Strategic Plan FY20-FY25 Appalachian School of Law Appalachian School of Law Appalachian School of Law Appalachian School of Law Appalachian School of Law Appalachian School of Law Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Atlantic University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Averett University Blue Ridge Community College Blue Ridge Community College Blue Ridge Community College Blue Ridge Community College Blue Ridge Community College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bluefield College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Bridgewater College Central Virginia Community College Central Virginia Community College Central Virginia Community College Central Virginia Community College Central Virginia Community College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christendom College Christopher Newport University Christopher Newport University Christopher Newport University Christopher Newport University Christopher Newport University College of William and Mary College of William and Mary College of William and Mary College of William and Mary College of William and Mary College of William and Mary Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Dabney S. Lancaster Community College Danville Community College Danville Community College Danville Community College Danville Community College Danville Community College Danville Community College Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Mennonite University Eastern Shore Community College Eastern Shore Community College Eastern Shore Community College Eastern Shore Community College Eastern Shore Community College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Emory and Henry College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College Ferrum College George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Mason University George Washington University George Washington University George Washington University George Washington University George Washington University George Washington University Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Germanna Community College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney College Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hampton University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University Hollins University J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University James Madison University Jefferson College of Health Sciences Jefferson College of Health Sciences Jefferson College of Health Sciences Jefferson College of Health Sciences Jefferson College of Health Sciences Jefferson College of Health Sciences John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College John Tyler Community College Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Liberty University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Longwood University Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Lord Fairfax Community College Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Mary Baldwin University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Marymount University Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College Mountain Empire Community College New River Community College New River Community College New River Community College New River Community College New River Community College New River Community College New River Community College Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University Norfolk State University

Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College Northern Virginia Community College Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Old Dominion University Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Patrick Henry Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Paul D. Camp Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Piedmont Virginia Community College Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Radford University Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Randolph-Macon College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Rappahannock Community College Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Regent University Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Richard Bland College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Roanoke College Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Shenandoah University Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southside Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Southwest Virginia Community College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Thomas Nelson Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College Tidewater Community College University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Lynchburg University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Mary Washington University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Richmond University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise University of Virginia's College at Wise Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Highlands Community College Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia Military Institute Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia State University Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Tech Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Union University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Wesleyan University Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Virginia Western Community College Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Washington and Lee University Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College Wytheville Community College WHO WE ARE

Virginia21’s Mission Virginia21 empowers college students and young Virginians to be engaged citizens and advocates for issues important to them and Virginia’s future.

Virginia21’s Vision Virginia21 envisions a well-educated, prosperous, and civically-engaged Virginia.

1. BACKGROUND

Virginia21 was founded in 2002 at the College of William & Mary as a student organization. Over the years its tax status has evolved, but the spirit of the mission has remained largely the same: to engage Virginia’s young adults in state and local politics. For the first decade of existence, Virginia21 largely focused on higher education issues including college affordability, textbook reform, and campus safety. At all times, the organization has focused on young person civic engagement including voter registration, voting access, and leadership development. In recent years, Virginia21 has recognized the need to represent all young adults and as such began expanding programming to more broadly address the needs of young people aged 18-35.

Virginia21 Action, a 501(c)4 affiliate to Virginia21, will work closely with Virginia21 to help implement and advocate for these policies. Based on policies researched and developed by Virginia21, advocacy recommendations will be made to Virginia21 Action. Additionally, Virginia21 and Virginia21 Action will share certain resources and staff time within the terms of the shared services agreement between the two organizations.

In FY18-19, Virginia21 collected feedback via survey response from current students, junior board members, and the Board of Directors. In addition to this, the Board of Directors and staff met several times for brainstorming and planning sessions. The following plan is the result of those efforts. Through the identification of these goals and the implementation plan below, Virginia21 will become the paramount organization representing young adults across the Commonwealth with a clear vision for success.

BACKGROUND 1 2. CURRENT POSITION

Virginia21 currently serves young Virginians aged 18-35. According to US Census Data, this age group makes up about 33% of Virginia’s population.1 Virginia21’s primary program components are:

1. Student Program 2. Policy Efforts 3. Professional Development Programming

The organization currently has 16 active chapters, of which 11 are public, four are private, and one is a community college. Exact numbers of student members are not currently known. These chapters organize and implement campus-wide programming to promote a culture of civic engagement. These students also participate in a year-round leadership development program provided by the organization that includes skill building in advocacy, communications, organizing, and networking. Attendance at leadership programs has been inconsistent over the years due to internal and external factors including an increase in hyper-partisanship following the 2016 election, increased civic engagement groups on campuses, and staffing changes.

