Strategic Objectives for the Rotary Club of Cataraqui-Kingston
These objectives, together with our Vision and Mission Statements, form the guide for all our activities. They are designed with a scope of three years but are to be revisited and updated annually as needed. They are modeled after the framework for the District 7040 Action Plan 2025.
These objectives are designed to address the challenges our club faces: keeping a healthy life balance of personal activities, work, and Rotary participation; renewing our membership through attracting new members and inspiring existing members; maintaining a clear focus on what we choose to do; and building sufficient operational capacity to achieve our goals.

A. Increase visibility in Kingston and our District

The District Action Plan begins with a call to "Increase our Impact." To do that, our club focuses on communication of who we are and what we care about, what we do, and whom we work with.
  1. Report promptly on the success of our projects, fundraisers, and other service activities to our members and partners:
    1. Post our project and program stories on our club Website and on the Rotary-in-Kingston Web site rotaryinkingston.cool:
      1. Feature new stories from each of the club’s areas of focus on a regular schedule.
      2. Expect committees and teams (International, National and Regional, Community, Ne Generations/Youth, Membership, Foundation) to regularly generate timely new stories for their areas of focus.
    2. Develop a social media strategy to drive the public to stories on our Website; develop linkages in order to widely distribute our media postings.
    3. Prepare our own stories for public media (Kingstonist, Whig Standard, CKWS, etc., electronic media) and develop linkages to them.
    4. Regularly advise members, club friends, and non-Rotary partners of new stories on our Website; post notices in The Courier and on social media.
  2. Invite representatives of our non-Rotary partners (projects, fundraising, etc.) to speak to our club.
  3. Develop new linkages (social media, partnerships, etc.) with different subcommunities in Kingston (see B-1 and B-2, below).

B. Expand Our Reach

Partnership development and networking enable our club to do much more than what its small membership could accomplish alone.
  1. Continue to develop member networking potential locally, nationally, and internationally, in order to collaborate on delivery-of-service projects.
    1. Encourage individual members of our club to develop personal relationships with members of other clubs. Encourage inter-club visitation, including with Rotaractors, and inter-club sharing of guest speakers and activities.
    2. Actively encourage members of our club to attend meetings of our District 7040 meetings and international gatherings.
    3. Encourage member participation in Rotary Action Groups.
    4. Encourage participation by our members in District (or even Club) Friendship Exchange programs, Club and District tours, and other District activities.
  2. Develop relationships with non-Rotary partners in community service (locally, nationally, District, and internationally) in order to develop and implement cooperative projects and community activities with them.
  3. Develop new projects and approaches to service responsive to the identified needs and interests of our partners (Rotary and non-Rotary) in community service.
  4. Continue to develop our financial contribution to The Rotary Foundation (TRF) and increase awareness amongst our members, friends, and the public in Kingston of funding opportunities available for projects from our District 7040 and TRF.
  5. Gather information from those served (directly or through partners) to measure impact of our projects and revise our priorities accordingly.
  6. Develop our relationships with schools and other youth services organizations (locally, nationally, District, and internationally) to make our youth service programs (existing and developing) accessible to all and maximize their value to their participants.
  7. Increase our membership:
    1. Invite new members from various sub-communities in Kingston to attend our meetings so that they become aware of the Rotary value proposition in order to develop a more diverse and inclusive membership.
    2. lnvite members of our non-Rotary service partners to our meetings to consider becoming members.
    3. Attend business and social community events to promote The Rotary Club of Cataraqui-Kingston.

C. Enhance Participant Engagement

We want all members to be engaged happily in club fellowship, to contribute to shaping the direction of our activities, and to develop and draw upon their own capabilities and interests.
  1. Continue effective mentoring of, and follow-up with, members (both new and longer tenured) to maintain and increase their engagement in club activity (service and fellowship) and to ensure that club activities respond effectively to their interests.
  2. Give members (both new and longer tenured) an opportunity to engage in leadership positions for club activities (service and fellowship) for which they have expressed an interest.
  3. Develop new forms, times, and schedules for club meetings (at both club and committee levels) to eliminate barriers to attendance by members and to make meetings more engaging and meaningful to attendees.
  4. Encourage participation in the District Conference and Rotary International Convention.

D. Increase Our Ability to Adapt

We recognize that the nature of volunteer engagement in service organizations continues to evolve and that we must evolve to remain a vibrant fellowship.
  1. Rethink our task-management functions for service programs, fund-raising activities, and fellowship events to encourage members to engage in leadership positions in club activities; shift the approach to leadership from ongoing positions to leadership of specific tasks and projects.
  2. Strengthen the role of the Board in setting club direction (timeframe of 6-12 months) and in policy making; shift ongoing oversight of active programs, projects, and events to operating committees and individuals.
  3. Shape our club and committee/team meetings around the interests of our guests and new members.
 
Approved by the membership June 18, 2024