USAID ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
STRATEGY AND BUSINESS PLAN FOR 2012
I. Introduction from the Co-Chairs
Since its founding in 2008 the USAID Alumni Association has made significant strides to become an effective, functioning organization. Under the leadership of successive elected Board of Directors and the Co-Chairs of its committees, UAA has engaged in a broad range of activities intended to respond to the interests of a growing membership.
Views and recommendations from UAA members, including responses to a survey and participation in the October 2011 Annual General Meeting, have informed our current planning. This strategy and business plan for 2012 is focused on helping USAID alumni (1) to stay in touch with each one another and have opportunities for social interaction, (2) to be informed on issues and trends of common interest relating to development and foreign assistance, and (3) to bring their experience and expertise to the support of effective international development and a strong USAID.
The Alumni Association is a membership organization. Our purpose is to serve the interests of our members. We appreciate the support and encouragement USAID alumni have shown for UAA and welcome comments and suggestions on this 2012 strategy and business plan.
_________________________________ ________________________________
Ann Van Dusen Alex Shakow
II. Organizational History
The USAID Alumni Association was inspired by the encouragement of Henrietta Fore, USAID’s Administrator in 2008. At an initial meeting of alumni in September 2008 Administrator Fore welcomed the idea of a professional association that could serve as a continuing, independent, and informed voice as well as a source of professional knowledge about development and foreign assistance. At that initial meeting more than 100 alumni participated in developing a vision statement and a statement of strategic objectives for the establishment of an alumni association. These ideals formed the foundation of UAA’s basic charter.
From that beginning, the following events led to the creation of the USAID Alumni Association (UAA):
- November 2008 – UAA Organizing Committee selects interim Board of Directors, Officers, and Co-Chairs of four committees.
- March 2009 – UAA establishes a website: www.usaidalumni.org. Within six months more than 600 USAID alumni register at this site.
- May 2009 – Interim Board of Directors approves Articles of Association and Bylaws; UAA is registered in the District of Columbia as an unincorporated nonprofit association and with the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt charitable organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
- November 2009 – The first Annual General Meeting of the UAA is attended by more than 100 members who elect a seven-member Board of Directors. At its first meeting the new Board elects Officers and appoints Co-Chairs of four committees.
Today, following its third Annual General Meeting in October 2011, UAA operates under the leadership of a seven-member Board of Directors elected by UAA members and the Co-Chairs of four operating committees appointed by the Board. Together, the Board members and committee Co-Chairs constitute the Association’s Executive Committee. The Executive Committee members for 2012 are as follows:
Board Members:
- Ann Van Dusen, UAA Co-Chair
- Alex Shakow, UAA Co-Chair
- Frank Almaguer, Secretary
- George Hill, Treasurer
- Margaret Carpenter
- Jim Michel
- David Sprague
Committee Co-Chairs:
- Public Outreach: Ann Van Dusen, Brad Langmaid
- Strengthening USAID: David Cohen, Pamela Mandel
- Development Issues: Curt Farrar, Larry Smucker
III. VISION STATEMENT AND STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES
The USAID Alumni Association offers opportunities for USAID alumni to maintain social contact and to volunteer their experience and expertise for professional counsel and public education in support of U.S. foreign assistance and to promote effective global development. UAA facilitates professional development and exchange of knowledge. It fosters collegial fellowship and networks of former USAID employees and helps them to utilize their public service experience to promote global development in their communities and nationally.
As set out in its Articles of Association and Bylaws, the strategic objectives of the UAA are:
- To harness the experience and expertise of the USAID alumni community for the purpose of providing sound and timely professional counsel and public education in support of U.S. foreign assistance to promote effective international development;
- To serve as an independent voice to support USAID and its development mission by facilitating professional development and the exchange of knowledge related to the effective use of foreign assistance; and
- To foster a network of former USAID employees who wish to maintain social contact and utilize their public service skills to promote international development.
IV. Goals and Activities for 2012
In 2012, working primarily through its operating committees, UAA will pursue the goals and undertake the activities described below in furtherance of the Association’s strategic objectives.
1. UAA will increase opportunities for alumni to inform audiences and communities about the importance of development and the role of the United States and USAID in promoting global development.
In pursuit of this goal, UAA (with the Public Outreach Committee in the lead) will:
- Make the existence of the UAA speakers’ bureau known throughout the United States to organizations that might wish to invite speakers on development-related themes
- Establish a library of speeches, power-point slides, pictures, and syllabi used by UAA speakers for sharing with others
- Establish an archive of articles by USAID alumni on the UAA website and call attention to it.
- Place two or more articles about UAA in publications likely to reach interested audiences.
2. UAA will establish and maintain a continuing relationship with USAID that will make alumni available to support the training, mentoring, and coaching of USAID staff on a systematic basis.
In pursuit of this goal, UAA (with the Strengthening USAID Committee in the lead) will:
- Review with USAID planned training and related activities where alumni perspectives could add significant value and identify alumni with backstops corresponding to those of USAID staff to be trained
- Organize discussions of selected topics within the USAID training agenda for interchange between USAID trainees and alumni who possess relevant technical expertise or regional knowledge
- Develop with USAID a program of coaching and mentoring opportunities for USAID managers
- Develop experiential panels of alumni to discuss with new USAID staff diverse topics relating to life in the Foreign Service, family issues, interagency relations, etc.
3. UAA will keep alumni apprised of new developments and trends in development cooperation and in USAID policies and will facilitate contributions by alumni in dialogue on proposed USAID policies and other current development themes.
In pursuit of this goal, UAA (with the Development Issues Committee in the lead) will:
- Coordinate with USAID to identify two or more proposed USAID policies under consideration and facilitate input by USAID alumni who have relevant knowledge and experience in a dialogue that precedes the policy’s adoption
- Organize study groups and dialogues (including a sustained series of development dialogues in cooperation with DACOR) on development themes of current interest
- Compile and maintain a catalogue of links to websites, articles, and other sources of current information and analysis on development issues that may be of interest to USAID alumni and publish it on the UAA website.
- Seek to increase attention to development issues in the programs and activities of other foreign affairs-related organizations
4. UAA will expand membership in the Association, including by adding new members who reside outside the Washington area, and will increase opportunities for social events and interaction among alumni.
In pursuit of this goal, UAA (with the Membership Committee in the lead) will:
- Carry out a membership expansion campaign directed at USAID alumni in the Washington area as well as in other parts of the United States and abroad, including:
- appealing to alumni to register, contribute, and participate in UAA activities
- encouraging current UAA members to recruit other alumni to join UAA
- reaching out to former USAID Foreign Service national employees.
- Establish a multi-tiered structure for suggested annual financial contribution for members.
- Identify and disseminate information concerning the benefits, in addition to voting for the Board, that can provide incentives for USAID alumni to participate in and contribute to the work of the Association
- Elicit updated information from members concerning their locations, skills, and interests
- Organize four or more social events for USAID alumni, including two or more events outside the Washington area
V. Resource Requirements and Budget for 2012
Anticipated Income
Contributions from members $___________
Other sources ____________
TOTAL ____________
Anticipated Expenses
Website costs $___________
Salary for executive assistant ____________
Annual General Meeting ____________
Alumni social events ____________
Committee activities: ____________
- Public Outreach __________
- Strengthening USAID __________
- Development Issues __________
- Membership Services __________
Other expenses ____________
TOTAL ____________
[Spaces were intentionally left blank. Resource availabilities and requirements will be added following the review and approval of the 2012 budget. The number and intensity of planned activities will be closely linked to resource issues.]
