Sarasota Sister Cities Plan
Draft Jan 15, 2014
Summary

On October 31, 2013 the Sarasota Sister Cities Board met to identify challenges to the organization and develop a plan to meet those challenges. The Board identified a number of challenges. The Board prioritized the challenges below, listing the four most important.

The four major challenges are:

• Funding
• Community Visibility
• Future Leadership
• Partnerships

The major ways to meet those challenges are:

Funding

• Events and Fund raisers
• Retain City Funding
• Legalize Status for contributions
• Hold events such as festivals, gold outings, workshops, balls
• Raise membership dues
• Increase membership, more corporate sponsors
• Larger Tours
• Grants

Community Visibility

• Events and Festivals
• Public Relations
• Collaboration
• Presentations
• Activate speakers bureau
• Re-establish Newsletter (4/yr)
• Continue social media activity
• Alliance Members

Future Leadership

• Create Executive Vice President
• Leadership Training / Succession
• Involve new, younger membership
• Hold quarterly meetings with keynote speakers to maintain membership, attract new ones.
• Find mechanism to involve more student members
• Identify / Involve Membership Resources
• Review Membership Form / Tracking
• Quarterly Member Meetings
• Integrate New Members

Partnerships

• Identify new key partnerships
• Energize Alliance Relations
• Festivals
• Geographic expansion with other FL SC Organizations