Program Population Served Number of People Served

Summer Leadership Institute College Students 15 Late Night College Students, Legislative Reception Young Professionals 131

VA21 Lobby Day College Students 111

Spring Leadership Conference College Students 62

YP Summit Young Professionals 57

Leadership Public 170* Luncheon *Overall attendance, including students. All numbers are averages of FY17-18 to best show the organization’s current position.

A survey was circulated to primary stakeholders of the organization including the Board of Directors, student members, and the Young Professionals Advisory Council. The results of this survey confirmed that Virginia21 is challenged by a lack of consistency in how its primary stakeholders define the organization.

1 United Census Bureau. American Fact Finder. March 8, 2019.

2 CURRENT POSITION When asked to identify the primary focus of the organization based on the current brand and mission of Virginia21, respondents from all groups showed a roughly even divide in opinion.

Who should Virginia21 serve? 16

12

8

4

0 YPAC Students Board Total College Students All Young Virginians

Current stakeholders were also asked to select which current core programs support the mission of Virginia21 and again results showed a general inconsistency in opinion between the three major groups surveyed.

Stakeholder Core Programs Results

12

8

4

0 Summer Leadership Voter Registration Voter Education Late Night/ Leadership YP Summit Other Leadership Luncheon Lobby Day Luncheon Institute (student attendance) (all attendance)

YPAC Students Board

These surveys confirmed the need to formalize the priorities of Virginia21, identify the populations served, and define success for the organization.

CURRENT POSITION 3 3. ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN

In creating this strategic plan, Virginia21 identified external factors that may influence its effectiveness, both positively and negatively. Since 2016, there has been an increase in hyper- partisanship with a noticeable uptick in the popularity of progressive and conservative-leaning organizations that work in a similar space as Virginia21.

In many ways, this uptick has caused an increase in competition in many of the program areas that Virginia21 has historically worked on, the best example being voter registration. College campuses are now saturated in registration efforts during election season. The divisive political atmosphere has in many ways allowed these partisan-leaning groups to be more effective in recruitment creating a challenge in both program and fund development for Virginia21.

However, hyper-partisanship has also allowed Virginia21 to highlight its unique position as a truly non-partisan organization. Virginia21 is a sought-after partner in legislative circles and in leadership development due to its truly issue-forward approach to policies disproportionately affecting young people. In many ways, Virginia21 has become a haven from hyper-partisanship for its members.

Another external factor that will impact Virginia21 over the next few years is the potential for a major shift in the Virginia political landscape. In November of 2019, Virginia’s electoral maps may be dramatically different, anti-Trump sentiments may continue the “blue wave” here in Virginia, or equally possible, the recent scandals of the Virginia Democratic Party may shift the legislature farther to the right. Whatever the outcome, the possibility exists for the composition of the General Assembly to change dramatically.

4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN 4. STRATEGIC PLAN

Mission Virginia21 empowers college students and young Virginians to be engaged citizens and advocates for issues important to them and Virginia’s future.

Vision Virginia21 envisions a well-educated, prosperous, and civically-engaged Virginia.

Strategy Virginia21 will make young adult Virginians the most civically engaged and politically influential age demographic in the Commonwealth through targeted leadership development and civic engagement programming. An educated and empowered young population will result in positive policy outcomes in the areas of higher education and workforce development, shared economic prosperity, and good government. It will make Virginia21 a stronger, more sustainable organization that will continue working towards the fulfillment of our mission and realization of our vision long into the future. Virginia21 will leverage its position as Virginia’s only statewide young voter advocacy organization to fully realize its potential to impact the Commonwealth.

STRATEGIC PLAN 5 4. STRATEGIC PLAN (continued)

Lines of Effort For the purposes of this plan, all the major work that Virginia21 does has been divided into major “lines of effort.” Each goal will be accomplished through one or more of these lines of effort.

— Administrative Includes all major administrative duties of the organization to ensure that Virginia21 is fiscally sound and legally compliant at all times, including bookkeeping/accounting, budgeting, payroll, bills, database management, and staffing.

— Leadership and Professional Development Includes all work to develop young Virginians into future leaders and preparing them for successful lives and careers.

— Policy Includes all the major policy work of Virginia21, such as policy research and development, policy education for organizational constituents, policy communications, and strategic partnerships with policy allies.

— Organizing and Advocacy Includes student engagement, young professional engagement, mobilization of both groups, and other field work to civically engage young Virginians and empower them to advocate for Virginia21’s policy agenda.

— Development Includes managing the financial health and proper board function of Virginia21 including all fundraising, development communications, board management, and organizational growth.

