Strategic Plan February 4, 2011 Members of the Strategic Planning Committee Kyogen Carlson, Abbot Gyokuko Carlson, Abbot Domyo Burk, Development Director Kakumyo Lowe-Charde, Board of Directors Jeanna Annen Moyer, Board of Directors Genko Rainwater, Dharma Council Joe Shisei Niski, Dharma Council Table of Contents Plan Overview ............................................................................................................................................... 4 Chapter 1: Mission and Vision ...................................................................................................................... 6 Chapter 2: Facilities ....................................................................................................................................... 8 I. Overview ............................................................................................................................................ 8 II. Current State ..................................................................................................................................... 8 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................... 9 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 13 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 13 Chapter 3: Rigor in Practice ........................................................................................................................ 17 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 17 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 17 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 19 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 19 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 20 Chapter 4: Children and Families ................................................................................................................ 23 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 23 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 23 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 24 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 26 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 26 Chapter 5: Succession and Leadership........................................................................................................ 28 Succession ............................................................................................................................................... 28 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 28 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 28 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 29 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 29 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 30 Leadership ............................................................................................................................................... 30 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 30 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 31 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 32 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 34 Page 2 of 62 Table of Contents V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 6: Related and Cohort Groups....................................................................................................... 36 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 36 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 36 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 38 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 39 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 40 Chapter 7: Staffing and Finances ................................................................................................................ 44 Staffing .................................................................................................................................................... 44 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 44 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 44 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 45 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 47 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 47 Finances .................................................................................................................................................. 49 I. Overview .......................................................................................................................................... 49 II. Current State ................................................................................................................................... 49 III. Potential Future States .................................................................................................................. 50 IV. Sangha Input/Feedback/Concerns on this Focal Point .................................................................. 52 V. Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 52 Appendix A: Strategic Goals ........................................................................................................................ 55 Appendix B: Plan Monitoring and Evaluation ............................................................................................. 56 Ongoing Monitoring ............................................................................................................................ 56 Amending the Plan .............................................................................................................................. 56 Appendix C: Communication of Plan .......................................................................................................... 57 Appendix D: Description of Strategic Planning Process .............................................................................. 58 Page 3 of 62 Table of Contents Plan Overview Dharma Rain Zen Center is a Soto Zen temple for lay practice that was founded in 1972 and given its current name in 1987. It is dedicated to helping people cultivate and realize Zen Buddhism in everyday American lives. DRZC is what it is today in a large part because our founding abbots, Kyogen and Gyokuko Carlson, had a vision: to establish a place of practice for lay people that would both be accessible and offer depth of practice to those who wanted it. Gyokuko was also determined to involve families and children as an important part of the sangha, because in many places children were seen primarily as an obstacle to serious Zen practice. Other aspects of DRZC are the result of careful choices: