Down Syndrome Association of Delaware
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our Vision Individuals with Down syndrome are healthy, happy and successful. They and their families are effective advocates for their needs. Our Mission The Down Syndrome Association of Delaware supports families, promotes community involvement, and encourages a lifetime of opportunities for people with Down syndrome.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Days of Summer Camp
The Days of Summer Camp was started in 2012 with a small group of about twenty children and has grown into a large summer day program. The goal of the camp is to allow children with Down syndrome the opportunity to have the experiences of summer camp while practicing independence, developing physical and emotional health as well as increasing their confidence levels. We strive to maintain an atmosphere where children can build great peer relationships as well as have a fun experience at camp!
Where we work
External reviews
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of families served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Outcome - describing the effects on people or issues
Direction of Success
Increasing
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our Guiding Principles
All people have the potential to contribute to the community.
Diversity should be embraced, not merely tolerated.
Communities are stronger when differences are embraced, cherished, and cultivated.
We are committed to creating a community where people can draw strength and
support.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
1. Continue and expand high quality programming that is responsive to the changing needs and emerging needs of individuals with Down syndrome throughout their lives
1.1. Strengthen and expand DSAs information and referral activities.
1.2. Build a strong volunteer pool to partner with staff in providing programs and assisting
and supporting the Down syndrome community.
1.3. Expand both learning and social opportunities for adults with Down syndrome.
1.4. Strengthen engagement with underserved communities and communities in southern
Delaware.
1.5. Establish an office and job training program in Kent or Sussex County. (Year 3)
DSA Strategic Plan / 2022-2025 / FINAL DRAFT / Page 1
2. Ensure a staff structure that will support DSAs continued growth and long-term success
2.1. Create and optimize staffing plan and implement as resources allow. 2.2. Expand staff presence and engagement in southern Delaware.
3. Ensure DSAs financial strength and sustainability
3.1. Solidify the cafs business model.
3.2. Strengthen philanthropic giving as a portion of DSAs overall revenue.
3.3. Implement financial policies and procedures to ensure resources for continued
organizational expansion and innovation.
3.4. Establish an endowment fund(s).
4. Strengthen DSAs involvement in policy and legislative advocacy
4.1. Educate our members on policy issues that impact those with Down syndrome. 4.2. Provide opportunities for our members to engage in advocacy activities.
4.3. Partner with others in advocating for systems change and improvement(s).
5. Ensure strong organizational leadership through an active and engaged board of directors
5.1. Engage board members in opportunities for on-going learning about both Down syndrome and nonprofit governance
5.2. Recruit board members who will bring new and diverse perspectives, knowledge, and expertise.
5.3. Ensure the strong practice of governance through the leadership of the Board Development Committee.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The board is committed to meeting these goals.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Our Strategic Planning committee routinely evaluates our progress.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Down Syndrome Association of Delaware
Board of directorsas of 03/18/2024
Mr Dave Gazzillo
Bank of America
Term: 2017 - 2023
Ms Shelvia Neely
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
No data
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 10/19/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.