when Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation leadership searched for new strategic direction and investment focus, a facilitated engagement process began.
solid and collaborating partner ROI Impact Consulting were engaged to design and facilitate a discovery process when the Board of Directors and staff leadership of the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation set out to create a new strategic plan. As philanthropic leaders, they sought to avoid well-trodden ground on trend analysis in North Carolina and to gain new understanding and insight into the possible future needs of North Carolinians in a different way. Their wish to understand hidden and connected trends, assess possible differential impacts across communities in the state, and glean perspective on impact inflection points drove an engagement process and a two-day workshop. The process design included three components of work designed and facilitated by solid and ROI Impact Consulting: a) pre-workshop survey; b) two one-day workshops; c) analysis and reporting back.
During the first day workshop, participants were briefed on the ZSR strategic planning process, trends that had already been identified and then engaged in open discussion based on review of more hidden trends, data and significant themes. During the second day, four communities were identified to be used as filters for discussion and analysis during the day in an effort to discuss how trends may have differential impacts across the state among communities of varying size, demographics, population, rural/suburban characteristics, economy, social/cultural and economic traits.
solid and ROI Impact Consulting created a report with findings back to ZSR leadership as the basis for decision-making and the crafting of a renewed strategic plan to guide the foundation’s investments and impacts.
