Background

Need for Support

In 2023, Lavender Menace was awarded a three-year grant by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This has been a step change for the Archive – with that security of funding, they have been able to take on staff, develop the physical archive, start the process of digitising and launch an oral history project.

While day-to-day work was progressing well, the directors wanted to take stock and think about longer-term strategy, well in advance of the end of the current funding period. The directors also wanted to convert from a CIC to a charity, and to prepare for the additional duties and regulations this would bring.

What we Did

We held a business planning session with the directors, examining the Archive's journey so far, the current context, and its role within the community it serves. We then supported the directors in identifying key areas of development for the next year and agreed on SMART objectives within these areas. All of the feedback and ideas gathered were used to produce a short strategic plan for the organisation, which included some practical guidance for implementation.

Outcomes

The organisation has a strategic plan in place to support the transition from CIC to charity and prepare for the end of the current funding period.