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Broadening Our Service Area Capacity
ANHS will be successful in dealing with expansion by
- Expanding our capacity to handle growth by enlarging our office and adding needed staff positions;
- Acquiring the tools that will help us do our work efficiently, such as purchasing a work van, computers, and vehicles;
- Increasing our accessibility to the public by having localized office days, sharing space with other state, federal, and nonprofit agencies; and
- Adapting our service delivery methods to make them more efficient in loan intakes and processing, home inspections, and targeting markets
First Year Action Steps
First Quarter
1. Select a target area in the county to concentrate first expansion efforts
2. Initiate information and awareness campaign in target area with city council and community groups
3. Hire an additional staff person
4. Obtain a multi-purpose vehicle and laptop for extended fieldwork
5. Begin accepting applications from on-site locations in target area
Third Quarter
1. Select a second target area in the county
2. Initiate information and awareness campaign in target area with city council and community groups
3. Begin accepting applications from on-site locations in target area
Maintaining and Developing Our Programs
During this expansion period, ANHS needs to maintain our current programs and concentrate on resource development. ANHS will focus on:
- Looking after our current assets to keep them secure and expanding;
- Pursuing donated sites and permits to continue the Grays Harbor College house projects; and
- Finding and securing innovative funding sources to revive a rental rehabilitation program and other special projects.
First Year Action Steps:
First Quarter
- Explore setting up satellite ANHS offices in other communities using shared space with other agencies
- Develop underwriting guidelines for hardship grants and loans as well as other loans not requiring Loan Committee approval
- Locate one or more sites for a Grays Harbor College house
Second Quarter
- Create a pool of Loan Committee members from other target areas in the county to review loans in their communities
- Establish efficient and consistent means of sharing program information with other service providers
- Explore other financing opportunities for new programs and special projects
Third Quarter
- Explore setting up a new rental rehabilitation program that includes funding options and possible incentives
- Recruit partners for homeowner education seminars and trainings
Fourth Quarter
- Identify and prioritize maintenance needs for ANHS properties
Recruiting New Partners and Volunteers
The countywide expansion makes it necessary to recruit new partners and volunteers within cities and areas ANHS has never worked in before. Because the strength of ANHS lies in its partnerships and volunteers, the staff and board will place special emphasis on this task by:
- Appointing a staff member to recruit and maintain a volunteer base;
- Joining with existing volunteer organizations in the county who share similar project interests;
- Maintaining volunteer commitment and interest by regularly seeking feedback through questionnaires;
- Establishing immediate contact with city councils, the Board of County Commissioners, and community clubs; and,
- Making contact with companies to partner to help with Community Education projects.
First Year Action Steps
First Quarter
- Prepare a list and profile of each service group and club operating within target areas
Second Quarter
- Identify those service groups and clubs in target areas that have memberships with the most potential of wanting to work with ANHS on special projects
Third Quarter
- Identify needs within target communities for volunteers and partnership projects
Fourth Quarter
- Create specific, doable projects for each target community
- Identify and recruit volunteers and partners for specific projects in each target community
- Create ways to recognize and voice appreciation for volunteers and partners
Expanding Our Marketing Efforts
ANHS will pursue an aggressive marketing campaign aimed at increasing the awareness of its programs among potential consumers, volunteers, and partners. Some important steps to take in making this strategy successful are to:
- Enlist the services of an experienced marketing person or firm to design and help implement a marketing campaign;
- Research other successful marketing efforts used by other local and out-of-town organizations;
- Develop a theme marketing tool;
- Share success stories to build community pride;
- Advertise through billboards, bus signs, courtesy vans, home shows; and
- Obtain a 1-800 toll free number.
First Year Action Steps
First Quarter
- Enlist the services of a marketing person or firm, preferably through volunteer or partner recruitment
Second Quarter
- Implement the findings of a marketing person or firm
- Creating and awarding scholarships within the community
Third Quarter
- Install billboards, attend home shows, and distribute information at community events like Logger's Playday
- Creating and awarding scholarships within the community
Fourth Quarter
- Sponsor sporting events
- Run local TV advertisements
- Sponsor a Cancer Run booth
Maintaining Internal Harmony
The stresses of expansion and increased workloads demand an ANHS staff working together effectively and efficiently. The staff intends to improve internal communication by holding monthly staff meetings. In addition, the staff recognizes that there will be times when everyone will have to be "pinch hitter" for another person to maintain the highest level of accessibility for the public, volunteers, and partners. This will be especially true as the increased service area keeps people out of the office for longer periods. Addressing this problem requires learning enough of one another's job to be able to keep a "ball in play" during that person's work in the field.
First Year Action Steps
- Be supportive of other family members
- Continue cross training
- Volunteer to help each other when overloaded
- Identify and acknowledge each job specialist
- Once-a-month staff meetings
- Listen more carefully to each other
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