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Beginning Your Journey: Laying the Foundation for Success in the Office 
on Violence Against Women’s Disability Grant ProgramColumbus, OHNovember 4, 2010

Sandra Harrell

Director, Accessing Safety InitiativeVera Institute of Justice

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The Planning & Development Phase for 
State Collaborations


Slide 2• November 4, 2010

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Workshop Objectives
>ProvideanoverviewoftheplanninganddevelopmentphaseoftheDisabilityGrantprogram.
>Discusskeyconsiderationsforasuccessfulplanningprocess.
>Answeryourpressingquestionsaboutthisphaseofthegrant.



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PurposeThe ProcessThe DeliverablesOverview
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Purpose

>Theplanninganddevelopmentphaseisdesignedtohelpyoudeveloprelationships,knowledge,andskillsneededforyoutobecomeenhancedchangeagentsinyourorganizationandTAprovidersinyourstate.
>It is also designed to help you identify/narrow your 
focus.
>Identifythecommunitiesandorganizationsyouwillworkwith.
>Identifythespecificneeds/gapsyouwillbeaddressingduringimplementation.
>Identifytheactivitiesyouwillimplementtoaddressthoseneedsandpromotechangeinyourorganizations.




>It is an evolving and unfolding process.



Slide 5• November 4, 2010

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The ProcessYour Focus
Developing 
Your 
Strategic 
Plan

Strengthening 
Your 
Collaboration

Designing 
Your 
Assessment

Conducting 
Your 
AssessmentDocumenting 
Your 
Findings
Selecting 
Your Pilot 
Sites


Slide 6• November 4, 2010

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The Deliverables

Strategic 
Plan

Key 
Findings 
Report
Needs 
Assessment 
Plan

Collaboration 
Charter

Your Focus

Pilot Site 
Selection 
Memo
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GoalsSample Topics to ExploreGuiding PrinciplesDeliverableStrengthening Your 
Collaboration
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8

Goals
>Learnabouttheagenciesandpeoplethatmakeupyourcollaboration,aswellastheorganizationstheysupportthroughoutthestate.
>Explorethephilosophicalperspectives,foundationalissuesandprinciplesthatunderliethiswork.
>Developajointvision,mission,andvaluestoguideyourworktogether.
>Agreeuponyourworkprocess.



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Examples of Questions to Explore

>What do we mean when we use common words like 
domestic or sexual violence, disability, safety, 
empowerment, etc.?
>What do we believe about mandatory reporting, and 
what will our process be for mandatory reporting?
>How can we build off of our past work and connections 
in the state to make the most of this grant opportunity?
>Who can make decisions on behalf of their 
organizations, and, for those who can’t, how can we 
best engage the decision-maker?
>What strategies can we use to get buy-in for this work 
within our organizations? 



Slide 10• November 4, 2010

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Table Discussion

•What are some activities that you could do to 
strengthen your collaboration?
•What are some of the key questions you are 
interested in exploring among your collaboration?



Slide 11• November 4, 2010

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Deliverable 1: Collaboration Charter

>Vision Statement
>Mission Statement
>Values & Assumptions
>Member Agencies
>Contributions & Commitments
>Decision-Making Process
>Process
>Authority


>Conflict Management Plan


>Confidentiality Agreement
>Mandated Reporting Req.


>Communications Plan
>Internal 
>External


>Draft Work Plan
>Glossary of Key Terms



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Why create a charter?


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OverviewThe ProcessDeliverable
Selecting Your Pilot Sites


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Overview
>The purpose of this part of the planning phase is:
>To provide an opportunity for you to agree upon a vision for 
your work with your pilot sites and criteria they should meet 
given your goals, influence, and resources.
>To identify potential pilot sites organizations that meet your 
criteria.
>To create a process for engaging potential pilot site 
organizations and securing their commitment.
>Toselectthepilotsites/organizationsthatarethebestfit,
mostlikelytosucceed,andfeasibleforyoutoworkwith.


>A pilot site could be defined by a city, a county, or a 
multi-county area. It depends on how services are 
delivered in your area.
>Grantees typically select between 1 and 3 pilot sites to 
work with.



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The Process

>Determinewhatyouridealpilotsite/pilotsiteorganizationswouldbelike.
>Communitycharacteristics
>Organizationalaffiliations
>Organizationalcharacteristics


>Basedonyourknowledgeoftheorganizationsyouareaffiliatedwitharoundthestate,identifypotentialcommunitiesandorganizationsthatfityourcriteria.
>Compareyourlistsandidentifypotentialcommunitiesandorganizationsthatfityourgeneralcriteria.



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Process cont’d…

>Create a plan for how you will engage those potential 
pilot site organizations and secure their commitment 
for participating in this process.
>Who will you approach, how, and when?
>How will you describe your work?
>What will you ask of them (i.e., what contributions and 
commitments do you want them to make)?
>What will you offer them in return?
>How will you formalize your work together? 


>Submit plan to OVW for approval.
>Once approved, start engaging the potential pilot site 
organizations and secure their commitment.



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Deliverable 2: Site Selection Memo

>Anoverviewofyourcollaboration
>Thecriteriayoudevelopedforselectingyourpilotsites/organizations
>Adescriptionoftheprocessyouusedinternallytoapplyyourcriteria
>Thepotentialpilotsites/organizationsyouidentifiedafterapplyingyourcriteria
>Yourplanforengagingpotentialpilotsites,includingkeytalkingpointsanymaterialsyouwilldistributetothem



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Purpose & Goals

Key Activities

Deliverables

Identifying 
Strengths and Needs
Slide 19• November 4, 2010

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Purpose 
>Short-term
>Get practical information about:
>Your organization’s capacity to address violence against women 
with disabilities in its work; 
>Your organization’s capacity to provide technical assistance on 
this issue in your state; and 
>Pilot sites’ organizational capacities to serve survivors with 
disabilities and Deaf survivors.


