Horizons NYC Strategic Plan 2023-2025

FY23, FY24, FY25

HNYC)

Executive Summary

Horizons New York City (HNYC) is an affiliate of Horizons National (HN), whose origins go back to 1964. Over the years, Horizons has established a proven track record of advancing educational equity by reversing the crippling effects of cumulative summer learning losses through summer K – 8 programs of academics, arts, social-emotional learning, and confidence-building activities like swimming. School-year gatherings and programmatic offerings maintain the Horizons connection between summers. Horizons programs are also increasingly adding high-school programming, as well as support for students transitioning to college or the workforce.

HYNC, however, is just entering its third year of operation. Its purpose is to strengthen and help to support, financially and otherwise, current Horizons programs throughout the New York metropolitan area and expand the number of programs to serve more students. As part of the process of appointing our first fulltime executive director, our Board recognized the importance of creating a short-term strategic plan, with a focus on ensuring we will be positioned not only to achieve objectives for the next three years such as tripling the number of students served yearly, but also to lay the groundwork for our much more ambitious long-term goal of serving 5% of the 75% of New York public school students who are eligible for Horizons based on NY State and City–determined poverty levels. The need for programs like Horizons in NYC is stark.

The Strategic Plan identifies four crucial areas to focus on:

• Defining who we are succinctly and clearly. This goal led to a revised mission statement and statements identifying our approach and who our students are. Also included is a document that clarifies mutual responsibilities between HNYC and its local partner sites, provides guidelines for HYNC financial support of local sites, and ensures consistency of local program sites with the essentials of a Horizons program, but allows for differences and flexibility.

• Establishing reasonable expansion goals, while maintaining quality of local programs and their sustainability. The 3-year goal is to expand programs to increase the number of students served yearly from 450 to 1500.

• Determining and meeting financial needs. A 3-year budget was created detailing fundraising and staffing needs to allow HNYC to meet its expansion goals and support additional program sites. By 2025, the final year of the plan, our budget is projected to have tripled in comparison to that of 2022, in keeping with the goal of tripling the number of students who will be served.

• Strengthening governance. In addition to clarifying the responsibilities of board members, the plan calls for increasing and diversifying the board, including participation on the board of two rotating representatives from local program sites.

The next 3 years will be critical as HNYC works to increase its role in advancing educational equity throughout the city. With that in mind, 3 board committees (Expansion, Finance/Advancement, and Governance) will be appointed to monitor progress on the goals and develop action plans as needed. In addition, the board will review progress on the entire plan twice yearly in June and December and adjust as appropriate.

The following HNYC board members worked on this strategic plan:

Joe Chan, Senior Vice President, Real Estate and Property Management YMCA of Greater NY and Horizons Alumnus

Amy Downer, Community Volunteer and Horizons Alumna

Carmen Farina, Ret. Chancellor NYC Public Schools

Michael Nill, Ret. Educator and Head of School

Jane Stoddard Williams, Former Board Chair of Horizons National and Horizons NCCS

With much assistance from Alison Marcell (Director of Expansion, Horizons National) and Aubrie Therrien (former HYNC Executive Director).

Who We Are

Our Mission

We advance educational equity in the New York metropolitan area by supporting and expanding critical summer and out-of-school programs beginning as early as kindergarten for students whose families meet government poverty guidelines. We focus on a sustained commitment to our students to ensure that they have the opportunity, skills, and confidence to fulfill their potential in school and life.

Our Approach

In partnership with our host schools, we utilize social-emotional and experiential learning techniques and time-tested methods to offset summer learning losses and maintain grade-level or above expectations. Beginning with free six-week K – 8 summer enrichment programs, we help students find joy in learning, gain confidence, expand horizons, and develop resilience. Year after year our students return to engage in programs that include academics, the arts, swimming, field trips, and high school and college prep. A professional staff of teachers, counselors, and social workers develops powerful long-term relationships that serve as an enduring community of support for students and their families.

Our Story

Horizons New York City is an affiliate of Horizons National. The first Horizons program was launched in 1964 and its success in promoting educational equity led to Horizons going National in 1995. Today, with 72 affiliates in 19 states and D.C., it serves 6,000 students. Establishing regional affiliates has proven an effective strategy in coordinating and expanding programs in densely populated areas. With that in mind, Horizons New York City (HNYC) was created in 2020. In addition to the first Horizons program started in Brooklyn 15 years ago, HNYC provides support for Horizons programs at St. David’s School, Riverdale Country School, and Exceed Charter School. Total number of students in HNYC programs in the summer of 2022 was 450.

Our Students

All the students we admit are from families who meet government poverty guidelines. In recruiting, we emphasize the value of continued participation in the program and aim for a balance among entering students, with two-thirds performing below grade level and one-third performing at or above grade level. Based on pre- and post-testing evaluations, Horizons students typically gain 2 – 3 months in learning by the end of a summer, allowing them to avoid the traditional, crippling effects of cumulative summer learning losses.

