B2C2 Expansion Toolkit

Module 1 - Part 1 - Getting Started With Your Board

Introduction

Getting Started on the Expansion Process

This module will guide you through the organizational processes required to get the support, approval and direction needed to move forward with an expansion plan. It all starts with your non-profit Board of Directors who are responsible for;

establishing vision, mission and values
setting strategy and structure
being financially prudent
delegating to management
exercising accountability to the members, and
being responsible to stakeholders

Let’s get started!

Five Parts to Module 1

Module 1 is broken down into 5 parts:

First, introduce your board to the possibility of expansion by sharing your vision and getting their agreement to explore the idea further.

Second, determine the feasibility of taking on an expansion project for your organization by considering both internal and external factors.

Third, ensure that your strategic plan aligns with expansion. If not you may need to amend your strategic plan, or start a new strategic planning process from the beginning.

Fourth, assess the risks of your planned project.

Fifth, build relationships and consider collaborations to enhance and complete your project.

Board Support for Expansion

Communicating to Your Board About Expansion

The following are some tips to help you engage the board in a conversation in a productive and effective way:

Anticipate the information your board needs to feel comfortable with exploring the expansion process and the risks that come with it.
Keep it simple and be clear with your messages. Provide a strong project concept that outlines your vision.
Communicate the risks and be transparent about what they are so that you can find solutions together.
Provide a timeline for your board members to digest and discuss the idea of expanding.
Be honest and upfront about all aspects of the project and build in mechanisms for regular and ongoing communication.
Provide your board members the opportunity to ask questions and share their concerns.
Continue the research process in order to have more well rounded responses to potential board questions.

Benefits & Risks of Expansion

Below you’ll find some points about expansion to discuss with your board.

Benefits of expansion

Economies of scale – By expanding your organization, you will have the benefit of using a collective power of administration to complete human resource tasks and financial processes that will increase efficiency.
Leverage resources, improve processes and practices that are more effective and sustainable.
Organizations will acquire new assets, which can enhance the organization’s overall value.
Boosts brand identity– signals growth and success leading to increased opportunities for partnerships and collaborations.
Provides more options for staff to relocate or apply for more opportunities within the organization.
Strengthening the non for profit voice to advocate for quality care.
Expand your services to better support families.
Mitigate potential enrollment decline by having multiple locations to stabilize revenue and ensure continued operations.

Risks of expansion

Expanding a child care organization can offer numerous benefits, but it also comes with the following risks that should be considered:

There will be additional accountability obligations.
Difficulty recruiting the necessary qualified staff.
Expanding in areas already saturated with providers may result in competition for clients.
Financial risks – the cost of new construction/renovation may pose a strain on resources.
Limited options for financing.

To mitigate these risks, organizations considering expansion should conduct thorough feasibility studies, develop comprehensive business and expansion plans, allocate sufficient resources for implementation and have a team in place to regularly monitor the project.

Project Concept

Creating A Brief Description Of Your Expansion Project

To gain Board support, a good place to start is to share your vision through the development of a Project Concept. This provides the beginning of a concrete plan that can be used as a starting point for discussion.

Sections to Include

Location: What kind of expansion you are proposing? Is this a renovation to your existing space or is it a new location?
Target population: Identify who the new program is intended for. Are there gaps in services in a particular area that a new program can fill?
Service delivery model: This includes; how many children, how many rooms, age groups, hours of service and days of service.
Staffing: What staff do you need to operate?
Unique features: What will set this program apart from others?

Activities: SWOT Analysis

As a part of the Toolkit, you will be working on exercises, writing, figuring and in the end creating a plan for your expansion project.

Throughout the module, in the sections called “Activities”, you will have access to worksheets, exercises and activities to help you create that plan.