Colorado DI “Design the Future Process”
Destination Imagination is a volunteer-led nonprofit organization whose purpose is to inspire and equip students to become the next generation of innovators and leaders. Annually, we offer seven new standards-based Challenges in STEM, Improv, Visual Arts, Service Learning and Early Learning. Each Challenge is open-ended and enables students to learn and experience the creative process from imagination to innovation while fostering their creativity, courage and curiosity.
DI Colorado’s Challenge
After many years of boot-strapping the organization through the individual efforts of a relatively small group of volunteers, DI Colorado had reached a point where new approaches were needed to ensure a sustainable, positive future for the organization. DI Colorado had plateaued when it came to growth of the program, succession planning, revenue, and volunteer participation. It was time to look toward a new, improved future.
The leadership of DI Colorado committed to refresh, reinvigorate, and reenergize the organization around a set of visionary, bold, and innovative core values and strategies.
Our Solution
Team Tipton designed and facilitated a year-long design the future process (DTFP) for DI Colorado’s volunteer leaders — a cross-section of all roles, and a broadly inclusive group from across the state. The DTFP looked at all aspects of DI Colorado’s organization — from volunteers to programs, from marketing to communications, from operations to funding, and from the board to staff.
The DTFP resulted in a series of prioritized, resourced actions designed to move the DI Colorado organization forward in a strategic, aligned manner.
Outcome / Benefits
For the first time in history, DI Colorado developed an aligned, prioritized and resourced set of strategic imperatives — designed to move the organization forward in powerful, relevant ways. Specifically, the organization decided it was a “professional organization primarily staffed by volunteers” — a major shift in strategic focus.
After living with the results of their DTFP, DI Colorado has restructured and added more discipline in its governance models, has committed more resources to organizational support (office space, website, etc.), as well as formalized succession planning and volunteer recruiting/development. The organization was well-poised for its next iteration of growth and sophistication.