Our Relationships with Local Horizons Sites

HNYC’s overarching 2023-2025 goal in this area is to streamline and clarify relationships and mutual responsibilities between Horizons NYC and its local sites, allowing for flexibility and differences among local sites. We support local program sites as they work to maintain viability and implement the essentials of a Horizons Program.

The following information and guidelines frame these relationships:

The purpose of HNYC is to support, partner with, and help oversee existing Horizons programs and to expand Horizons to new sites to serve more NYC students from families who meet government poverty guidelines.

HNYC is an affiliate of Horizons National that operates under its own 501(c) (3). Each Horizons program in NYC is also a non-profit entity and may operate under HNYC’s 501(c)(3) or under the 501(c)(3) of its host institution (most commonly an independent school, college, or university).

Currently HNYC has:

• Two Horizons sites*: Horizons Brooklyn and Horizons at Saint David’s School.

• Two Horizons pilot* sites: Exceed Charter School and Riverdale Country School.

• Several prospective sites engaged in pre-launch discussions with HNYC.

*Horizons defines a “site” or “program” as a Horizons that is up and running and has an affiliation agreement with Horizons National or a regional office like HNYC. A “pilot” is a start-up Horizons site that does not yet meet the criteria of a full Horizons program and/or does not have an affiliation agreement.

Who We Are

Horizons NYC commits to supporting NYC Horizons sites in the following ways:

• Raising funds to support a portion of the annual operating budgets at existing NYC Horizons programs. The average cost to support a student through a full year of Horizons programming in New York City is currently $3000 per student. Horizons will fundraise to provide 10% of this cost per student for each affiliate in FY23 ($300 per student), with a goal of increasing support yearly.

• Teaming with prospective and pilot sites to take the necessary steps to become full and high-performing Horizons programs.

• Raising funds to support the launch and ongoing operations of new NYC Horizons sites.

• Establishing and maintaining strong, open, and effective relationships between program Executive Directors and the Regional Director.

• Supporting sites in their work to meet and maintain the high Horizons National program standards by working closely with site Executive Directors, boards, and host institutions to identify and address challenges: financial, programmatic and/or structural.

• Creating a learning community for leaders of the NYC sites, providing opportunities for collaboration, professional development, and problem solving.

• Working with other NYC community stakeholders to advocate for educational opportunities for under-resourced students.

Each Horizons New York City site commits to partnering with HNYC and the other sites in the following ways:

• Managing and executing a Horizons program that reflects the mission, values, and established standards of Horizons National.

• Maintaining a strong/viable Board of Directors or Advisory Board.

• Collaborating in fundraising and regional activities.

• Supporting the other HNYC sites by sharing resources, knowledge, and best practices.

• Attending monthly site director meetings hosted by the HNYC Regional Director.

• Providing financial, organizational, demographic, and programmatic reports and information to HNYC in a timely manner.

• Sharing any potentially serious issues or challenges with the HNYC Regional Director immediately.

New Horizons Sites:

Given the unique market and fundraising opportunities present in New York City, HNYC will explore over the years of this strategic plan the various options to create new site partnerships and will assess the advantages and disadvantages of each. These include but are not limited to:

• Traditional Horizons private/public partnerships

• Shared operational risk model

• Contracted services provider model

As new possible sites are considered, HNYC will give serious thought to the structure and readiness of each possible partner, assessing:

• Type of partner institution

• Proximity to another Horizon partner

• Access to swimming

• Financial stability of host

• System of financial operations

• Level of commitment of site leadership

• W illingness and ability to provide and raise funding

• Time horizon for partner to commit to Horizons

• W illingness to participate in a regional model

• Facility’s ability to accommodate the program

• Executive Director status

• Relationship and proximity to potential feeder school(s)

• Level of community engagement

• Existence of Exploratory Committee

• Ability to build and maintain a strong/viable Board of Directors or Advisory Board

• Ability to obtain necessary licenses

• Ability to attract staff

New Horizons NYC sites will ideally be approved for launch no later than six months prior to the intended start date. Horizons NYC will commit to supporting the new site with a $25,000 grant to launch in the first year. An exploratory committee must be established and be a participating body in the start-up process. Grants for new pilot sites are a more complex issue, which we have yet to resolve, but will do so shortly.

Growth, Quality and Sustainability

HNYC strives to:

• Grow in order to serve more NYC children by maximizing programs at existing sites and opening programs at new sites.

• Support existing NYC sites in fulfilling their goal of providing high-quality Horizons programs.

• Ensure that programs are sustainable and well-positioned to build and maintain lasting communities and long-term relationships for students and families.

The Need for Horizons Expansion in New York City:

• Over 75% of NYC public school students are eligible for Horizons based on government poverty guidelines.

• The City’s poverty clusters, including NYCHA developments, are among the targeted areas for Horizons programs.

• These same students typically develop significant lear ning gaps and have limited resources for social and emotional support.

• Horizons aims to bridge this equity gap.

Growth Goal 2023-2025:

Expand to serve 1500 students.

