What We Did Right – And What We’d Never Do Again: Lessons Learned in Program Expansion and Growth

NPEA Conference WorkshopApril 17th, 2015

• Introduction and backstory: SEO Scholars San Francisco

• Small group problem solving

• Share out

• Our Top Ten Do’s and Don’ts – and where we go from here

AGENDA

• Participants will: • Begin to consider the key elements for expansion of your own

programs

• Bring best (and worst) practices about scaling

to their organizations

• Connect with peer organizations to build

networks for idea-sharing

OBJECTIVES

Replication?

DEFINING TERMS

Or expansion?

DEFINING TERMS

• 50 year track record in New York City

• 1st expansion site in San Francisco in 2011 after gift from SEO alumnus

• Within first year of expansion• 1 FT, 1 PT, 3 PT instructors

• 24 freshmen in high school

HISTORY OF SEO SCHOLARS

• 2011-2014• Focus on outreach, setting up program, building a board,

fundraising, and replicating the results of our New York program

• Where we are now: • 6 FT, 2 interns, 6 PT instructors,

3 writing coaches, 18 mentors, and 89 high

school students in grades 9-12

HISTORY OF SEO SCHOLARS

• Money: having the seed funding

• Passion: a worthy cause and a clear need

• Proven program

• Strong staff

WHAT WENT WELL

• In small groups, read the Challenge scenario

• Think about: • Questions/pieces of information you would ask/need to have• Flags that it’s not going well• Signs you are on track• Additional resources you would ask for

• Solve the Challenge! You have 7 minutes.

THE CHALLENGES: SMALL GROUP BREAKOUT SESSIONS

It’s April, and program starts in September. You need: • Space to hold programming• 25 students to join an eight-year program• Part-time staff, some who will only be working 3-4 hours

per week

How do you begin the process of finding staff and students?

CHALLENGE 1: SETTING UP SHOP

You are the organization’s first program expansion in its 50 year history.

SF is a crowded space with lot of organizations doing similar work. How do you approach collaboration and differentiation as you get a toehold in the new city?

CHALLENGE 2: THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK

SF vs. NYC Culture• Independence of students and involvement of families

• English Language Learners

• Extracurricular activities

How would you address these challenges?

CHALLENGE 3: REALIZING REGIONAL DIFFERENCES

SEO Scholars has never operated outside of a single office New York City, and the work culture reflects that:

• A ‘water cooler’ culture • Institutional knowledge is not codified; lives with a few key

staff members• Meetings, IT outages, events are planned for Eastern time

zone

What types of systems and communications do you look to build with the New York headquarters? What activities need to happen to make it a mutually supportive organization?

CHALLENGE 4: ESTABLISHING A CULTURE OF COLLABORATION

The San Francisco site is up, running and producing similar results to New York City’s program. Success! Others have noticed and want to bring the program to their community—in Cleveland.

What steps do you take as you consider this expansion site? What do you need to know to make this a reality?

CHALLENGE 5: CLEVELAND CALLING!

• Working with a new Board and volunteer leadership

• Getting out of the shadow of the other program’s results

• Dealing with initial inaccurate staffing and budget models

• Finding funding (for more than just the first few years)

OTHER CHALLENGES

1. Research, research, research in advance

Find out about who you’re serving, receptivity of area, potentials for partnership or consolidation of services

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

2. Consider first leader

Leadership: Someone in community or someone from the existing program?

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

3. Make friends fast

• Open your network• Find partners and cultivate these relationships

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

4. Decide what must replicated (don’t try to be perfect)

• Do replicate outcomes and mission• Don’t try to be an exact clone of the original program

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

5. Think outside the box

When problems arise, be creative about solutions

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

6. Find staff who are bigger than their roles

Versatile, resilient, bold, can grow as the program grows

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

7. Begin tracking data immediately

You will never have more time later. Trust me.

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

8. Don’t overpromise (volunteers)

Don’t let the tail wag the dog

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

9. Know what you do well and stick to it

Avoid temptation to try lots of bells and whistles

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

10. Don’t be afraid to make some (reasonable) mistakes

OUR TOP TEN DO’S AND DON’TS

Expansion of Bay Area region and NYC in the next few years

• NYC going deep

• SF going regional

WHERE WE GO FROM HERE

Contact Information:

Jessica Cogan, Regional Director: jcogan@seo-usa.org

Alicia Parise, Assistant Director: aparise@seo-usa.org

QUESTIONS?