Big Sister Association of Greater Boston Inc

The objective of Big Sister Association of Greater Boston (BSAGB) is to create and sustain transformative mentoring relationships and provide enrichment services that result in lifelong, positive outcomes. These outcomes include: setting and working toward educational goals by improving grades, graduating from high school, and attending college; avoiding risky behaviors such as using drugs and skipping school; and improving self-confidence. Our program design is derived from established, research-based practices. Our goal is to support a Big and Little Sister relationship to last at least 12 months as research has proven that when a successful relationship spans that length of time, it has a lifelong positive impact on a Little Sister. Through these relationships and enrichment services, BSAGB provides gender-sensitive, social-emotional guidance that is critical to girls’ healthy development.

Strong partnerships with government agencies, community organizations, universities, and corporations help us identify Little Sisters and recruit volunteer mentors. Big Sisters receive a full day of gender-intentional, equity-based training, recently enhanced to foster cultural responsiveness, to prepare for their role as mentors. A Match Support Specialist facilitates a match’s first meeting, guides Sisters on setting goals, checks in with Sisters and Little Sister’s caregivers, coaches Big Sisters on building a trusting relationship and empowering Little Sisters to share decision making on which activities to pursue, and connects Sisters with activities including our enrichment programs. Through frequent contact with Sisters and families, activities for Sisters to participate in, and a multi-faceted approach to connecting families in need with resources, we foster positive, enduring mentoring relationships, leading to long-term, beneficial outcomes for girls.

BSAGB has the infrastructure, skills, and experience to fulfill the unmet needs for girls by matching them with trained women mentors in the community. BSAGB’s numerous honors include the 2017 Quality Award and the 2015 Agency of the Year Award by Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) for exceeding standards in mentoring practices and nonprofit management. In 2018, 2,349 women reflecting a wide range of backgrounds, interests, and life experiences served as Big Sisters through our programs. Our team of senior leaders is led by Deborah Re, President & CEO since 2006. Their experience, combined with the passion, creativity, and effort of our direct service staff consistently yield positive outcomes for girls. Our 27-member Board of Directors sets policies, oversees fiscal responsibilities, and solicits support.

We know that we cannot achieve our vision of a mentor-rich community that fosters positive outcomes for 5,000 girls annually without new approaches to build organizational capacity and grow our annual revenue to $5 million. With assistance from a consultant who analyzed our programs and operations and facilitated a retreat with the Board of Directors, BSAGB completed a strategic plan for 2019-2021. The four core strategies outlined in the plan include: 1) Further diversify sources of income by increasing individual giving and focusing the Board on fundraising activities; 2) Establish a succession plan for all management positions; 3) Develop self-sufficient, revenue-generating programs; and 4) Invest in operational and marketing technology. In addition to the work of our organization’s leadership and staff in building out each strategy, specific Board committees will also leverage their time, connections, and expertise to create and address specific goals.

Progress to date on the plan’s strategies include:
1) Our Board of Directors has increased its involvement in fundraising activities, with four development subcommittees (focused on foundations, individual giving, corporate engagement, and fundraising events) meeting regularly and expanding engagement with prospects.

2) A committee consisting of Board members and BSAGB managers has drafted a succession plan to ensure that leadership transitions minimize disruption to our program delivery and reassure donors of our strength and sustainability.  

3) We are expanding self-sufficient, revenue-generating programs, including Workplace Mentoring, which pair employees from corporations with Little Sisters from Boston Public Schools in meaningful mentoring relationships that provide valuable career awareness.  

4) We have launched new Salesforce systems to help us track matches’ activities, connect girls with opportunities relevant to their interests, ensure that programs better address matches’ schedules and needs, and leverage donor data to enhance our fundraising efforts.

Our progress includes supporting longer, stronger mentoring relationships—our average match length in Community-Based Mentoring is 36 months. In 2018, at least 80% of Little Sisters reported positive outcomes in social acceptance, avoidance of risky behaviors, educational expectations, and scholastic competence, indicating that our program is setting girls up for success. Our vision is to deepen our impact by connecting girls and women with institutions and individuals that will advance their personal and professional goals. Through our diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, from cultural responsiveness training for mentors and staff to revised practices and policies, we will foster a stronger, inclusive community better positioned to help Greater Boston’s girls thrive. In 2020 we will also launch Our Big Futures, a new program for female mentees ages 14-24 that provides coaching, support, and connections to resources to achieve post-secondary goals for sustainable financial independence.