6 STRATEGIC PLAN 5. KEY AREAS OF FOCUS

Higher Education Attainment

Civic Engagement

Leadership Development

A Prosperous Virginia

Organizational Growth and Sustainability

KEY AREAS OF FOCUS 7 HIGHER EDUCATION ATTAINMENT

Virginia21 will work to shape higher education in Virginia to be accessible and equitable for all Virginians, and affordable enough to allow graduates to live full lives and contribute positively to Virginia’s economy.

Goal 1: Virginia21 will develop policy ideas around the establishment of a statewide funding model that prioritizes positive student outcomes; specifically, increasing attainment while closing equity gaps. Virginia21 will encourage Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate students about the policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective student organizers and advocates for our cause

Work towards this goal will be ongoing with hope for success at some point by the end of the five-year plan, pending the possible but unclear shifts in the General Assembly. Success for this goal will be measured by the passage of major legislation (including the budget) regarding higher education funding that results in increased attainment while closing or significantly reducing the equity gap in higher education access.

8 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS Goal 2: Virginia21 will develop policy ideas aimed at making significant progress on student aid, including adequate, consistent general fund support and ensuring that students (particularly low-income and historically underserved students) are made aware of their options and given every opportunity to secure the funding needed to pursue a postsecondary degree or certificate. Virginia21 will make recommendations to Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals. Policy education by providing tools to young Virginians so they will better understand their options ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate students about this policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective student organizers and advocates for our cause

So central is this to Virginia21’s mission that work will be ongoing indefinitely in the space of college affordability and as such each year that state funding for financial aid increases will be considered a success, as will long-term trends that show an increasing percentage of demonstrated need being met.

Goal 3: Virginia21 will develop improved policies around student debt that protect students from predatory lending practices, give students flexibility and options for paying off loans and avoiding default, and ensure that debt does not hinder students’ ability to live full lives and contribute to Virginia’s economy. Virginia21 will encourage Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies. The organization will help provide students with educational resources to ensure that they are knowledgeable borrowers.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate young Virginians (primarily student loan borrowers) about this policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective student and non-student organizers and advocates for our cause

Given recent progress around the issue, Virginia21 expects this project to be partially completed at some point within the five-year timeline of this plan, but the overall goal is ongoing. The passage of a loan servicer licensing bill in the next two years will be a first step in achieving this goal, but Virginia21 will look towards other policies to continue increasing protections for student borrowers.

HIGHER EDUCATION ATTAINMENT 9 CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Virginia21 will strive to create a broad culture of civic engagement, with a focus on the state and local level, among young Virginians. The organization will work across the entire spectrum of R.E.A.L. civic engagement: voter Registration, Education, Activation, and Legislation.

Goal 1: Virginia21 will develop policies that increase voting access and ensure that there are no undue burdens to registering to vote and casting a ballot and policies that support a culture of civic education and engagement at Virginia’s K-12 schools, colleges, and universities. Virginia21 will encourage Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate young Virginians about this policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective young organizers and advocates for our cause

The lynchpin of Virginia21’s programming, this process will be ongoing. Success will be defined through the passage of every law that eases the voting process from registration to ballot casting, as well as measurable increases in civic engagement from young Virginians through voter registration, engagement with informational material in the leadup to elections, and events held on college campuses and other locations throughout the state meant to foster civic engagement.

Goal 2: Through its leadership, Virginia21 will see that Virginia has the highest participation rates in the country among young people in every election.

10 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS ▸ Policy: provide young Virginians with the policy resources to be informed voters ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: field efforts on campuses and elsewhere around the state to disseminate informational resources and encourage/facilitate voter registration and participation ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective campus and community leaders and organizers to spearhead our civic engagement efforts

Success will be defined by achieving the highest turnout rates in America as measured by exit polling, precinct data, and other available surveys. Virginia21 expects to complete this goal within three to five years.

Goal 3: Virginia21 will provide ample opportunities for young people to interact with and hear directly from elected officials, candidates for office, and other government leaders.

▸ Policy: cultivate relationships with important political leaders ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: organize forums, panels, and other events on campuses and in communities around Virginia, with organizers ensuring their peers are made aware and given opportunities to attend ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: give young leaders the opportunity to interact with and learn from important political leaders to grow their own leadership skills

As an existing piece of Virginia21’s programming, work on this goal has begun and will be ongoing indefinitely. Success will be considered on an annual basis and will be considered achieved when each student chapter is either hosting or participating in at least one event with officials present per year.

Goal 4: Virginia21 will provide young Virginians with clear and easily accessible information on candidates, ballot initiatives, issues, and whatever else is needed to ensure that they are well-informed voters.

