Planning the Way Forward for Americans for Informed Democracy

Americans for Informed Democracy (AID) is an organization dedicated to empowering students to address global issues related to development, peace and security, the environment, and public health in their communities. In 2009, AID faced a dramatic reorganization of its staff and leadership. As a result, the organization requested a Capstone team to support its strategic planning process and help focus its goals and resources. The Capstone team developed a student survey, an assessment of AID's capacity to meet the needs of the student base, a literature review, and an analysis of peer organizations. The team analyzed funding resources; interviewed the staff, board, and founder; and conducted information gathering meetings to gauge the efficiency of AID's internal operations. The Capstone team also surveyed AID's college student base to determine how the organization could better meet its members' needs and address characteristics of today's student activist culture. The team provided a report complete with comprehensive data, an organizational analysis, and implementation recommendations for AID's strategic planning process.