In the year 2002, AAUW Palo Alto is an increasingly active, diverse, visible community force committed to education and equity for women and girls.

Achieve high visibility resulting in AAUW Palo Alto being a household name within the local community

• Launch branch web site by June 2000, and maintain currency of information on a monthly basis
• Create a conference (chat room) on Neighborspace by June 2000, and actively moderate the discussions on an on-going basis
• Beginning with the 2000-2001 membership year, hold at least 50% of all branch program events in coalition with other organizations
• Hold at least one program event on Stanford campus each year
• Create a budget line item for publicity; develop an advertising campaign including media targeted to specific ethnic groups by December 2000 and start to implement the plan the following year
• Sponsor at least one community service or volunteer activity in 2000, and continue to expand it every year
• Continue to host at least 6 local Cable TV shows each year, and capitalize on these programs through branch program and community events

  Recruit and maintain an active and diverse membership resulting in measurable increase in diversity among the membership

• Hold a working meeting with the Women’s Leadership Alliance by June 2000 to increase our skills in creating alliances and coalition partnerships
• Conduct at least one activity with the Stanford International Center each year
• Use the AAUW intern recruitment program to recruit at least one Stanford undergraduate student to assist with branch projects each year
• Identify and build coalition partners that meet at least one of the criteria in the AAUW diversity statement, and hold at least one joint event with these partners each year
• Develop a Leadership Plan by January 2000; implement the Leadership Plan and continue to review and update it each year
• Develop a membership recruitment campaign by December 2000 and start to implement the plan the following year; focus the membership campaign on our mission and vision statement and target underrepresented groups

  Further our mission of education and equity through support of AAUW EF, LAF and Public Policy program

• Coordinate at least one public policy letter writing campaign each year
• Hold a bi-yearly voter-education campaign
• Actively co-sponsor multiple issue and candidate forums with the League of Women Voters each year
• Conduct a Tech Check assessment on the Palo Alto Unified School District and schedule a presentation to the Board of Trustees by June 2001
• Develop a plan for increasing visibility to women’s history in the PAUSD curriculum by June 2001, and start to implement the plan the following year
• Sponsor at least one local middle school girl to Tech Trek, Science Camp each year
• Observe women’s history month and International Women’s Day by holding a community-wide event in March conducted in conjunction with coalition partners
• Continue to educate the branch and community about the Educational Foundation and Legal Advocacy Fund by publishing several articles in both the branch newsletter and local print media each year
• Hold one LAF and EF event each year
• Achieve per-capita fundraising goals for both EF and LAF each year

  Increase use of technology to streamline branch operations and reduce time commitment for board positions

• Set up e-mail distribution lists and introduce use of e-mail for board and branch communications during 1999
• Use e-mail as the primary board communication vehicle by June 2000, including distribution of board agenda and minutes
• Set up listserv capability with ISP vendor by June 2000; and actively use listserv for branch communications
• Offer option for e-mail branch newsletter to members and initiate use of electronic newsletter by December 2000; work toward goal of completely replacing print newsletter with electronic newsletter by 2005
• Streamline process flow of membership data and improve membership database capabilities during 2000, and make data available electronically to all board members in 2001

  Provide visibility to branch leadership opportunities

• Publish monthly "Board Spotlight" column in branch newsletter, featuring various board positions and officer bios
• Develop an "About AAUW" leadership brochure during 1999, update it annually, and distribute to all new members and potential leaders
• Hold a leadership event at least once per year for members to learn about board positions and meet current board members
• Schedule board visits to neighborhood and section meetings to talk about leadership opportunities
• Create a folder of all current job descriptions during 1999, update it annually, provide copies to the nominating committee, all board members, and potential leaders; and post on branch web site by December 2000

  Recruit new leaders

• Elect a nominating committee early, and start yearly leadership recruitment at the installation brunch
• Identify a potential successor for each board position, and initiate individual contact with the current board officer
• Bring at least one non-board member to each board meeting
• Maintain at least a 1:4 ratio of new members and emerging leaders to returning leaders on the branch board of directors
• Publish branch leadership information, opportunities and accomplishments within the community and on Stanford campus

  Develop branch leaders

• Maintain job binders for each board position, containing current job description, the leadership brochure, and other useful job information
• Appoint new leaders early and provide 1-1 mentoring between outgoing and incoming board officers
• Hold an annual, facilitated branch strategic planning "off-site" for all board members to develop strategic thinking
• Include regular strategic planning agenda item at monthly board meetings to develop and maintain branch vision, strategic plan and annual goals

  Provide leadership skill development opportunities

• Prioritize AAUW leadership training opportunities, such as District leadership training and State and Association conventions, within the branch budget and board actions
• Actively recruit, publicize, and monetarily support the attendance at AAUW leadership events; set and track attendance goals for each leadership event
• Discuss convention opportunities and AAUW activities at branch program events and publish in the branch newsletter to develop pride in the AAUW Association
• Personally contact potential leaders about AAUW leadership training opportunities to encourage participation
• Identify members' development needs and cosponsor or provide workshops or study groups
• Publicize and encourage community leadership training

AAUW Palo Alto

P.O. Box 60653
Palo Alto, CA 94306-0653
650-299-8996
info@aauw-paloalto.org