▸ Policy: provide young Virginians with the resources to be informed voters, seek strategic partnerships to ensure that all materials provided by the organization are information forward, nonpartisan, and thorough ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: field efforts on campuses and around the state to disseminate informational resources ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective campus leaders and organizers to spearhead our civic engagement efforts

This goal will be ongoing, with an annual focus each election season. Virginia21 will consider this goal achieved based on reach and opportunity, ensuring that young people across Virginia all at least have reasonable access to voter information.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 11 LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Virginia21 will identify, train, and prepare young Virginians to become leaders in government, business, and communities around the Commonwealth.

Goal 1: Virginia21 will grow the Summer Leadership Institute to include participants from as many Virginia institutions of higher education as possible, including at least 25% of private and community colleges and 90% of public four-years by 2021.

▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective campus leaders through this intensive program to then direct all other major campus efforts ▸ Development: increase organizational funding through financial partnerships with new institutions and potential new sponsorships as the program grows

Virginia21 aims to have SLI participants from 25% of private and community colleges and participation from at least 90% of public four-years by the 2021 Summer Leadership Institute. Currently, participants attend from less than 10% of privates and community colleges, and public four-year participation varies from year to year but is generally around 70%. Accomplishing this goal will provide the organization with a significantly greater pool of young leaders to draw from in progressing towards many of our other goals and create new, potentially beneficial, institutional connections.

Goal 2: Virginia21 will strengthen the Student Leadership Committee, both in terms of monthly SLC programming and in the level of participation from student leaders. Staff will ensure that SLC is run by the student leaders with support from staff, and not the other way around.

12 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS ▸ Policy: provide SLC with regular updates on the policy issues facing young Virginians and the goings on in state government, help bring in guest speakers from the Virginia political and policy world ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: SLC will serve as the nucleus of all campus organizing and coordinated advocacy efforts among the student population ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective campus leaders and organizers to help accomplish our other goals

Success will be measured annually both through increased participation and through feedback surveys to determine the reach and impact of SLC. Virginia21 plans to begin a revamped Student Leadership Committee in the fall of 2019.

Goal 3: Virginia21 will provide support to current and graduating students in networking and professional development and will foster relationships between current students and graduates that can form beneficial mentoring relationships for graduating students.

▸ Leadership and Professional Development: rely on the networks of Virginia21’s major stakeholders including staff, board members, junior board members, and donors to provide networking resources and build connections between students and professionals

This program will be ongoing to continue providing professional development opportunities to the young people the organization serves. Ultimately, Virginia21 would like to have alumni of its program in prominent positions all over the Commonwealth in government, politics, and business—demonstrating the value of the organization and providing a financially healthy alumni-base for continued sustainability for years to come.

Goal 4: Virginia21 will teach young leaders to effectively interact with passionate people of opposing viewpoints in a way that is civil and fosters an environment of respectful debate.

▸ Policy: bring forth policy issues for discussion at Virginia21 events, and develop fair, non-partisan educational materials to ensure that students are provided with facts, not opinions, and allowed to synthesize opinions on their own ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: organize opportunities on campuses and around the state for education and discussion around important issues ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: provide balanced programming that presents leading sides of all policy issues and encourages critical thinking. Demonstrate to young leaders and young professionals how to passionately debate issues respectfully and civilly, and provide them with opportunities to gain experience doing so

Success will be defined by young people all across the ideological spectrum who are affiliated with Virginia21 passionately advocating for their beliefs but doing so respectfully and without malice. This goal will be ongoing.

LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT 13 A PROSPEROUS VIRGINIA

Virginia21 will help ensure that Virginia is a place where young people want to live, learn, work, and raise their families.

Goal 1: Virginia21 will promote and support policies that lead to good jobs, entrepreneurship, high employment rates, and socioeconomic mobility for young Virginians and that close employment equity gaps, encouraging students to remain in Virginia after graduating from postsecondary institutions. Virginia21 will encourage Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate young Virginians about this policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective organizers and advocates for our cause

Virginia21 will define success with the passage of laws and policies that facilitate an environment of high employment and socioeconomic mobility for young Virginians. This goal is ongoing.

Goal 2: Virginia21 will develop and promote policies that encourage good governance and create an atmosphere where Virginians enjoy a trustworthy, responsive, and effective government and will encourage Virginia21 Action to advocate for such policies. 14 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS ▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Organizing and Advocacy: educate young Virginians about this policy area and amass them to effectively advocate for the policies that we propose ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: develop effective organizers and advocates for our cause

This is an issue area where Virginia21 has not deeply engaged in recent years, but it was one of the fundamental tenants of its early years. Making new inroads into this area will take time, but this will be an ongoing process with success measured through the passage of laws that encourage good governance as defined in the goal.

