Str Plan Part V.html

YEARS 4-5: AREAS OF WORLD WE WANT TO CONTRIBUTE TO

In looking at CNVC’s activities in the world, we acknowledge that we are already doing work in varying capacities in each of the five areas currently identified as part of CNVC’s mission

education, economics, health care, restorative justice, and peacekeeping.

In our meeting we came up with a strong recommendation that CNVC only continue with existing activities and projects and put a moratorium on the creation of new theme projects until year 4. Some of us also recommend dropping the designation "Theme Project" at that time, and creating more specific and systematic structures for doing the work in these areas. Finally, we recommend further discussion about which areas would most support the spread of NVC and the creation of a critical mass of people using NVC to create peace on the planet.

Based on input from the network and our further discussions about it, we have the following general guidelines for those entrusted with further development of this plan.

1. Encourage/support working teams in each of 5 areas for each of the 5 most used languages.
2. Create plans for materials development and dissemination tailored to each of these areas.
3. Provide support for translation of these and future materials into identified languages.
4. Develop and put on trainings tailored to each of these areas.
5. Categorize trainers’ interests in 5 areas on the website.
6. Develop a process for developing board representation from these 5 areas and 5 languages
7. A key component of CNVC support for each area to include project development coaching, business coaching and fundraising training for sustainability.
8. A few specific initiatives have been suggested in input from network, and we list them below:
   1. Promote NVC as potentially standard training for UN in:
      1. Peacekeeping forces
      2. Refugee programs
   2. Provide training to other international organizations
   3. Focus on training mediators
   4. Focus on bringing NVC to social change groups
   5. Provide training for Dept of Peace initiatives wherever they occur
9. Nurture development of CNVC projects to address items on the above list in the 5 languages.

As a final point in guiding the continued discussion of priorities and areas of focus, we offer the following notes on existing theme projects

Education — CNVC’s mission is essentially about re-educating people, and we want to make NVC training available to educators and students at every level. Also, because in the long run it is more effective to prevent violence than to put energy into remedying its effects and changing destructive patterns, we see it as a high priority to bring NVC training to as many young people as possible by training educators and parents, as well as directly training young people. CNVC might play a direct role in creating some schools that function in harmony with NVC principles. CNVC can also create and widely publicize criteria for such schools, thereby providing guidance and inspiration to many people who are already committed to and involved in creating alternative educational institutions.

Parenting education — Because of their immediate and powerful connection to children, their dreams for a better future for children, and the options they have for operating in ways that deviate from the established paradigm, parents are in a unique position to model and teach NVC to the children they live with. Parents will also be the first beneficiaries of improved relationships with these children and so can be expected to be highly motivated to learn and live NVC, once they have been exposed to it. Parents are also often in a position to lobby for life serving institutional changes that they see as supporting children.

Social change and synergy — We would like to assist groups working for a more life serving social order by teaching their members how to use NVC to connect more effectively with (a) themselves, (b) each other, and (c) people who have power within the current system, and to enlist the support of the latter to bring about changes that would more fully serve life.

Freedom Project — This project involves teaching NVC in prisons and training former inmates to go back to prisons to teach NVC to current inmates, and to create a support network for returnees (inmates returning to the community). This project is helping to demonstrate the profound healing and socially transformative power of NVC. By challenging widely held assumptions about the possibility of change, this project is highly inspirational and offers an opportunity to learn what kind of social support network is needed to redeem lives that many regard as unredeemable.

6. Notes on Items Included in Strategic Plan

The following notes constitute initial recommendations, direction, and notes for the continued work of Gary and/or committees established to complete plans in various arenas.

Training Program (Years 1-3)

CNVC will continue to find ways to optimize Marshall’s role in our training program, especially by finding opportunities for him to address large groups of people (for example, by mass media appearances and keynote addresses at conferences), those groups whose mission is closely aligned with CNVC’s, and other influential groups. We also want to make it possible for him to spend more time in fewer places and for those with the potential for spreading NVC in new regions to come to him for intensive training.

CNVC will continue to offer IITs (including some led by others than Marshall) in response to the demand and interest for them, and will add other trainings that provide alternative ways for people to satisfy the IIT requirement for becoming a certified trainer. We will also improve our procedures for handling inquiries for training that come to CNVC, including invitations for training by Marshall that he will not be able to accept.

