G-2106-17040

The New England Medical Association (NEMA) is a membership-based organization that serves as a collective voice for Black physicians in the New England area. They work to advocate for health equity and justice in medicine with a focus on eliminating disparities across the health care system. They offer programs around social and wellness opportunities, mentorship, and career development. Members include physicians, residents, and students in New England. NEMA is a chapter of the National Medical Association, which is the largest and oldest national organization representing Black physicians and their patients.

This investment, through the Executive Director’s Fund, is to support the development of a strategic plan for the New England Medical Association. They plan to hire a consultant to develop a 1, 3, and 5 year strategic plan, and to provide strategies on how to partner and work with other similar organizations to focus on addressing the needs of minority communities. The consultant will do a landscape analysis and identify key stakeholders. Their goal is to develop staying power in the New England area and to position them to become the go-to organization for the needs of Black physicians.

The selected consultants are Jackie Jenkins-Scott, JJS Advising, and Marta T. Rosa, MTR Consulting Services. The key elements of the proposed new strategic plan include: reviewing organizational strengths and challenges, assessing programming and service in light of COVID-19, assessing financial models for sustainability, reviewing mission, vision and principles, reviewing financial structure, sponsorship, and fundraising, assessing partnership strategies with other professional organizations, and establishing goals, strategies, and success metrics for the next 3-5 years. They propose a 3-phased process which includes: Process Development, Data Collection, and Complete Plan. This process will include information gathering, developing and implementing interviews and focus groups, landscape analysis, surveys, and working groups to work on and complete the strategic plan. The final outcomes of this approach include a final strategic plan with components of mission, vision, guiding principles, strategic imperatives, goals, success metrics, and budget implications, and a complete executive summary. The budget of $52,976 would all go towards consultant costs to carry out the project.