In July 2019, Dezart Performs, in order to sustain our growth and better serve this region, embarked on a Strategic Planning process, supported by a grant from the Inland Empire Community Foundation. The goal was to chart a course for our future that involves smart growth, guided by a clear vision and clear objectives.
Strategic Planning Consultant Janet Levine was engaged to guide us through the process. First, she conducted a series of interviews with Board and staff members and 12 community leaders. The purpose of the interviews was to help prioritize the Company’s goals and better understand its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and challenges to achieve those goals.
Overall, the Board, staff and community leaders were highly positive about Dezart Performs. They felt that we provide great value to the community and, especially, to our audience. But there were concerns about the limitations of our venue, the need for sustainable support, and a need to raise the profile of Dezart Performs in the community.
The information gained from the interviews helped to shape phase two of the strategic planning: a one-day retreat composed of Board members, staff, and community leaders. The retreat was held on September 14, 2019, facilitated by our consultant, Ms. Levine. The morning session was a Board Retreat, which focused on the roles of a board and explored ways to better engage with the community and strengthen and increase the size of the existing board.
The afternoon session included staff and community leaders, in addition to the Board. It began with looking at Dezart Performs’ purpose (mission) and vision. It then broke into four groups to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (a SWOT analysis) of the Company.
A Strategic Planning Committee was formed that consisted of Board members Stuart Leviton (chair) and Eric Chiel, with Al Jones and non-Board members Jeffrey Norman and our Director of Development, Gailya Brown. It was this Committee’s job to collect all the input from the retreat and interviews and develop a plan for moving forward.
The final version of the Strategic Plan was completed May 4, 2020 and formally adopted by the Board May 12, 2020.
To view the Strategic Plan, click here to download the pdf.