Finance Highlights 2008 0729 - Laserfiche WebLink

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verbiage that unintentionally flows over to the front cover. The brochures look like they are printed in-house and then folded -the scoring on the folds chips off some of the color within decorative and text elements. The logo is pixilated. These are just a few of the design and writing issues that were immediately apparent to me. DSFRC is currently getting their annual report designed through a Taproot Foundation grant and Ms. Valadez reports that the result is very beautiful and professional. Hopefully, many of the design elements used in their new annual report can be reused in other promotional materials to upgrade the overall look of DSFRC's collateral. Having professional looking marketing/communications materials with consistent design styles, or looks, gives the impression of an organized, productive agency -and this effort need not be expensive. DSFRC's marketing collateral is satisfactory, for the most part. Therefore, upgrading their aesthetics and message will have only a minor effect on fundraising results/sustainability. Needs Assessments: Meeting the needs of clients, staff, peer agencies, and funding organizations In order to achieve its mission, DSFRC must meet the needs of its clients first and foremost, followed by its funding organizations, and fmally by its staff and peer agencies. The more successful DSFRC is in meeting these needs, the more sustainable it becomes. Clients Polling Clients: In the past, DSFRC has attempted to set up focus groups in order to poll community members about their needs and their experiences with DSFRC. These attempts have met with very limited success. Invitations to attend Davis Street Center meetings did not yield results. However, DSFRC received an estimated 10% response rate to attend the most recent focus group convened through their childcare centers, which is a somewhat successful response rate. They assume that because schools represent a familiar, comfortable place that parents visit daily, the attendance rate is better. This seems to be a sound assumption. Below are two recent examples of Center changes resulting from client feedback during polling and needs assessments activities. 1) DSFRC learned that transportation to the Center was an issue for many clients and responded by organizing a campaign that resulted in the addition of a bus and shuttle stop at the Center. The recent-past Client Services Director estimates that client use of those transportation options has increased 30% since their creation. 2) During an executive team meeting, management learned that staff wanted to close on Tuesday nights because of lack of clients. Management responded with a survey that polled clients on this issue and learned that clients wanted Tuesday nights as an option for services (500 clients polled -approximately 50 responses). A compromise designed to satisfy both clients and staff was designed and a rotation system was implemented so that Center services remained available on Tuesday evenings but employees took turns working. sustainability Study: Davis Street Family Resource Center - 4/08 Page 16 of 96