Objectives

Collaboration and Communication

• Improve collaboration, balancing the needs associated with individual projects with the importance of the overall brand.
• Establish initiatives, such as fundraising, that require the collective expertise of the staff.
• Improve internal communications, especially in evaluating new ✓ project proposals, through individual and group meetings as well as investing in the appropriate technology.
• Establish plans, including succession, for existing, long[1]term projects and commissions.
• Ensure IMRP has space conducive to internal collaboration, functionality, and visibility.
• Leverage relationships with the appropriate UConn administrative offices to ensure policy, procedure, and practice adherence as well as improve efficiencies and resource utilization.

Finance and Technology

• Audit financials (public and private), on a regular basis, ensuring adherence to all policies and procedures established by the respective funder.
• Invest in technology that supports efforts, such as a donor relationship management system, research database, etc., and/or leverage UConn’s technological resources.
• Monitor sources of revenue and categories of expenses, on an ongoing basis, to ensure financial stability.

Talent Acquisition and Retention

• Audit existing full-time and part-time staff and, through the necessary adjustments, align staff with goals and objectives, and establish realistic expectations.
• Hire and retain personnel, full and/or part-time, that are consistent with overall direction.
• Focus on the diversification of new hires, full and part-time, to ensure consistency with the scope of programs and projects.
• Invest in staff development as well as establish succession plans for existing, long-term projects.
• Create student worker, graduate assistant, work study, and internship positions that meet the needs of existing projects and develop the skills and interests of UConn students representing a variety of disciplines.
• Establish an organizational structure that allows for the alignment of personnel with overall growth opportunities.

Policies and Procedures

• Formalize financial and operational policies and procedures (consistent with UConn’s), establishing the appropriate protocols to ensure adherence.
• Adhere to the MOU between the UConn College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, the Institute of Municipal and Regional Policy, and the School of Public Policy.

Objectives

Fundraising

• Develop and launch a comprehensive annual appeal, designed to raise private funds (operational and endowed) in support of the people, programs, and projects of IMRP.
• Develop and launch a major gifts initiative, encouraging leadership to actively engage in solicitation process.
• Develop and launch a comprehensive campaign focused on establishing an endowed chair in public policy.
• Develop relationships with corporations, foundations, and governmental agencies, exploring opportunities for new grants, sponsorships, and revenue streams.
• Build infrastructure (people and technology) to support aggressive fundraising efforts.

Grants and Sponsored Programs

• Grow existing programs and projects, focusing on expansion in both reach and revenue generating opportunities.
• Monitor the legislative landscape (state and federal), capitalizing on opportunities that are consistent with expertise and purpose.
• Monitor the greater environment, actively recommending programs and projects that could educate and influence society, ultimately leading to improved laws and policies.

Professional Development

• Develop a portfolio of educational offerings, based on market need and expertise, and deliver in the most effective format (on-ground, on-line, hybrid, etc.).
• Establish a financial model for professional development that ensures adequate resources are generated to support programs and projects.
• Leverage UConn faculty and operational expertise to develop and deliver professional development opportunities.
• Develop campaign to promote professional development opportunities.

Objectives

Partnerships

• Establish relationships with UConn faculty members, providing incentives for engaging in research programs and projects.
• Engage UConn students (and beyond) in the data collection and analysis process, with the hopes of providing a valuable experience as well as enhance project investigations and reports.
• Develop collaborations with government and quasi-government organizations, such as the Social Equity Council, and offer research expertise and other services.
• Develop relationships with corporations, foundations, and non-profit organizations, offering research expertise and other services.

Personnel

• Hire a Director of Research to work on existing and new programs and projects, ensuring the reliability and validity of data collected and accuracy and timeliness of report dissemination.
• Create a working group of full-time and part-time faculty members and staff, to work with the Director of Research, and develop guidelines for all research, reports, and review new research-based project proposals to determine compatibility with the overall direction.

Platforms

• Invest in the appropriate technology to house a record of research projects.
• Develop a database of research expertise and actively market such a service to the appropriate organizations and outlets.

Processes

• Develop guidelines to ensure comprehensive and consistent, rigorous, and objective data collection and analysis, literature reviews, and report generation.
• Ensure adequate resources are available to support research function.
• Establish process to make sure expertise and research is made available on a consistent basis.
• Publicize and promote project recommendations upon completion of research and reports.
• Work together with constituents and community members to create lasting changes and improvements following project completion.

Programs

• Enhance research activities of existing programs, projects, and commissions.
• Expand research initiatives, exploring opportunities in such areas as climate change (environment), economic development, education, healthcare, housing, transportation, etc.

Objectives

Communications Plan

• Audit existing communications efforts, developing a list of activities to “stop”, “start”, and “continue”.
• Complete a canvass of existing media sources, software, and technologies (including UConn’s) focusing on capacity, purpose, and current user demographics to identify those that meet marketing needs.
• Develop a compelling story, integrating feedback from various stakeholders and highlighting various existing, long-term projects.
• Develop a comprehensive communications plan, making use of multiple distribution vehicles (emphasis on social media).
• Rename and rebrand IMRP to better reflect programs, projects, and commissions.

Digital Marketing

• Audit existing digital activities with emphasis on the website.
• Aggressively engage in social media efforts, focused on growing followers on various, contemporary platforms.

Public Relations

• Develop a public relations strategy, consistent with the communications plan, that makes use of the appropriate media sources that could support and promote policy interests.

Relationship Building

• Require leadership to engage in a series of intentional visits, with program and/or project stakeholders, throughout the course of the year.
• Require leadership to proactively engage in business development through intentional visits with individuals, corporations, governmental agencies, and non-profit/non-governmental organizations.
• Require leadership to attend and participate in relevant community meetings and events, serving as presenters when possible.

Objectives

Internal Collaboration

• Engage faculty and students of the SPP/UConn with programs and projects.
• Develop relationships with “like minded” centers/departments on both Hartford and Storrs campuses.
• Communicate the story, via events, meetings, and/or publications (digital and traditional), with the UConn community.
• Invest in UConn students through scholarship program(s) and student work opportunities.

External Collaboration

• Establish advisory committee to assist with advocacy, direction setting, fundraising, etc.
• Expand relationships with existing governmental and quasi-governmental agencies and develop new ones, with the intent of “listening” as well as providing expertise through programs, projects, or services.
• Develop relationships with the private sector (like missions), seeking support (financial and non-financial) as well as offering research-based expertise.
• Build relationships with local, regional, and national foundations, actively seeking funding in support of programs and projects. (working with UConn Foundation).
• Explore partnership opportunities with nonprofit (including higher education) and non-governmental organizations, possibly establishing partnerships with the hopes of improving society.
• Establish a schedule of events (conferences/forums/meetings), partnering where appropriate, that highlight activities and/or address societal concerns.
• Incorporate various interactive elements to increase communication between users who are directly impacted, as well as policymakers.
• Engage IMRP “alumni”, with the goal of improving external affairs.