DOGS HELPING HEROES INC

Dogs Helping Heroes vision is to return hero teams to their full potential. Dogs Helping Heroes is a non-profit dedicated to helping restore lost freedom and peace of mind to wounded veterans, first responders, and their families by gifting specially trained and certified service dogs. \r\nThe goals and outcomes, which can be found in our strategic plan, are as follows:\r\nAwareness & Recruitment; Fund Development & Capacity Building ;Standards & Evaluation

Goal 1. Significantly increase awareness of Dogs Helping Heroes amongst first responders, veterans, families, and community in Southern Indiana and Kentucky. \n\nTo accomplish this goal DHH will:\n\n1) Increase the number of speaking engagements and community events for staff, heroes, and board members to two on average each month. \n2) Develop and implement a marketing plan by January 2021.\na) Produce a quality video capturing the work and impact of DHH by July 2021.\nb) Leverage social media through organic reach and paid efforts, increasing engagement and growing the number of followers.\nc) Update the website monthly. \n\n3) Formalize partnerships with similar national and local organizations.\n\n4) Engage local media through a formal media release to be utilized for public events and major DHH announcements. \n\nGoal 2. Create and maintain a recruitment pipeline of veterans and first responders for Dogs Helping Heroes \n\nTo accomplish this goal DHH will:\n\n1) Engage twelve veteran, first responder, and/or Gold Star family groups each year.\na) Build a network list of people and organizations who influence these groups.\nb) Create and implement a standard agreement for partnerships and sponsorships.\nc) Formalize partnerships with two unions, health care agencies, community organizations, government agencies, or social service providers annually for 3 years.\n\n2) Develop and execute a standard recruitment calendar.\n\nGoal 3. Leverage resources and develop new strategies to ensure Dogs Helping Heroes future effectiveness and sustainability.\n\nTo accomplish this goal DHH will:\n\n1) Increase and diversify our donor base:\na) Increase our individual donors by 10% annually for the next 3 years.\nb) Increase our corporate donations and grants by 10% annually for the next 3 years.\n\n2) Increase fundraising capacity:\na. Host the annual Be At Ease fundraiser that raises 35% of annual operating budget.\nb. Participate in four other fundraising events to raise 10% of annual operating budget.\nc. Establish four new corporate sponsorships annually for the next 3 years.\n\n3) Maintain a donor tracking worksheet.\na) Determine consistent demographic information to be collected which will coincide with worksheet columns.\nb) Enter donations on worksheet as they come in, and review overall worksheet monthly to determine donor strategy for various segments.\nc) Develop a donor maintenance plan.\n\n5) Evaluate staff and volunteer needs based on the goals of the organization yearly.

The 2017-2020 Dogs Helping Heroes strategic plan is intended to provide the necessary structure to establish an annualized plan to meet identified goals. These goals are representative of the successful work that has already changed lives. The goals have been organized into three focus areas. These areas will help to organize budgeting, volunteers and donors around effectively executing the mission. Once these goals have been met, at the end of 2020, Dogs Helping Heroes will have a sustainable funding base that will allow for future growth.

Since our inception in 2013 we have placed 51 dogs with Heroes. We are securing funds to place an additional 20 dogs with deserving Heroes in 2021. Our organization is slowly growing with the resources of our local center for non-profit. We have just finalized a 3 year strategic plan that will direct our efforts in Awareness & Recruitment, Fund Development & Capacity Building and Standards & Evaluation.