Serenity
2010
In a region where the number of residents with HIV is the highest in the Commonwealth of Virginia and one of the highest in the country, an organization like Serenity, which is committed to reducing the transmission of HIV, plays a critical role in the health of the community.
Serving the cities of Petersburg, Colonial Heights, Emporia, and Hopewell as well as the counties of Chesterfield, Dinwiddie, Greensville, Prince George, Surry, and Sussex, Serenity offers weekly support groups for substance abuse, grief and loss, domestic violence, life skills, and HIV/AIDS. It also offers an annual youth conference, quarterly community meetings for service providers, and other additional services on an as-needed basis to address these issues.
Clearly, Serenity fills an important void in service provided to often underserved populations within the community. Clearly it provides education and support for audiences that are often times forgotten. And clearly, if the greater Tri-Cities area wants to meet its goal of reducing the transmission of HIV, Serenity is poised to lead the charge.
But while Serenity has spent years championing for the health of our community, as an organization it has put its own health on the backburner.
“The organization’s sustainability was questionable at best,” said Rosa Tuma, executive director. “Just like building a sustainable house, our organization needed a strong infrastructure – a strong foundation, roof, and bearing walls – as well as people to take care of it.” She added, “As long as we want to offer programs that benefit the community, we need to build a supporting infrastructure for those programs and systems to engage people who care to keep those programs going strong.”
Recognizing this critical need, Tuma turned to The Cameron Foundation for technical assistance (TA) funding to help build her organization’s infrastructure to ensure its sustainability into the future.
Using these funds, the organization’s board of directors contracted with a consultant to receive training in strategic planning and financial management. Additional training in these two areas was also gained from attending the annual Virginia Network of Nonprofit Organizations (VANNO) Building Bridges Conference and several Connect Southside Learning & Leadership classes (called “Focus INC” workshops at the time).
“The benefits of receiving assistance with our organizational strategic planning cannot be overstated,” said Tuma. “We now have a clear, workable plan, have become more focused and task-oriented, and understand the steps laid out before us to work toward our mission and objectives.”
As a result of a sound strategic plan, Serenity has re-established an independent office from which it can administer and deliver its programs. “Previously, we were operating out of a storefront that was less than professional and certainly offered our clients little to no privacy.”
The plan has also helped the board improve policies and procedures to ensure all staff and volunteers have a full understanding of the overall operation of Serenity. And it has helped the board and staff to become more involved in other areas of the organization, such as grant writing, program planning and evaluation, and public relations.
Serenity’s board contracted with an additional consultant for financial management training, as well. Part of the training included a half-day seminar on nonprofit financial responsibilities, reporting forms, and permits. The training emphasized to the board that it was their responsibility to create opportunities to sustain the organization, as well as to identify some preliminary opportunities the organization could move quickly on.
Having completed the detailed financial management training, Serenity’s board then developed its first ever fundraising plan. Some of the action items included hosting a fundraising art show and concert in the Petersburg area, writing letters to thank past donors, and developing a list of potential new donors.
“The board became more involved than ever before in the evaluation of current policies and procedures and suggested revisions and additions to the financial management plan,” explained Tuma. “Board members and staff are confident now with how to create a financial strategic plan, complete with setting and meeting target dates, as well as with identifying stumbling blocks and how to overcome them.”
Tuma explained that at the start of the exercises, Serenity’s board consisted of five members that had no previous board experience and that the organization’s leadership did their best to create rules as they went along.
“Our consultants taught us how to develop a board and a list of its responsibilities, and they helped us develop a working policy and procedures book and organizational bylaws to help govern the organization,” Tuma said. “We also have increased our board to nine members, some with experience that directly relates to Serenity’s service areas.” She feels that the organization’s ability to now attract board members with expertise in issues dealing with HIV and at-risk populations will enhance Serenity’s ability to better reach its mission.
“One of our greatest challenges in the whole technical assistance training process was for the board of directors to agree upon a time to receive the training,” explained Tuma. “The goal to complete an all-day retreat was finally met, though, and a plan to meet quarterly was eventually established.” She added, “We’ve also instituted a policy that states board training will be held once or twice a year in an all-day retreat format.”
Since the initial phase of technical assistance, Tuma and the board have recognized additional areas in which they plan to seek outside help. To help increase their organization’s sustainability, the board is planning upcoming all-day retreats in program planning and evaluation, as well as in grant writing. And even though the board has already received training in marketing and fundraising, it has requested additional training in those areas again.
“The board and staff agree that the outside technical training we received was intense and long, but it was ultimately worth it,” Tuma said. “It provided an outside perspective to help us develop a road map with signs, u-turns and overall direction to help Serenity arrive at its organizational goals developed years ago and to ultimately provide the community with comprehensive services to reduce the transmission of HIV.”