Our process gives leaders clarity, data, insights, and the tools to craft wise, innovative and pivotal strategies that work in the real world … and prepare them for the times ahead. In partnership with you, here’s how:
LISTENING. Every successful plan starts with preparation and listening. We work side by-side with your leadership team to set a clear course for the process, gather data and insights while engaging the voices that matter most – those impacted by your organization’s mission and work.
SWOC ANALYSIS. We then take a deep look at where you are today—analyzing performance, assessing services, and identifying strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges that you face. We call it our SWOC Analysis. Through extensive interviews, surveys, focus groups, and leadership sessions, we learn what’s working well and where new strategies are needed.
ASSESSING NEEDS. From there, we move onto a wide-sweeping assessment of needs. This includes reviewing existing reports, examining demographic and trend data along with forecasting external forces impacting your organization over the next three to five years.
PERFORMANCE. We then turn inward to assess the organization itself-its performance, internal needs, and current measures of impact. By analyzing how services, resources, and community needs align while we research best practices to address them, we help leadership reflect on where adjustments will strengthen their capacity to fulfill their vision, mission, and goals.
STRATEGIES THAT DELIVER. Building on that foundation, we guide you in setting clear priorities for the years ahead. Together we translate those priorities into actionable goals, strategies, and metrics to measure success. The result is a strategic plan that is both visionary and practical that resonates with those you serve. The strategic plan becomes your North Star guiding day-to-day decisions that position your organization to deliver innovative, efficient and reliable results the public deserves.
The City of Richmond California’s Fund for Children and Youth (RFCY) engaged Public Works LLC to conduct a Community Needs Assessment (CNA) and 3-year Strategic Investment Plan to guide the allocation of resources aimed at improving the lives of Richmond’s children and youth funded by the City. Nearly 400 community members, including youth, service providers, parents/caregivers, and organizations, participated through interviews, focus groups, and surveys. Key informant interviews with thought leaders, ten focus groups involving over 100 youth from diverse priority populations, and a survey distributed to 33 youth-serving organizations provided critical insights.
These insights were presented at a two-hour Community Visioning Event attended by over 70 youth, parents, and youth service providers, generating nearly 50 ideas for consideration in the 3-year Strategic Investment Plan. Additionally, a Secondary Data Report was developed to offer a more detailed overview of the research conducted to supplement the Community Needs Assessment findings, including peer city analyses and key indicators in physical and mental health access, education, and safety.
The 3-year Strategic Investment Plan (2025-2028) focuses on five core areas of need, with specific priorities for each area. Several enhancements were also introduced, such as increased funding for mental health and learning, improved evaluation criteria for high-poverty areas, and the inclusion of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and surveys to measure outcomes. Innovative practices such as a Live Resource Guide, a Universal Social Services Application, Peer Navigator Training, a dedicated Grant Officer, and deeper partnerships with school districts were also introduced.
The mural below shows a Graphic Scribe’s artwork reflecting the ideas in real-time from community members participating in the Community Visioning Event
(Check out our other strategic plans cited throughout our website)