization. The committee structure includes Executive, Governance, Finance, Investment, Personnel, Program Development and Resource Development. The Board meets seven times per year and committees meet at least quarterly. Our Board of Directors is passionately committed to the BBBS mission, contributing significant time, talent and financial resources.

Our greatest challenge has been managing demand for our mentoring program, where the number of eager children, parents, and community-based referrals are far greater than the resources we have to serve them. We will work to leverage the capacity of mission-aligned organizations (scholarship funds, mentoring organizations, youth groups) in targeted geographic areas in order to meet escalating demand.

Since 1970, we have helped more than 23,000 youth get on the right path. When we succeed in the execution of “Destination: Your Future," we will not only significantly improve outcomes for thousands of current and future Littles in the North Bay, we will also be establishing best practices that will be disseminated across the Big Brothers Big Sisters network of 325 affiliates, serving 200,000 children per year; and advancing the adoption of this highly effective enhancement program across the country.

With a multi-year fundraising campaign in the planning stage, and strategic partnerships (worth over $500,000) being procured, over time we will significantly advance the mentorship movement in our region and plant the seeds for broader and deeper community investment in the underprivileged children of the North Bay.

BBBS intends to operate on a fully sustainable basis, where public revenue can support all activities and the waiting list is minimal. This minimum threshold is anticipated by 2020, although healthy surplus margins will not be achieved until 2022.