“One year after the plan that Amy delivered to us, it transformed our organization. Now, five years later, the strategy she helped create continues to shape both our long-term future and our day-to-day work. I literally refer on a weekly basis to the work we did together and the strategy that resulted.”
In 2015, AVLF was a $1 million Atlanta non-profit dedicated to creating safe and stable homes and families by inspiring the fight for equal justice. They align volunteer attorneys with clients in need of eviction and domestic violence advocacy.
In 2015, AVLF had hit a plateau. Their ability to attract financing was heavily reliant on a strong economy, a single sector – law firms - and a single fundraising event. AVLF wanted to recast and grow funding to be sustainable and balanced. Additionally, the pressure to expand via geographic footprint and programs threatened to leave the organization spread thin. AVLF needed to reset and refresh its mission, funding strategy and establish a coordinated, cohesive approach to growth.
AVLF was faced with the question, "How should we grow?" By deepening impact in our current footprint or broadening into new counties and issue areas?
the challenge
AVLF needed to choose between broadening or deepening their services to meet the growing needs of Atlantans. Through guided interviews with 100+ stakeholders, Springboard captured a 360-degree perspective. This data-driven research guided AVLF in its decision to deepen within the current footprint.
Strategically re-framing mission
AVLF had been communicating its mission and vision using lawyer-centric language. Springboard rewrote the mission and vision with the leadership team and board. Together, we captured the essence of the organization's impact in the world: "To create safe and stable homes and families by inspiring lawyers to fight for equal justice." This renewed mission was transformative to align partners, donors, and staff.
Deciding what NOT to do
One of the most significant challenges of strategy is in deciding what NOT to do. AVLF had been grappling with some orthodoxies - from low name awareness to the need to expand programs. The questions were ambiguous and hard to pin down. Springboard designed and administered surveys that provided a fact base for decision making. For example, data indicated high name awareness and perception. AVLF chose to retain their name, saving them months of time and investment.
Board and stakeholder engagement
AVLF has a highly engaged community of board members, stakeholders, and volunteers. These partners were heavily involved in creating the plan through multiple touchpoints: interviews, surveys, and a 50 person two-day workshop to build consensus around a 5-Year Strategic Roadmap. It remains the most extensive and inclusive process Springboard has created!
How Did We Do It?
Springboard believes that strategy should be done with organizations, not to them. We used a three-step process to co-create a plan with the team.
What Did It Take?
AVLF needed to make three fundamental shifts: (1) focus, (2) decision making, and (3) communication. The organization chose to focus by doubling down on its current footprint, build a straightforward process to guide yes/no decisions, and re-work its communication to be more client-centric.
Where are they now?
When AVLF engaged with Springboard in 2015, they were a $1M organization with ten employees. They set an ambitious goal to grow by 2X in five years. Through executing their plan, they have grown by 5X in five years to $6M with a team of 48. As a direct result of the decisions to deepen services and impact within its original footprint, AVLF has since opened nine new neighborhood-based offices, added an additional courthouse-based outpost and an innovative mobile advocacy program for survivors of domestic violence, and become one of the largest providers of emergency financial assistance in Atlanta. All of this growth remained focused on and tailored to its core client base.
AVLF went from being not well known outside of the Atlanta legal community to one of the better known and respected non-profits – not just legal services non-profits - in Atlanta. The American Bar Association recognizes AVLF as a national best practices model. AVLF raises awareness with national press coverage, including CNN, NPR, Time, and Nightline. AVLF’s innovative programming, which grew out of the 2015 strategic plan, was featured on CBS This Morning, where Gayle King referred to AVLF’s team as heroes.
Learn more about Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation at www.avlf.org