SAA Foundation Strategic Plan, FY 2023-2025

GOAL 1: Share financial resources to benefit archival practitioners and the collections for which they care

Build resilient archival communities within and beyond SAA.

Open regular dialogue with regional and allied organizations aimed at understanding community needs beyond/outside SAA. 

Attend/have presence at regional, allied conferences, board meetings, and related spaces to share SAAF programs and foster dialogue.

 Designate grant funds for capacity-building in community archives.

Dedicate research grants funds to projects that forward initiatives in the SAA Work Plan on DEIA.

Work more closely with CORDA/Research Forum to fund and promote research grants which support research in the profession, and to disseminate results.

Support the full diversity of archivists, archives, and communities.

 Apply for grant(s) to expand support for community archives projects.

Grow the Mosaic Scholarship Fund sustainably to increase the number of scholarships and/or dollar amount awarded each year.

Continue support for Annual Meeting Awards to lessen barriers for those interested in attending/engaging at the conference and ensure broad representation.

Expand opportunities for promoting award and grant recipients to celebrate and recognize excellence within the profession.

Foster collaborative relationships and leverage resources to be nimble to our ever-changing environment.

Partner with CORDA to optimize Research Roadmap in favor of projects that benefit the greater archival community. 

Open dialogue with preeminent grant makers to seek out collaborative projects.

Foster partnerships to expand and broaden reach to archivists beyond SAA members/current audience.

Develop plan and fund initiatives to address position precarity.

Targeted call for grant proposals focused on climate change and/or resiliency. 

Grow a strong corpus for the NDRFA to ensure long-term sustainability of the fund in the face of increasing natural/climate disasters threatening archives. 

GOAL 2:  Expand financial resources to ensure their sustainability, diversify partnerships, and fully fund our programs

Clarify and enhance SAAF’s branding and identity.

 Increase visibility and profile of the SAA Foundation among the greater profession. 

 Develop yearly marketing/fundraising themes and explore annual opportunities for obtaining funding through grants. 

Diversify and expand SAAF’s donor community and funding streams.  

Simplify and expand methods for giving to the SAA Foundation.

Collaborate with various SAA component groups on developing targeted development campaigns.

Launch Young Professionals Advisory Committee. 

Develop and foster careful and considerate stewardship of SAAF’s potential and existing donors.  

Develop a stewardship matrix to guide our work and to clarify methods of communication and levels of interaction based on amount given, past giving, potential for future giving. 

Develop sustainable ongoing pre- and post-donor stewardship initiatives to foster lifelong relationships.

GOAL 3: Steward human and technological resources to promote a nimble, responsive, and engaged culture of philanthropy

Enhance support infrastructure for the SAA Foundation.

 Hire development manager.

 Review and clarify current gift acceptance policies.

  Secure development consultant to enhance appeal messaging. 

Enhance expectations, expertise, and opportunities of Board members and SAAF volunteers to strengthen and diversify the SAA Foundation.

Review SAAF Board structure, including committees, considering representation, skill sets, term limits, donor/funder assignments.

Establish and expand non-Board member volunteer opportunities on SAAF committees.

Build infrastructure to develop and expand fundraising/giving opportunities.

Develop an established Planned Giving Program.

Develop a corporate giving program.

Review grants landscape to identify relevant funding opportunities that could advance the work of SAAF.