Strategy
SSDP Strategic Plan: June 2011- May 2012
SSDP board members, staff, alumni, and chapter leaders at our annual Strategy Summit
MOVEMENT BUILDING
Expanding our reach. Our chapter network will expand from 151 to 200 in the United States, including a high concentration of chapters in our targeted states of California, Colorado, New Hampshire, and Iowa. Specifically, we will have increased the number of chapters in California from 19 to 25 and in Colorado from 5 to 10.
Bringing people together. We will organize monthly phone or video-chat meetings that foster cooperation and knowledge sharing among our partners around the globe.
Strengthening the network. We will finalize memorandums of understanding with existing international SSDP networks in Canada, the UK, Nigeria, and Poland, among others, and we will have served as the go-to source for drug policy reform ideas and advice related to young people.
Opening a new office in Mexico City. We will expand our work in Central and South America by opening a new SSDP office in Mexico City. Our international chapter base will grow from 27 to 50 chapters, with a particular focus in Mexico and Colombia.
Recruiting people of color and beyond our traditional base. We will have established chapters at a minimum of three historically black colleges and universities and a minimum of five Ivy League universities (which would constitute a majority of all the Ivy League schools).
EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY
Spreading the word. Our staff and members will coordinate an international solidarity campaign surrounding the 40th anniversary of President Nixon declaring the “war on drugs,” spreading the message that “the war on drugs is a war on us” through simultaneous candlelight vigils in more than 20 cities in North America. We will also develop a “Legalize It” video competition in collaboration with Peter Tosh’s estate, the Tosh Foundation and Sony Records to support the social media aspect of our campaign for marijuana legalization.
Speaking truth to power. Our members will capture and disseminate handheld camera video footage of public officials' and candidates' positions on various drug war issues, including marijuana legalization. Separately, a majority of our chapters will meet with a public official being questioned concerning drug policy reform.
Pushing the policy envelope. Staff will work in collaboration with our national allies to maximize the chances that the first-ever marijuana legalization bill in Congress will include a provision that would fix the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty, which will in turn serve as an organizing tool for our students to motivate others to get involved in SSDP.
Saving lives of accidental overdose victims. Studies show the fear of arrest is the top reason why people don’t call for help during a drug-related emergency. We will expand on a string of recent victories by working with local community and campus officials to adopt ten Good Samaritan overdose prevention policies that allow friends of drug or alcohol overdose victims to call 911 without fear of sanction.
Educating students. At least two-thirds of our active chapters will host an informational meeting or film screening. We will provide students with a rich menu of activities to undertake, ranging form promoting overdose prevention practices to reforming the HEA Aid Elimination Penalty, ending zero tolerance policies, teaching students their constitutional rights, and making marijuana legal.
Highlighting our students and their work. Through aggressive media outreach, staff will increase positive references to SSDP or our work in non-student news media by 15% over 2010 mentions, meaning that either SSDP is quoted or mentioned in a positive light, or that a staff member provided significant background for a positive story or column consistent with our message.
Strategic interventions. The executive director will leverage high-level contacts within the federal executive branch, Congress, and within selected state governments to conduct advocacy when compelling opportunities for change arise.
ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Growing our capacity. Our overall donations received will expand to $505,000, with at least 25% coming from new individual donors. We will hire at least one new outreach staff member to meet the demands of our growing network. Our foundation will receive major donations from two new foundation grantors who have never given to SSDP before. Each of our student and non-student board members will raise at least $1,000 per year. Staff members will provide board members training in fundraising fundamentals.
Spreading the word through social media. Staff will increase our online social networking presence from 14,753 to more than 23,000 Facebook fans.
Reflecting on our core competency. We will facilitate meetings with key stakeholders within the drug policy reform movement to solicit guidance on SSDP's theory of change and our plan for the next two to three years.
Empowering young people. We will work with the Board of Directors to maximize participation among students in SSDP’s National Congress held in November 2011, ideally having 50% of established chapters represented there. At a training conference attended by more than 400 activists, we will help students find their own compelling personal narratives and stories, equipping them with the skills needed to make social change.
EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT
Defining high-quality activists and chapters. Overall, at least one-third of our chapters will be high-quality, meaning the chapter: (1) recruits at least five students each semester; (2) proactively sends SSDP headquarters their chapter information, such as rosters at least twice per semester; (3) recruits and trains at least two officers each semester; (4) hosts chapter meetings at least once per month, including at least one educational event per semester; (5) conducts tabling outreach at least once per semester; (6) attends at least one SSDP national or regional conference per year; (7) maintains a Facebook group for the SSDP chapter; and (8) effectively manages conflict among members, as evidenced by the degree to which national staff intervention is not required to resolve conflicts.
Managing to change the world. We will be well managed. Staffers will feel appreciated and will be fairly compensated. Staffers will be given regular and prompt feedback about their performance, both regarding what they do well and where they need to improve. Expectations will be clearly set and understood and deadlines normally met. Conflicting priorities will be addressed and readjusted as needed. Staffers will be given a level of oversight appropriate to their position and abilities. SSDP’s supporter data will be up to date on a weekly basis.
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