Living Water International

Living Water International’s targets by 2021 are:
• 7,200 water points (with 90% functionality)
• 18,000 hygiene and sanitation promotion activities
• 3,400 mobilized churches (in the US and around the world)
• Impact 2 million people between 2017-2021

Living Water International has a five-year strategic plan, spanning from 2017-2021, with 12 global strategic objectives with quantifiable measures and targets. Each quarter, a report is submitted to the Board of Director on each objective's progress. The strategic objectives are:
1. Achieve Core Outputs in Communities
2. Mobilize Churches and Communities for Transformational WASH
3. Equip & Unleash Champions
4. Improve Cost Efficiency
5. Multiply Philanthropic Revenue
6. Develop Programmatic Grants and Local Revenue
7. Increase Transparency & Accountability
8. Enhance Use of Data for Reporting & Decisions
9. Inspire, Cultivate, Solicit and Steward Investors
10. Optimize Operating Models, Staffing, and Structures
11. Cultivate a Healthy, Christ-Centered Organization
12. Support Staff Learning and Development

Living Waters' capabilities include: (a) an experienced, active Board of Directors; each Board member is on one or more Committees and attendance and participation at quarterly Board meetings is excellent, (b) there is an experienced, diversified Senior Team, (c) we have over 300 qualified international staff who understand the country context in which they are working, (d) the organization is a member of outside groups that shares knowledge and lessons learned, and (e) the organization has a stand-by line of credit that ensures that programs continue even when there is different timing on receipts of donations and payment of expenses.

Living Water International recently conducted a mid-term assessment on the 2017-2021 Strategic Plan, interviewing staff and senior leadership. In assessing Living Water’s strategic performance since July 2016, there were several areas of success that survey participants and interviewees consistently brought up. The first of these is the general rise in professionalism within the organization—particularly enhanced program execution and dramatic improvements in financial systems and controls. During the period, Living Water has also built external credibility and is better positioned to respond to increased funding.

Quality of program implementation and reporting was a clear theme—particularly Living Water’s improved ability to achieve, measure, and report results. This is demonstrated through the maturing of the WASH Program Area (WPA) model (as seen in our Theory of Change:
livingwater.box.com/toc), the completion of the Flourish toolkit (http://flourish.guide), and positive momentum on integrating Living Water Trips more fully into Programs and Mission Advancement. Building on our success in tracking data, many interviewees celebrated the achievement of core outputs, such as being on pace to serve 2 million beneficiaries within five years, even though the organization is working with less funding than originally projected during the period.

Shifting to the management of the strategy, increased visibility was clearly identified as a success, versus the previous strategic period when there was more limited reporting against strategy or agreed measures for gauging strategic progress. Many people talked about success in
utilizing the strategic plan as a basis for team planning and performance management, for improved decision-making in various ways, and increasing the future-orientation of staff—moving them beyond doing activities for activities’ sake, to have a clearer vision of the future that
guides day-to-day priorities.