Apart from a brief experiment in 2002 with “module” trainings in a couple of U.S. cities, and two IITs in 2004 led by trainers other than Marshall Rosenberg, the only trainings CNVC has thus far sponsored or produced are those that have been led by Marshall Rosenberg. With the exception of an occasional referral of a training opportunity (that Marshall has declined), or being offered the opportunity to be an IIT trainer (for a Marshall led IIT), CNVC certified trainers have organized their own trainings, with no direct involvement by CNVC.

We propose exploring the possibility of CNVC producing or sponsoring more trainings led by others than Marshall. In principle, this could result in increased income for both trainers and CNVC, and contribute to CNVC’s mission by increasing the number of NVC trainings being offered.

For CNVC to take on this responsibility would require identifying trainers interested in working with CNVC in this way, and working out agreements (financial and legal) with them; creating a system for sales, marketing and other support needed for this program; and acquiring administrative staff to provide such support.

The Executive Director and Director of Educational Services will explore this possibility during the next year.

Educational Materials Development and Sales (years 3-4)

Two high priorities for new materials will be translations of current English language CNVC materials into languages other than English, and the creation of new materials that can help people learn NVC without formal training.

CNVC will continue to explore the possibility of outsourcing the fulfillment of orders for educational materials, if that is cost effective and enables us to serve our customers at least as well as we currently can. In any case, we will make it possible for people to order materials from our website and will also explore various other possibilities for marketing our materials.

CNVC will continue to offer CNVC Certified Trainers significant discounts on materials to support their distribution of those materials.

Use of mass media, website, new technology (years 3-4)

We would like to make optimal use of both established and new technologies to bring NVC to large numbers of people. CNVC acknowledges the valuable role that PuddleDancer Press (“PDP”) plays in promoting NVC through print materials and the mass media, and we are committed to working synergistically with PDP in support of our shared objectives. We also are pleased that established producers and distributors of audio and/or video recordings (e.g. Sounds True) have shown an interest in making NVC recordings available to the public and we want to support these connections.

We also want to continue to use our website to offer various resources (e.g. essays, transcripts, audio clips, reading recommendations, and training materials) that will help people learn and spread NVC.

Research (years 3-4)

We recognize the importance of having credible research demonstrating the value of NVC training and are taking steps to ensure that such research occurs, is coordinated, and is readily accessible to those who wish to use it to help spread NVC.

Role of the Founder – Succession Plans (year 1)

We also want to acknowledge that Marshall Rosenberg’s role in the organization offers both challenges and opportunities and that considerable resources are required to deal with both. We want to reduce the burden that excessive travel creates for him, while also making it possible for him to make the greatest contribution he can to spreading NVC, and to do this in a way that is financially viable for CNVC. This will likely mean he will be offering fewer public trainings and that we will seek to persuade those requesting NVC training to use other trainers that CNVC will help market. We need to create a plan for this, and that will require time and energy, including time to get input from Marshall. (An outline of a possible such plan

(Within the next two years) Marshall, perhaps with assistance from the certification team or others, identifies which trainers he would be comfortable having doing which kinds of trainings; the Executive Director hires someone to handle the marketing and sales of training opportunities and budgets significant financial resources to supporting this transition.) Note: To leave this decision up to Marshall only is in conflict with our desire to move toward increased participation; and since this decision will affect CNVC trainers generally, we would like to find (and would welcome suggestions for) a strategy for allowing all trainers to be part of these efforts, and to determine whether to use a different standard for (a) someone CNVC is prepared to certify as a trainer and (b) someone CNVC is willing to hire as a trainer for trainings produced by CNVC.

At this time, and although all of the details are not yet worked out, Marshall’s 2005 schedule will include a fairly significant change from previous years in that he will spend three months (June, July and August) at Orchidea Lodge, where he will offer intensive training (both IITs and other intensive training including training for previously certified trainers). Since he would especially like to work with some people who cannot afford to come to be with him unless they receive financial support, we would like to find additional funds for those people, as well as ways to replace the income from more lucrative trainings he will not be doing during this time. We also need to find funds for someone to coordinate the training of these people during the months Marshall will be available at Orchidea.