Goal 3: Virginia21 will foster connections between higher education and the business community in Virginia to ensure an effective pipeline of talent leading from postsecondary institutions to the workforce.

▸ Policy: policy development through research, an analysis of the current political atmosphere, and seeking strategic partners with shared policy goals ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: ensure that all leadership development programming for students helps provide the Commonwealth with a class of well-rounded, employable graduates each year

This will be an ongoing, annual goal, and success will be measured by ensuring that students can make strong professional connections, hold career-building internships and cultivate relationship with potential employers and that Virginia has policies in place that encourage and promote higher education talent pipelines by facilitating successful transitions from higher education to gainful employment.

Goal 4: Virginia21 will develop programming that directly engages young professional Virginians in the work of Virginia21 by the end of FY20.

▸ Policy: will engage young professionals in the policy work of Virginia21 through the annual survey and coordinated advocacy ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: ensure that new programming establishes effective professional development for young Virginians by assessing market needs ▸ Development: increase funding through greater engagement of young professional donors, with a focused increase on small-donor and recurring donors

Virginia21 will survey the current landscape of young professional programming and will work to create a worthy, impactful program that directly engages young professionals in one or multiple facets of Virginia21’s work by June 30, 2020 and then, based on what the programming looks like, find a way to fund and implement it. A PROSPEROUS VIRGINIA 15 ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY

Virginia21 will take measures to guarantee its ability to be a leading organization on higher education and workforce policy, civic engagement, and leadership development in Virginia for years to come.

Goal 1: Virginia21 will seek increased funding to make the organization more sustainable and will increase reserve fund balance to $50,000 by the end of FY20.

▸ Administrative: ensure that the budget is fiscally sound, money is saved where possible, and resources are focused towards areas of high need. A priority will be placed on stockpiling a reserve fund. ▸ Development: work with the Board to grow our donor base at all levels of giving and conduct a reserve funding campaign to reach the $50,000 threshold

The overall goal is ongoing and success will be measured by the organization’s ability to fund all efforts to accomplish the strategic goals outlined in this plan. The launch of a reserve funding campaign will take place in FY20.

Goal 2: Virginia21 will establish a chapter presence, with some level of organizational engagement or student participation, at every Virginia four-year public, private, and two-year institution by the 2021-2022 school year.

▸ Organizing and Advocacy: utilize existing student chapters and student members by leveraging their personal networks to identify potential members at non-member institutions ▸ Leadership and Professional Development: recruit membership from non-member institutions through initial organizational participation at the Summer Leadership Institute ▸ Development: leverage new chapters and institutional affiliations for fundraising contacts and new donors

16 KEY AREAS OF FOCUS Within two years, Virginia21 aims to have at least one active point of contact (student or faculty/staff member) at each of these institutions, and ideally multiple student members if not an active chapter.

Goal 3: Virginia21's Board and Executive Director will determine and solidify an ideal staffing structure for the organization going forward and map out a clear outline of roles and responsibilities for each position, and how those positions align with one another.

▸ Administrative: based on needs demonstrated by the lines of effort laid out in this document, will clearly define roles, current available resources, and create a roadmap for growth that allows the organization to react quickly and strategically should resources shift for any reason in the future.

Work on this goal will begin immediately following the passage of this strategic plan and a “staffing map” should be completed by the end of calendar year 2019.

Goal 4: Virginia21 will develop a culture of Board engagement through active Board committees and positions, increased Board fundraising, and greater accountability for Board participation.

▸ Development: will work with Board leadership to develop Board member acquisition and retention strategies, as well as strategies for more actively engaging the Board in fundraising activities

Within a year, Virginia21 hopes to have 100% personal Board participation at some level and will see active participation from all Board members, officers, and committees with a major focus on fund development.

Goal 5: Virginia21 will strengthen the junior board (YPAC) and provide them with a defined goal or set of goals for providing organizational support, primarily through fundraising, friendraising, and event planning/support.

▸ Development: ensure the YPAC gains meaningful “board” training and increases support and name recognition for the organization at large

A successful YPAC will have members who go on to provide meaningful board service in their communities throughout the Commonwealth. Virginia21 strives to have an engaged junior board that donates regularly to the organization, attends and supports major events, and hosts multiple networking events throughout the year to expand our reach and grow our supporter base.

ORGANIZATIONAL GROWTH & SUSTAINABILITY 17 www.virginia21.org