From Handouts to Hard Dollars:

Sustaining projects with collaboration and partnerships

Linda Phillips, CLIC-on-Health Project Director

Julia Sollenberger, Director, Health Science Libraries and Technologies

University of Rochester Medical Center

Kathy Miller, Executive Director, Rochester Regional Library Council

MLA Annual Meeting, May 24, 2004

Community and Library Information Collaboration on Health

CLIC-on-Health

Partners

• Public libraries

• Medical libraries

• Schools

• Health Agencies

• County Health Department; Office for the Aging

• Technical services provider

CLIC-on-Health Program Components

• Website

• Training

• Information Referral

• Awareness

Training

InformationReferral

Public libraryConsumer

Health AgencyMedicalLibrary

Awareness

Grant Funding

• Is good for start-ups, “sexy” new projects

• Is difficult for existing projects – infrastructure and sustainability

• Has a specific focus – may not be your project’s focus

CLIC-on-Health Grant Funding

• LSTA

• NN/LM grants

• Private foundation – pending

• NLM – “hold” status

The Future of the Projectoror

Life after Grant Funding

???

BUSINESS PLAN

Translates the vision into

a concise statement for funders.

Why a Business Plan?

• Forces detailed, specific planning

• Funders expect to see it

• Focuses discussion

• Evidence that “we have our act together”

Strategic Planning Process

1. Identified categories

2. Brainstormed ideas by category

3. Established 3 levels

4. Prepared narrative

The three levels

1. Baseline

2. Near-term future – beyond basics

3. Long-term future - the dream

The Strategic Planning Grid

Category Level 1Baseline

Level 2Near-term

Future

Level 3The Dream

Long-term Future

Website development 

     

Training 

     

Awareness 

     

Collaborations 

     

Information referral 

     

Website Development

Category Level 1Baseline

Level 2Near-term

Future

Level 3The Dream

Long-term Future

Website development

 

• Update/add health agency listings

• Actions to improve search engine ranking

• Search public library on-line catalogs

• Conduct usability testing

 

• Become Go-Local site

• Add sections for targeted groups

• Develop 2-1-1 partnership – coordinated websites

• Add on-line “Help” function

• Overhaul look & technology

The Possibilities… Who might help us

develop a Business Plan?

• Small Business Development Center

• Rochester SCORE chapter• Intern from Simon School MBA

program at the University of Rochester

• Nonprofit Works

Plan the Plan

• Inventory existing information

• Compile in Business Plan order

• Identify gaps

• Develop Business Plan work plan

Time to completion

2½ months

Cost estimate

$2000-$2500

Plan the Plan

Funding Possibilities

• United Way

• Sponsorships – Wegmans, Excellus

• Private foundations

Funding Possibilities

• One time funding – county or NY state

• Collaborative projects – WXXI Second Opinion

• Contractual services

• Website “finders fee”

Conclusions

• Local efforts not coordinated

• Building relationships takes time

• Two distinct populations with different needs

• Must become a part of the nonprofit community

Not a Hand Out

but a Helping Hand