Funding (year 1)

The various plans called for in this document will require finding and harnessing substantial resources, including substantial financial support. We expect to derive ongoing income from each of the following

• Donations from individuals
• Foundation grants
• Sales of educational materials (and some royalties)
• Training programs offered by trainers working with CNVC (e.g. in CNVC projects, IITs, and probably in other trainings CNVC organizes)
• Certification fees and commissions from trainers

For many years, CNVC has been sustained largely through income from training offered by Marshall Rosenberg. This is still the case and is one of the obvious areas where change is needed. Sustainable growth and development will require donations and grants to be significantly increased and provide perhaps 60% of our income, with 20% coming from materials sales and royalties, and 20% from training income. (To expect a higher percentage from trainers would require putting considerably greater resources into becoming a professional training organization. A key question, thus far unresolved, but addressed in the plan below, is whether to do this, or to continue--as now--with certified trainers operating largely as independent agents.) CNVC could sponsor some additional trainings and IITs led by others than Marshall Rosenberg, but still have most trainers working independently.

DISCUSSION ITEM #6

There may be other ways to increase income from trainings, such as supporting and endorsing already existing training programs in several regions. Is this something CNVC wants to do and, if so, how?

We will continue to offer trainings in dealing with money wounds and training in fundraising that is in harmony with NVC principles. In these and other ways we will work to transform the culture of the NVC network into one that is more favorable to fundraising and that makes it easy and enjoyable to offer people the opportunity to contribute to CNVC at all NVC events.

Within five years, we plan to have 1500 donors contributing an average of $25 a month to the Foundation for the Dream campaign, providing $450,000 annually to fund our core administrative budget. We will add an average of 250-300 such people to this core donor base each year.

We will continue to seek funds to support the various projects and funds to support more frequent in person gatherings of NVC supporters from around the world.

Fundraising plan (year 1)

Both Marshall Rosenberg and the CNVC Board are committed to playing an active part in organizational fundraising, by

• Working in partnership with the Executive Director and fundraising consultant in seeking donations,
• Identifying prospective donors, and
• Helping with fundraising events.

(One member of the Board is serving as the chair of CNVC’s fundraising committee, which reports to the Executive Director. We recommend the Board adopt a policy of having this committee chaired by a Board member, so this practice will continue after Ike Lasater, the current chair, has left the Board.) Currently, CNVC has the assistance of Lynn McMullen, a professional fundraising consultant, who is helping us to create a more effective way of reaching those who would be willing to give us support in this area. Toward this end, Lynn McMullen and Gary Baran propose the following outline for a fundraising plan

• Core budget sustained by a group of dedicated supporters (Foundation for the Dream Campaign and a planned giving initiative)
• Funding for various projects—especially through grants and restricted donations
• Capital campaign for retreat/community/office space for CNVC (year 5 or later).

An obvious fundraising priority is to guarantee the sustainability of the organization by funding a core administrative budget (Executive Director and office staff, and the position of International Project Coordinator). Some funding for this budget can come from the sales of materials, but donor support will be required to make up the difference.

We would like to fund various projects (e.g. Africa, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Education, etc.) separately, through foundation grants and individual donations by people who have a special affinity for those projects. This requires coordinated activity on the part of our fundraising consultant, international project coordinator, and specific project coordinators, as well as input on priorities from the Director of Educational Services, the Executive Director, and the Board.

One way to increase income is to request more money per day from those who want to have Marshall do training. We are planning to do that for 2005, so we expect that the training he offers, throughout the world, will continue to be an important component of CNVC’s income for the foreseeable future.

Retreat Facility

Although we are recommending that this item not be included in the current plan, we recognize the level of interest in this strategy, and include notes here for those after us who will explore and decide priorities for subsequent years.

There appears to be considerable interest in our network in acquiring a retreat facility for use as a training site, CNVC headquarters, and community center. Once we have established the foundation for sustaining a core budget, and are doing more to fund special projects, we would like to launch a capital campaign to acquire such a facility.

