Positive Paths

Goal 1: Positive Paths women will receive financial support to finish post-secondary training or education.
Objective 1.1: By June 2022, at least 100 low-income East Valley women who have experienced challenges will enroll at a public Arizona community college or university with financial scholarship support from Positive Paths.
Objective 1.2: At least 75% of Positive Paths scholars-mentees will complete their post-secondary program (a certificate, an associate’s degree, or a bachelor’s degree).

Goal 2: Positive Paths women will benefit from mentoring relationships with professionals in our community.
Objective 2.1: All Positive Paths scholars-mentees will participate in a mentoring relationship that provides professional guidance and social support.
Objective 2.2: At least 75% of Positive Paths' mentors will report monthly contact with their mentees.
Objective 2.3: At least 75% of scholar-mentees will report that their mentoring relationship increased their likelihood of retention from semester-to-semester and enhanced their opportunities for career success.

Goal 3: Positive Paths women will obtain employment and become economically independent.
Objective 3.1: At least 75% of Positive Paths scholars-mentees will have a secured stable employment or secure a job promotion within 6 months of completing the program.
Objective 3.2: At least 75% of scholar-mentees will report greater access to professional development opportunities and career prospects as a result of their education and mentoring.

Goal 4: Positive Paths will implement best practices for accountability and transparency in a non-profit organization.
Objective 4.1: At least 75% of revenues will be spent directly on scholarship and mentoring programs to benefit our women.
Objective 4.2: Board of directors and employee names will be visible on the website.
Objective 4.3: Bylaws, conflict of interest policies, and financial statements will demonstrate compliance with laws for tax-exempt organizations and commitment to public accountability and transparency.
Objective 4.5: Multiple sources of revenue will ensure financial sustainability over time.

Strategy #1: Increase and diversify funding. We will continue to exercise wise and accountable stewardship of the financial resources while devoting more effort to fundraising, donor programs, and grants to ensure the long-term stability of the organization.

Strategy #2: Expand partnerships within the educational, business and non-profit community to directly support our women, market our programs and services to organizations that serve similar populations, and enhance our ability to leverage our strength.

Strategy #3: Expand the number of volunteers available on our board, as well as support our scholarship and mentoring programs, our committees, and our events. Promote community involvement in attending to the needs of women and children in the East Valley.

Strategy #4: Implement appropriate administrative systems to track outcomes and to measure and evaluate impact.

Strategy #5: Increase public awareness of Positive Paths and its impact on the community. Develop marketing and communications about the organization, including consistent social media and other forms of messaging to donors, volunteers and the community at large.

Strategy #6: Monitor best practices for non-profit organizations, including recruiting and retaining a diverse board of directors with broad expertise to ensure we are practicing accountability and transparency in our operations and that we are complying with all legal and financial requirements.

Positive Paths is in the early stages of development as a non-profit organization. As of summer 2021, the organization consists of a committed board of directors, volunteers, and one part-time employee. Foundational administrative and financial management systems are in place. We have, for example, developed bylaws, committee structures, and operating procedures; secured an office location; launched a website; created a budget and secured sources of revenue; filed appropriate legal and financial documents; and implemented a well-regarded annual fundraising and recognition event.

Our focus has been on being able to serve more women through our scholarship and mentoring programs. In 2014, we were able to support 5 scholar-mentees, and in 2021, we are supporting 39 scholar-mentees. Non-profit and educational partners help us make women aware of the program. There is a process for applying, interviewing and being selected, and subsequently for tracking progress. These women receive financial support for the fall and spring semesters and they receive assistance navigating the educational environment. Each woman has a one-to-one mentoring relationship with a professional in the community. Annual events such as a mentoring breakfast and imaging workshops are shared experiences that bond our women with one another, their mentors, and the board.

We are fortunate to have (a) collaboration with other non-profit organizations such as Assistance League of the East Valley, East Valley Women, A New Leaf, Homeward Bound's Destination Diploma program, College Bound AZ, and Sunshine Acres; (b) involvement from our public educational institutions such as the Maricopa Community Colleges, Central Arizona College, East Valley Institute of Technology, Northern Arizona University, and Arizona State University; (c) support from key businesses such as Dignity Health, TrustBank, Intel, SRP, TTG Advisors, and others, and (d) commitment from an energetic and devoted board of directors. We believe that with these alliances, we can achieve collective impact that will meaningfully change the life trajectory of the women we serve, while supporting their families and improving the community at large.

Positive Paths has grown from a concept to a structured non-profit organization with appropriate policies, procedures, and systems. Accomplishments in the first six years of operation include:
• Forming a board of directors that includes representatives from many of the significant businesses and organizations in the East Valley.
• Writing the Articles of Incorporation and initial Bylaws.
• Establishing bank accounts and financial processes.
• Creating an annual fundraising event, called the East Valley Night of Heroes, that raises a significant amount of the annual operating revenue.
• Diversifying funding sources including programs related to Benevity, SmileAmazon, United Way, SRP Dollars for Doers, Network for Good, Kendra Scott, Savers, and Arizona Gives Day.
• Receiving grants from General Motors and PayPal to support career development and imaging events.
• Securing a physical office in Mesa, monthly rent payments for which are partially donated by TrustBank.
• Hiring a part-time staff member, who supports administrative functions.
• Developing a website, social media accounts (FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter), and mailing list.
• Developing and implementing a scholarship application and selection process, and subsequent monitoring and tracking of progress.
• Developing and implementing a mentor recruitment system, mentor-matching process, orientation program with a handbook, and monitoring process.
• Holding an annual Mentoring Breakfast to have our scholars-mentees meet their mentors, meet each other and exchange contact information, and be recognized for their courage and resilience in creating a better life for themselves and their families.
• Establishing a private FaceBook site where the women can converse with one another.
• Recruiting dozens of volunteers to serve as mentors, and assist on committees and at events.
• Producing multiple videos that tell the story of some of our women, their challenges and successes.

Within the coming 12-24 months, the following strategic priorities have been identified:
• Creating mentoring events that will allow many more women to interact and receive guidance and advice from women leaders in our community.
• Establishing an auxiliary group to assist with fundraising and community awareness.
• Initiating a Marketing and Communications Committee, comprised of board members and other volunteers, to help develop a more concerted marketing plan for the organization, and to increase community awareness and understanding of the issues our women are facing.
• Restating the Bylaws to include significant revisions to board terms of service, a new emeritus status designation, committee descriptions, changes to the conflict of interest policy, and more.
• Expanding membership on the board of directors with at least four more experienced individuals to fill gaps identified on the board attributes matrix.
• Use the new data tracking system to create standardized reports on demographics and success.