Question:

How to persuade a funding source not to cut funding for adoption and children in need agency.?

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You have just become emplyed as a socialworker for a child wlefare agency that provides children with adoption services and other needs. However, 1 moth after you are hired, they contemplate cutting all funding to the agency becasue they do not see a need for it's services. The agency is allowed to make one presentation to convince the funding source that the funded is in fact needed. When you go trhough the company's records to see what you can scrape up, the records are in total dissaray. You are on your own. What do you do and where do you look for records that prove that we do infact need the funding and their is a need for out services.

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3 ANSWERS


  1. Search for online records, and any statistics that proves emotional. Outside that sphere get media attention. If you let the public know about this, there is sure to be an outcry, which will pressure the company into conceding.


  2. You're going to have to do something with those records.   I don't kow how much time you have but chances are you're going to need help.  Call the statistics dept and the education and social services(or if need be social sciences)  dept. of the nearest college and/or university and draft all the volunteers you can...from their point of view this is a challenging project that can make a solid difference in the lives of children and their opportunity to gain hands in experience....Promise them recognition, recommendations and lots of challenge.  Draw up an iron clad statement of confidentiality - so iron clad that it will seem like professional suicide for them to discuss the mess things are in as well as forbidding discussing individual cases.  

    Put everybody but the stat folks to skimming records to get

    1.  number of  children referred to agency  2. children adopted as a result of agency efforts 3. adoption studies and placements still in progress.   Meanwhile get the stat folks busy with web searches for studies showing the difference adoption makes in children's lives vs institutional placement and foster care and the results usual for agencies of whatever type yours is vs other types.  They don't need depth just basic data.   As soon as your record readers have a handle on the numbers give them to the stat folks and tell them you need reports like the ones they have been drawing from and that these reports need to sing and have visuals (charts, etc.)

    Now have the record readers find a few case studies they can rewrite with identifying data removed, and a few statements from adoptive parents, schools, and maybe even kids on the difference your agencies work made to them aka positive impact statements.

    Get a few of your helpers or at least one to also do net search re cost of foster care and cost of institutional placement.   Get a few adoptive parents to write letters saying what a difference was made by working with your agency.  Show benefits financially for the community, the educational system, etc.  Life benefits for children, a few case studies.  

    Thus ADOPTION DOESN'T COST IT PAYS  which is your theme for the presentation.  Also show the potential loss if funds are cut.

    See if a couple of parents can be at the presentation but be sure they are strong ones that are behind the co and happy with the service otherwise omit them.  

    Meanwhile find an adoptive parents association in or near your area and see how they do PR.    You want to get 1 or 2 stories - press releases if need be, parent or advocacy group generated if possible- in the media about the good things your co. does too.    

    Finish up by getting all the volunteers to put the records in as good order as possible.  Try to have the stat folks set up an easy to follow data base template for you so you never have to go through this again w/ so little ammunition.   Deliver on the recognition and references you promised. Reference can be in the form of letters of thanks.   If any of them seem inclined to continue see if they can work on researching nonprofits and /or  government agencies that might contract w/your agency for ongoing work that produces ongoing funding.

    Be aware that all this may be pretty threatening to others at your co and especially the directors that let this mess get so messy so it better feel to them like their project. If you can't make that sale it won't matter if you can sell the funding source bec they will sabotage you.

    While all this is going on gently get your resume out there and consider a few networking sites like linked in http://linkedin.com bec in today's economy it is possible that there just are not funds to support the company and you could end up looking at unemployment or being asked to take a cut in pay.    

  3. Do a needs assessment in your community - be sure to include as many current facts and statistics as possible.  Be thorough and specific. Make a budget and account for spending as accurately as possible.

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