Mission Statement:
Impact our young generation by promoting Optimism as a philosophy of life

I. Executive Summary

This strategic plan outlines the vision, mission, goals, and action steps the Optimist Club of Frederick for the next 3 years. Our focus is on empowering youth, promoting community well-being, and fostering optimism. We aim to enhance community engagement, increase membership, and ensure financial sustainability.

The Optimist Club is governed by a Board composed of four Officers of the Club:

President: Tommy Zebroski

Vice-President: Earl Gamber

Secretary: Nathalie Herman

Treasurer: Jane Martin

Each club member has a voting right as long as the member is in good standing.

II. Vision and Mission

Vision:
To create a community where all children and youth can reach their full potential.

Mission:
By providing hope and positive vision, the members of this Club will bring out the best in youth, our communities, and ourselves.

This Optimist Club shall make it its goal to achieve, at a minimum, Honor Club status for Club performance and operations.

III. Core Values

• Optimism: We inspire hope and positive thinking.

• Civic Duties: We promote an active interest in good government and civic affairs

• Community: We foster a sense of belonging and engagement.

• Empowerment: We encourage youth to be their best selves.

• Respect of Law: We inspire respect of law.

• Service: We give back to our community with compassion and dedication.

IV. Strategic Goals and Objectives

Goal 1: Membership Growth and Engagement

Objective 1.1: Increase membership by 68% over the next 3 years to 37 members (based on 22 current memberships).

2026 Membership Goal: 27 (+5)- increase of 22%

2027 Membership Goal: 32 (+5)- increase of 19%

2028 Membership Goal: 37 (+5)- increase of 16%

·        Action Steps:

  o Develop a membership recruitment campaign targeting local community, individual network, meet and greet sessions etc.

   o Introduce membership incentives (e.g., district incentives, exclusive networking opportunities).

Objective 1.2: Enhance member engagement and retention.

• Action Steps:

• Launch an internal club mentorship program connecting new members with experienced club members- “learning the ropes”.

• Host monthly meetings (experience leaders present activities; invite guest speakers- maybe from other clubs, OI etc.).

• Regularly recognize members' contributions and milestones.

• Pass around a little token: person who had it last meeting, has to pick a person to be recognized at current meeting.

Goal 2: Increase Community Impact

Objective 2.1: Create a Community Event Committee responsible for developing and launching new community events aligned with youth community needs (e.g., mentorship, skill-building activities, workshops)

• Action Steps:

• Organize Community Event Committee

• Concept development (brainstorming and selecting ideas, identifying target audience, setting clear goals and objectives for the event

• Event Planning & Logistics (schedule, venue, budget, transportation, food)

• Marketing & Promotion (branding event, registration, marketing)

• Volunteer Management (recruiting, training, assigning)

• Operational Execution (logistics, safety compliance, addressing issues)

• Post-Event evaluation (feedback, lessons learned, financial report)

Objective 2.2: Expand current youth-focused programs (e.g., scholarships, activities, and community service projects).

• Action Steps:

• Collaborate with local schools and youth organizations.

• Introduce at least one new program per year.

• Measure impact through participant feedback and success stories.

Goal 3: Financial Sustainability

Objective 3.1: Diversify and increase fundraising revenue.

• Action Steps:

• Organize annual fundraising events (e.g., charity runs, auctions etc.).

• Develop partnerships with local businesses for sponsorship opportunities.

• Maximize online donation and promote annual (or semi-annual) giving program.

Objective 3.2: Secure grants and other funding opportunities.

• Action Steps:

• Identify and apply for relevant local, state, and national grants.

• Designate a grant-writing team.

Goal 4: Brand Awareness and Community Engagement

Objective 4.1: Increase brand awareness.

• Action Steps:

• Enhance social media presence through regular updates and engaging content.

• Collaborate with local media outlets for event coverage.

• Launch a community newsletter to update stakeholders on club activities.

 Objective 4.2: Strengthen community partnerships.

• Action Steps:

• Establish strategic partnerships with local schools, businesses, and nonprofits.

• Participate in community coalitions and networking events.

V. Implementation and Evaluation

• Timeline: Yearly milestones to track progress toward each goal.

• Responsible Parties: Assign specific board members, committees, or volunteers to oversee each objective.

• Evaluation and Review:

• Quarterly review meetings to assess progress and make necessary adjustments.

• Annual evaluation reports to be shared with members and stakeholders.

VI. Honor Club Status Evaluation

Objective 1: Membership Net +3 (e.g. if lose 2 members then must bring on 5 new members)

·       Target membership by September 30

Objective 2: Finances

·       District Dues

·       International Dues

Objective 3: Service Projects

·       # of projects/events

Objective 4: Club Reports

·       Club Officer Elect Report- due May 20

·       Club Pride Report- due September 30

Objective 5: Club/Community Recognition

·       Award Certificate Document

Objective 6: Foundation

·       Amount Donated

Objective 7: District Meetings

·       District Convention Club Attendees List

·       District Meetings Club Attendees List

·       District Conferences Club Attendees List

  VII. Conclusion

This strategic plan serves as a roadmap for the Optimist Club of Frederick to make a meaningful impact in our community. By focusing on youth empowerment, community engagement, and financial sustainability, we will inspire optimism and bring out the best in everyone involved.