Having a CNVC retreat facility/HQ office could provide

• A facility for training (saving us the cost of renting venues)
• A permanent headquarters office (CNVC would not have to renegotiate leases or to pay rent for office space, which would contribute to long term financial sustainability)
• A potential home for Marshall Rosenberg
• The opportunity for people to live in community, living the process of NVC
• A place to host meetings of other groups with which CNVC wants to work synergistically
• A possible home for an NVC school

7. Strategic Planning Committee and Ongoing Process

This plan will be in effect for 2 years from its approval by the CNVC Board. However, CNVC views strategic planning as an ongoing and iterative process and welcomes feedback from anyone interested in contributing to this process. To this end, CNVC will maintain an ongoing Strategic Planning Committee, reporting to the Executive Director, and charged with ensuring that there are adequate channels for the Board and staff to receive input related to the functioning and direction of the organization, monitoring the implementation of Board approved recommendations for changes related to this, and recommending additional processes and structures to better meet needs for inclusion, etc. This committee will have as one of its early functions to design the process to be used during the next NVC convention to deliberate on the strategic plan and on decision-making structures. In addition, this committee will continue to examine ways to improve the process for the Board (and other members of the central serving team) to receive input with regards to decisions, so those providing input can see that their efforts are recognized and their input is considered, whether or not their suggestions are accepted.

To support the effectiveness of this committee, CNVC will allocate funding for an annual in-person meeting of the committee. (Question

who will define the committee membership and will it be led by the Board President? If not, how and by whom will the chair be selected? We recommend a Board policy that at least one Board member be a part of the committee and that the committee select its own chair.)

In addition, the CNVC Board commits to the following specific strategies

At every NVC convention and, when feasible, at other large in person NVC gatherings, the CNVC Board will host a meeting of at least one day for all present to participate in strategic planning for the organization. This will include an explicit review of existing decision-making structures as well as the existing strategic plan, and allow for recommendations for changes or additions to those. During this time the Board would present verbally and in writing (in several languages) the existing decision-making structure and strategic direction of the organization, the issues they see the organization facing, and the questions board members would like the gathering to grapple with.

For the coming NVC convention in Belgium in 2005, which is the first time that this process will be used, the Board will present details about the existing decision-making structure, and invite a discussion about what works and what hasn’t worked with this structure. Some possible questions to explore will include

Who decides which projects get funded? Who determines what the office will do or not? Who decides who are members of CNVC? Who decides who is part of “the network”?

The Strategic Planning Committee will annually undertake a broad-based, in-person review of the process of decision-making and the general direction of the organization in the network, yielding guidance to the Executive Director for the next period of time until the following review time. So as to be in harmony with the principles of governance and management identified above, this guidance will be in the form of Board policies related to ends and executive limitation policies. This review will be organized by the Strategic Planning Committee and may take place in conjunction with a regular Board meeting.

To ensure adequate representation at this review from all countries in which NVC is being spread, the Board will make an effort to ensure the presence of individuals from countries outside North America, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand, and of others lacking financial means, and will set aside some funds to support this objective.

The Strategic Planning Committee will devise ways for soliciting input and feedback from people who are not and/or cannot be present at large gatherings, such as NVC conventions, so that input from the network is maximized and not limited to those who can be present. (Examples include arranging conference calls for trainers or project leaders; phone or in-person meetings of more local groupings, to continue exploring issues presented to the network; periodic questionnaires such as the one recently distributed; discussions during smaller gatherings such as IITs; and other approaches which may arise with time.) The Strategic Planning Committee will be responsible for devising these channels and recommending their implementation.

The Strategic Planning Committee welcomes input from people in the NVC network. After the CNVC Board meeting in November 2004, once the new Strategic Planning Committee is established, it will publicize widely how input can be provided.

8. A final comment:

We hope and expect that, to a large extent, NVC will spread organically, especially through the initiative of CNVC certified trainers and others who have become aware of the power of NVC and the beauty of the vision it can serve. Consequently, much of what is done to spread NVC is likely to occur without explicit planning or direction by CNVC. This plan is only intended to help guide what CNVC does in support of its mission.

Written by

Gary Baran, Miki Kashtan, Martha Young

Approved by

(other members of Strategic Planning Committee who approve this plan)

Signatures collected via fax between Sep 15 and Oct 15, 2004.

CNVC Strategic Plan – August 2004 version