>Determines your range of possible implementation activities
>Increase buy-in and support for change
>Within collaboration
>Within pilot site organizations






>Long-term
>Collect data to use in future grant proposals





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Basic Goals
>Identify organizational strengths
>Identify organizational barriers
>Assess connections between organizations
>Identify opportunities to enhance the capacity of 
individual organizations and improve the connections 
among them 



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The Assessment is Not…

>A study of the incidence and 
prevalence of violence against 
women with disabilities
>A study of how people with 
disabilities experience violence and 
abuse in their lives 
>A state-wide or community-wide 
assessment 
>An opportunity to publish your 
findings in a scholarly journal 



Slide 22• November 4, 2010

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Scope

>Thestrengthsandneedsassessmentshouldfocusontheorganizationsthatareapartofyourcollaborationandyourpilotsites.
>Itshouldcollectmorequalitativedatathanquantitative.
>Itshouldengagealllevelsoftheorganizationsinvolved.
>Board
>Leadership
>Front-LineStaff
>Volunteers


>Itshouldengagesurvivors,peoplewithdisabilities,
andDeafindividuals,asappropriate.



Slide 23• November 4, 2010

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Scope cont’d…

>The size of your needs assessment will depend on:
>Availability of past needs assessment data
>Number, size, structure, and staffing of organizations
>Resource allocation (time, staffing, etc.)





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Key Activities

>Determine the goals for your assessment. 


>Design your methodology, create your questions, and develop 
supporting materials. 
>Assemble your assessment plan and submit to OVW.
>Get approval from OVW.
>Pilot your assessment on a small scale. 
>Make any necessary changes to the process.
>Discuss what you are learning.
>Identify your key findings and their implications. 
>Document and share what you learned. 



Slide 25• November 4, 2010

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Deliverable 3: Needs Assessment Plan

>Introduction
.Pilot site overview


>Goals
>Information Sources
.Existing
.New


>Overview of Methods
.Your Methods
.Who You Will Engage
.Number (engagements/people) 
.Recruitment Strategies
.Incentives
.Consent & Confidentiality
.Safety Considerations
.Access Considerations




>Training Plans
>Work Plan


>RSVP Forms
>Scripts 
>Tools
>Consent Forms (if applicable)
>Other Written Materials



Slide 26• November 4, 2010

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Why Write a Needs Assessment Plan?
>Fostersathoroughandthoughtfulprocesstodetermineneedsamongyouragenciesand/orpilotsiteorganizations.
>Allowsyourcollaborationtoproactivelyidentifyanddeterminealloftheaspectsthatwillgointoyourneedsassessmentprocess.
>Documentsagreementsamongcollaborativemembersaboutresourceallocation(includingindividualroles,responsibilities,andtimeframes).
>Ensuresconsistencyinconductingtheneedsassessmentprocess.
>CommunicatesplantoOVW.



Slide 27• November 4, 2010

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Deliverable 4: Key Findings Report

>Overview of Collaboration
>Overview of Planning Phase
>Overview of Pilot Sites
>Purpose/Goals of Needs Assessment
>Brief Summary of Methodology
>Key Findings & Implications
>Collaboration
>Pilot Sites




>Conclusion



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Purpose

Guidelines

Deliverable

Developing Your Strategic 
Plan for Change


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Purpose

>Short-term (thru end of grant)
>Proposal to OVW for your implementation activities
>Within Collaboration
>Within Pilot Sites


>Explains key initiatives and activities
>Outlines work plan for accomplishing activities


>Long-term (beyond the life of the grant)
>Road map for the future
>States areas of interest for future work and provides 
justification





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General Guidelines for Activities

>Consistentwithgrantprogramvisionandparameters
>Consistentwithcollaboration’svisionandmission


>Fosterschangewithintheorganizationsinthestate-
levelcollaborationandtheorganizationsinthepilotsites
>Fosterschangeinbothdisabilityandviolenceagainstwomenorganizations
>Emphasizesincreasedaccessibilityandresponsiveness



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Guidelines cont’d…
>Improvementsaremadetointer-agencyrelationshipsandindividualagencies’budgets,policies,practices,
knowledge,etc.
>Respondstoneedsthatemergedintheneedsassessment
>Responsibleorderingandtimingofinitiatives
>Positionsyourcollaborationforfuturework



Slide 32• November 4, 2010

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Deliverable 5: Strategic Plan
>Overview of Collaboration
>Overview of Planning Phase
>Overview of Pilot Sites
>Brief Summary of Needs Assessment Findings
>Within Collaboration
>Across/Within Pilot Sites





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Deliverable 5 cont’d…

>Overview of Key Short-Term Initiatives
>Justification of why those initiatives were selected 


>In-Depth Review of Each Short-Term Initiative
>State and justify the key activities. 
>What are the activities? When will they be done?
>Who will be involved? What will their role be?
>What are the anticipated results?
>How will the initiative result in systems change? 
>How will the changes be sustained beyond your work?





Slide 34• November 4, 2010

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From Needs Assessment to Strategic Plan

Experts

Key Themes 

from each expert group

Synthesis

of key themes across groups

Key Findingsof needs assessment
Implications

Initiatives

Survivors
People with 
Disabilities

VAWService 
ProvidersDisability Service 
Providers