2018-2021 Strategic Plan: Setting the Stage for Sustainability
Topline Strategic Plan
VISION
Muse Machine is a place where imagination and inspiration meet teaching and learning. We envision schools transformed by the arts—every young person beginning a fulfilling lifelong journey as an arts maker, learner, audience and patron—every teacher engaging deeply with outstanding artists, arts professionals and artistic work—every family creating vivid memories of shared arts experiences. Because of the connections between Muse Machine schools and Dayton’s rich artistic resources, we imagine a vibrant future for our arts organizations, artists and community.
MISSION
The mission of Muse Machine is to change the lives of young people through the arts.
WHO WE ARE
Muse is a nationally recognized arts organization annually serving 76,800 students and 600 teachers in 13 counties in southwest and central Ohio and northern Kentucky. From preschool through high school, Muse uses the arts as a means of creative and personal growth and to illuminate classroom curriculum. Students are engaged through artist residencies and performances in the schools, professional productions, a winter musical and summer concert, and other partnership activities. Teachers are supported through year-round professional development, which strengthens their understanding of the arts so that they might embody these experiences as outstanding instructors.
Goal One Work Plan
Ensure that young people of all abilities and walks of life can participate in Muse Machine programming.
Objective #1
Focus development efforts on ensuring expanded individual giving, business partnerships, grants and sponsorships for schools organizations that serve diverse populations and are often under-represented in local arts programming in the region. (2018-2021)
Tactic #1 – Maintain (and increase) current level of funding from individual giving, grants and sponsorships, especially those that fund Title One schools. (Best Practice Standards: Grants and sponsorships are considered ‘soft’ money, thus, an organization should not exceed 25% to 35% of their budget from these sources. Muse is at approximately 34%. Individual giving in similarly sized arts organizations is 24% of the overall budget; Muse’s individual giving is at 12% of its budget.
| Action | Responsible Party(ies) | Metric(s)
|
Timing |
| · Develop new staff appraisal system with staff input. | ED, development director, employees | Staff appraisal system is in place. | 2018 (completed) |
| · Conduct annual performance appraisals for full- and part-time employees. | ED and development director | Performance appraisals are completed annually by June 30th | 2018-2021 (underway) |
| · Ask for feedback on the new performance appraisal process at a staff meeting prior to implementing the system and following the appraisal process. | ED and employees
|
Gather feedback during first year of implementation and in subsequent years. | 2018-2021 (underway—feedback was solicited before the system was implemented this fall.) |
| · Review position descriptions with each employee as part of their annual performance appraisal process and update them, as necessary.
|
ED and development director | Positions are reviewed and updated, as needed. | 2018-2021 (underway) |
| · Analyze staffing and/or contractor needs following annual performance appraisals and identify gaps in professional knowledge and expertise.
|
ED, development director, finance director, staff | Gap analysis reviewed and action steps identified, if necessary. | 2018-2021 (underway) |
| · Meet quarterly with full- and part-time employees to discuss progress toward annual goals and objectives. | ED and development director (only staff with direct reports). | · Quarterly meetings are incorporated into weekly meetings with individual staff member’s weekly meetings.
· Staff submit a brief update reports so the final appraisal data is captured over the 12-month period before the annual final appraisal review. |
2018-2021 (underway) |
| · Refine performance appraisal process based on annual feedback from reviewers and reviewees and new guidance from HR professional associations.
|
ED, development director, employees | Refine performance appraisal process, as necessary. | 2018-2021 (ongoing) |
| · Identify leadership activities for staff who would like to assume larger roles and more responsibilities within the organization.
|
ED, director of development | General plan is in place to develop staff for leadership roles within and outside of the organization.
|
2018-2021 (underway) |
| · Identify and budget for professional development, which is aligned with strategic plan, for all employees.
|
ED, development director and finance director | · Professional development should align with the goals and objectives in Muse’s strategic plan and the long-term professional goals for the employee.
· During annual budget development process, set professional development budget.
|
2018-2021 (ongoing) |
Tactic#2–Research funding opportunities(grants or sponsorships)that support a diverse range of artists and vigorous outreach efforts to under-represented populations.