Thunder Valley Associates takes a holistic approach in
its work. We believe that sound policy and successful practice
in strategic planning, institutional development, positioning,
communications, and fund raising foster success in the other of
these areas.
Strategic Planning
Planning starts with mission and vision, considers the will
and direction of the Board and staff, and understands the marketplace
and the interests of the constituency. A successful plan is
one that engages the imagination of the Board and staff, is
enthusiastically built and supported by them, and remains flexible
enough to incorporate course corrections over time that may
take the institution in surprising new directions.
Thunder Valley believes that strategic planning is an
ongoing process that can become an integral part of a group's
procedures. A plan, no matter how elegant and coherent, will
only be successful to the extent that it becomes a useful, familiar,
and every day tool in the hands of senior staff and volunteer
leadership.
Institutional Development
Institutional development encompasses a broad range of processes.
Its task is to audit and intervene in the structure, governance,
mission and vision, policies, practices, and operations of an
organization. The work usually takes place at the Board level
and includes analysis of Board composition and strength, of
committee structure, and of the effectiveness of volunteer efforts.
It may include an audit of Board relationship to senior staff,
sources of funding, and constituency.
Thunder Valley considers work at the staff level an
important part of an institutional development program. We review
and can make recommendations about staffing patterns, relationship
of senior staff to Board and Board committees, and relation
of operations to the mission of an organization.
Positioning
The neglected art of positioning is a process that builds public
perception of an organization around its strengths and competitive
advantage. The process considers the interests and needs of
the constituency and states the benefits and services of the
organization to appeal to those interests.
Thunder Valley considers positioning to be an important
process that gives direction to the public and media relations,
marketing and advertising, fund raising, and other communications
functions of an organization.
Communications
The effective use of communications supports the mission, goals,
and objectives of not for profit organizations. Marketing, fund
raising, and positioning rely on clear and precisely targeted
communication. Successful organizations may use a mix of print
material, radio exposure, television initiatives, and World
Wide Web presence to carry forward their agendas.
Thunder Valley works in all these media in support of
not for profit organizations. In addition, we create major,
free-standing projects in web site
design, radio, and television. We are especially interested
in exploring new uses and applications for electronic media.
Fund Raising
For successful organizations, fund raising is transactional
in nature. It is the exchange of tangible and (mostly) intangible
benefits for contributions, grants, gifts, donations, and bequests.
Much like its marketing counterpart, the fund raising process
considers the needs, interests, and motivation of the prospect
and provides a benefit greater than the value of the requested
contribution.
Thunder Valley works to create partnerships between
its clients and potential donors. These partnerships produce
renewable revenue, since they provide satisfaction to the donor
as well as to the recipient.
Contact:tw@thunval.com
Thunder Valley Associates
P.O. Box 2286
Monterey, CA 93942
(831) 373-0220 (831) 373-0240 (fax)
