Going National! Best Practices for Organizational Growth and Expansion

Presented by:

Rachel GwaltneyChief of Programs-Higher Achievement National

Jose OromiDeputy Director- Horizons National

Agenda

• Organizational History & Catalyst for Expansion

• Planning for Expansion

• Implementation and Lessons Learned

• Best Practices

History & Catalyst for Expansion

• Founded in 1975 to address the disparity of academic opportunities among young people in Washington, DC’s Ward 1 neighborhood

• Reorganized in 1999 as a results-driven program• Opened 3 more Centers in Washington, DC• Three-phase strategic plan to prepare for expansion• Launched longitudinal research evaluation of the

program

History & Catalyst for ExpansionHorizons National

Founded in 1964 at New Canaan Country School (NCCS) in CT to serve low income families of lower Fairfield County

Formal evaluation by Dr. Edward Zigler from Yale showed Horizons made a significant and unique contribution to the lives of the children it served. Dr. Zigler urged the expansion of Horizons.

1995 – program replication begins with a small grant for seed funding, and Horizons National was established.

2005 strategic planning efforts concluded the need to define a more cohesive and targeted approach to expansion, including strengthening the consistency of the Horizons model across affiliates.

Planning for Expansion

Higher Achievement

• 2004: Conducted organizational assessment to determine readiness for growth

• Spent two years building internal capacity to prepare for growth

• Launched longitudinal research evaluation of the program

• 2006: Opened pilot expansion site in Alexandria, VA

Horizons

• 1995-2005: Initial expansion was organic. Reactive growth model supported by a small private grant.

• First 10 years of expansion resulted in 13 new programs, each with a high level of autonomy.

• 2005: Horizons National strategic planning results in changes to organization and business model.

• 2007: Began uniform evaluation across network of affiliates.

Implementation and Lessons Learned • Transformed structure into a national organization

with local programs– Chose to remain a single 501(c)3

• Developed criteria for expansion cities• Ranked potential cities against criteria• Selected Baltimore for first new affiliate– 18 months of due diligence– Hired Executive Director May 2008– Opened two Centers June 2009

Implementation and Lessons Learned Commitment to expansion needs to be well-defined and

well-planned.

Nurturing the right local school partner for long-term success takes time and resources.

No Horizons program has ever closed. New Horizons programs take 12-18 months of preparation.

Attracting national resources requires strong evaluation, valid results, and participation in the national dialogue.

Organizational infrastructure, guidelines, procedures must remain flexible to allow for local identity.

Best Practices

Higher Achievement • Be realistic about internal capacity to

support growth• Do your homework: build advance

partnerships that will support success• Have a strong vision of what the

expanded organization looks like, and how it fulfills your mission

• Be thoughtful and thorough about staff training; provide resources for program replication

• Develop a clear accountability process for maintaining fidelity to the model

Horizons • “The Slow Bake” (start small,

develop buy-in and establish sustainability systems as you go)

• Commitment to long-term expansion approach (local programs must have vision to be K-8)

• Data-driven, evidence-based programs that maintain local identity and offer balance of academics and enrichment

• Let your stakeholders be your best marketers (children, their families, teachers and the board)