Infant Welfare position 020724 - Flipbook - Page 3
THE OPPORTUNIT Y
Since taking the helm in 2016, outgoing
Executive Director, Peggy LaFleur, in
tandem with the Board, has increased assets
and revenues from $1.7M to $2.5M. The
new leader will inherit a 昀椀nancially stable
organization with excellent programming
and will have the opportunity to further
increase funding through various channels.
Fundraising through grants, public funding, as
well as increasing gifts from current donors
and attracting new donors in support of new
initiatives is key. There is an ongoing need to
examine ways to increase subsidies for the
Clinic’s fee for service model to bridge the gap
of funding from the state of Illinois.
On March 2, 2022, the IWS moved all
operations to a new building – ful昀椀lling a multiyear sustainability strategy that was necessary
to ensure the future of the organization. In the
new, larger, more functional space, IWS now
has a new home for the Children’s Clinic as
well as community and programmatic space.
The new facility brings the opportunity to serve
greater numbers of children and to expand
programming.
The new leader will work with the Board,
members, and consultants to identify
programs that will add value to the community.
Overseeing a growth strategy and building the
necessary infrastructure to support mission
expansion will include developing strategic
partnerships and alliances with other providers.
In order to expand programs and create
greater impact, it may be necessary to update
several important facets of the organization
including the membership component that
historically has been a pillar of IWS’s corporate
structure, the brand and potentially the name
of the organization to re昀氀ect the work of the
organization today. While there has been
a decline in membership, the organization
continues to be reliant on this legacy program.
There is a desire to create ways to engage
younger members and volunteers which
may require shifting the culture away from a
membership model to one that appeals to a
broader community. Handling the potential
shift in a manner that honors the achievements
of the members and volunteers over more than
118 years is essential for future success.
There is a need to formalize the approach
to recruitment to create greater diversity in
the organization. A part of this effort will likely
entail building consensus around a clearer
de昀椀nition of the role members as well as
volunteers. The goal is to fuel engagement
and fundraising through connections in the
community and beyond. Further clari昀椀cation of
the relationship between IWS and the Clinic as
well as roles and responsibilities of members
versus volunteers could be helpful. Leading a
process that results in greater clarity about the
key driver of the organization will be necessary
prior to determining future strategies.
Much of the focus for past executive directors
has been on supporting membership and
providing high level oversight to the Clinic.
To grow with the needs of today’s families,
and with the planned transition of the current
Executive Director, the opportunity now exists
for a dynamic leader to lead a well-respected
organization that supports exceptional
programming and ensure continued 昀椀nancial
viability and providing best-in-class care to
participants.
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