NBOA Strategic Plan

MISSION

NBOA is the definitive professional resource and leading advocate for independent school business officers. Through programs, online tools, and research on emerging issues, NBOA helps to develop solutions for effective and sustainable operations in independent schools.

VISION

NBOA provides the resources, tools, and forums through which heads of independent schools, boards, and financial teams collaborate to develop powerful solutions to the complex challenges of business operations in schools. As part of this vision, NBOA is...

Forward-looking. NBOA anticipates emerging issues and illuminates developing trends while also meeting current and ongoing needs of membership.
Collaborative. NBOA fosters opportunities for sharing knowledge and building collective expertise among its members; NBOA also works to deliver streamlined, effective support through partnerships with related associations, vendors, and service organizations.
Committed to useful outcomes. NBOA consistently follows through to ensure that all activities lead to useful products and next steps.

GOALS

EXTERNAL
Increase NBOA membership by enhancing the member experience through expanded programming, resources, and tools.

Strategy 1: Expand professional development programming to address life-cycle competencies for business officers in the rapidly changing environment of independent schools.
Strategy 2: Provide cutting edge, cross-functional financial leadership development programming.
Strategy 3: Provide technical support to member schools. Determine value proposition of consulting versus other technical support services.
Strategy 4: Anticipate and respond to emerging trends affecting business operations; develop products and practices that assist schools to manage changing financial, operational, and educational circumstances.

INTERNAL
Develop organizational infrastructure and better utilize board and staff capabilities to deliver on member expectations and to create more opportunity to actively engage members in work on program and resource development and evaluation.

Strategy 1: Solidify governing board structure and charter committees.
Strategy 2: Define staff functions and required capabilities.
Strategy 3: Strengthen existing and build new partnerships with other associations and companies serving school business operations.

METRICS

15% growth in membership annually
Expanded offerings spanning cross-functional professional life-cycles, i.e., new to retiring business officers; new to retiring heads, boards

In Year 1, interdisciplinary training model (2-day) provided to member schools

Semi-annual quality evaluation of content and relevance of each product/program
Three new NBOA partnerships annually that advance the mission and streamline efficiency/ effectiveness
Increased specialization— develop resources on one to two pressing issues each year, e.g., financial sustainability
Expanded access to resources – annually:

10% increase in publications sales over base line year
10% increase in conference attendance over base line year
10% increase in online use over base line year

BACKGROUND

Founded by 23 business officers in 1998, NBOA membership has grown to include 550 schools, served by nine staff. Today, NBOA member schools’ combined enrollment is about 271,000 students, with combined budgets of more than $6.1 billion. Products and services include a website, magazine, awards, and an annual dinner as well as professional development and certification opportunities such as the NBOA symposium, the summer institute, bi-weekly webinars, and the institute for advanced financial management.

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT

NBOA has established its expertise and singular capability as the only national professional association focused on the financial performance and business operations of schools. Its success is evident in its steady growth. At this point, NBOA has reached a level of organizational maturation that requires more strategic choices as well as an integrated, active governing structure. Roles and responsibilities need to be clarified. Organizational differentiators need to be identified and enhanced to consolidate NBOA’s future position as the leader in its field.

STRATEGIC CONCLUSIONS

To achieve this vision and capitalize on current opportunities, NBOA must focus its key external objectives while simultaneously aligning its internal infrastructure to ensure delivery on promises. During the period of this strategic plan, careful selectivity, rigorous project management, defined accountabilities, and structured deadlines will be critical to fulfilling the potential of the strategic direction.