Long-term Growth Goal:

Serve 5% of NYC children whose families meet government poverty guidelines.

Program Quality:

HNYC is committed to assisting area sites to provide consistent, high-quality programs that meet the evolving needs of students from under-resourced communities. We operate within a culture of continual improvement and strive to follow best practices identified and practiced by Horizons National and its network of affiliates.

Program Quality Goals 2023-2025:

• Use annual data collected by Horizons National combined with in-person program visits and meetings to assess program attendance, retention rates for students and teachers, academic gains, enrichment offerings, and adherence to other Horizons guidelines including school-year connections, family engagement, and professional staff.

• Review program quality each year with HN, the HNYC board and Executive Directors of the NYC programs.

Sustainability:

We place significant emphasis on helping our local Horizons sites maintain programmatic and financial sustainability. The largest components of our yearly expenses consist of helping to cover local program costs and directing grants to our local programs. HNYC also works with local Horizons program leaders, individually and as a community, to build and maintain sustainable programs and a thriving Horizons region.

Sustainability Goals 2023-2025:

• Increase financial support of existing and new local program sites, commensurate with the projected increase in the number of students served.

• Develop close relationships with the host institutions of NYC programs and their leaders.

• Assist local program sites in developing strong boards, and partner with them in supporting the work of HNYC.

• Assist local programs as appropriate in reviewing their yearly expenses and developing sources of funding.

We advance educational equity in the New York metropolitan area by supporting and expanding critical summer and out-of-school programs beginning as early as kindergarten for students whose families meet government poverty guidelines. We focus on a sustained commitment to our students to ensure that they have the opportunity, skills, and confidence to fulfill their potential in school and life.

Finances

Over the next 3 years, Horizons New York City will focus on expanding its network to serve 1500 children in New York City and continuing to support our existing Horizons program sites so they are thriving and sustainable. Since the projected number of students served will triple, the budget will likewise roughly triple. We regard this as a challenging, but reasonable goal based on the demonstrated demand for our programs, our current expansion efforts, and our fundraising targets.

Financial and Advancement Goals 2023 – 2025

• Increase revenues from our current budget FYE 2022 of $590,000 to FYE 2025 estimated budget of $1.7 million.

• Produce accurate annual budgets and develop the fundraising capability to support them.

• Diversify our funding by seeking additional long-ter m institutional partners.

• Direct contributions to further invest in the sustainability of the region.

• Commit to a long-ter m goal of having a half-year’s projected costs in reserves.

• Invest as needed in additional staff by FY 2025, including development and marketing professionals.

• Expand and diversify the HNYC Board (see Section IV).

3-Year Projected Budget 2023 – 2025

HORIZONS OF NEW YORK CITY REGIONAL

Governance

Board of Directors

Composition:

• Expand board to 13 members, including two Program Representatives with voting rights and the Regional Director as ex-officio non-voting member.

• Prioritize diversity of all kinds in building the board.

Terms:

• Regular Board Members: 3-year terms. Renewable if appropriate. Maximum term of 9 years.

• Program Representatives: 2-year terms to be rotated among HNYC programs.

• Regional Director: Term to last for duration of employment in that position.

Responsibilities

Regular Board members:

• Select, support, and annually evaluate the performance of the Regional Director.

• Determine the HNYC mission and establish policies and organizational plans that further it.

• As fiduciaries, provide financial oversight, approve budgets, and ensure compliance with all legal obligations.

• Advocate for HNYC, encouraging outside partnerships that enhance and grow the program (foundations, universities, educators, etc.).

• Attend virtual/in-person meetings and be accountable for decisions at these meetings.

• Serve on at least one committee

• Make an annual financial gift, treating HNYC as a top priority for their philanthropic giving.

• Visit at least one Horizons program each year, to better promote the program and its benefits.

• Attend and/or support fundraisers to celebrate HNYC and attract new donors.

• Look for opportunities to promote HNYC in public forums and communities.

Program Representatives:

• Provide insights and perspective based on experience at their NYC Horizons programs.

• Participate in the work of the HNYC board while prioritizing and maintaining their commitments to their NYC Horizons programs.

• Vote as members of the HNYC board.

• Recuse themselves from board discussions focused on Regional Director evaluation and compensation. Program Representatives may be recused from other board conversations at the discretion of the chair or Regional Director.

• Make a financial contribution to HNYC to reach 100% board giving.

Goals for 2023-2025:

• Grow the board, prioritizing the selection of new members with skills and backgrounds identified by the board and RD as valuable to HNYC.

• Establish committees essential to the board and HNYC over the next three years: Executive, Governance, Expansion, and Finance/Advancement.

• Review and update existing by-laws.

• Establish annual evaluation/review processes for Regional Director and board.

• Create annual board calendar.

• Revisit the strategic plan at least twice each year and revise as needed.

Other Governance Goals for 2023-2025:

• Work with the Regional Director to determine additional staffing and consulting needs and priorities.

• Review existing insurance, including liability

• Secure office space.

• Create a board handbook.