Strengthening Organizational Capacity: Insights from CACD’s Strategic Planning.

Background

The Citizens for the Advancement of Community Development (CACD) engaged D.A.S Innovative Hub in early 2024 to refresh its strategic direction and strengthen its organizational capacity. Citizens for the Advancement of Community Development (CACD) is Black-led and youth-focused. It is a registered charitable organization. It is dedicated to transforming the lives of Black, Indigenous, and other Persons of Color (BIPOC) in the Peel region.

Challenge

• Outdated Vision & Mission: Review guiding statements to reflect emerging community health and equity priorities.
• Reporting Structure and Accountability Review: Review roles and reporting structure to foster accountability.
• Program Review and Mapping: Review existing initiatives to reflect clear objectives, data‑driven goals, and mechanisms for measuring success.
  • Operational Plan Development
  • Develop a Communication and Implementation Plan

Objectives

• Re‑align Vision & Mission with CACD’s evolving environment and strategic goals.
• Optimize Organizational Structure to clarify roles, remove silo’s, and increase efficiency.
• Design & Strengthen Programs with clear outcomes, logic models, and performance indicators.

Our Approach

• Discovery & Analysis
  • Conducted interviews and workshops with the CEO, Board, senior management, and key staff.
  • Completed an environmental scan, SWOT, SMART objectives session, and succession‑planning workshop.
• Co‑Design Workshops
  • Vision‑setting retreat to co‑draft mission and vision statements using a SMART template.
  • Role‑mapping workshop to draft an optimized organizational chart and staffing model.
• Program & Partnership Blueprints
  • Reviewed program performance data; facilitated logic‑model design sessions.
  • Developed standardized partnership templates, including clear deliverables and governance clauses.
• Implementation Planning
  • Built a detailed Gantt chart to sequence milestones, assign resources, and track progress.
  • Created risk register and contingency plans to mitigate delays or budget variances.
• Capacity Building & Handover
  • Delivered training on KPI dashboards and financial‑reporting tools.
  • Provided a comprehensive strategic‑plan document with an executive summary, templates, and a transition communication plan.

Lessons Learned

Early and consistent involvement of all stakeholder levels drives buy‑in. Quantitative and qualitative insights ensure programs meet real community needs. Building contingency into timelines and budgets is essential for real‑world uncertainties.

Ready to transform your organization with a tailored, equity‑centred strategic plan?
  • Contact Us – D.A.S Innovative Hub™.
  • Email [email protected].
  • Schedule a free 30‑minute discovery call.

D.A.S Innovative Hub is a Black‑owned, women‑led consulting firm specializing in health‑systems service design, integration, and planning. We partner with organizations to co‑create fair, data‑driven solutions that deliver lasting impact.