LCP launches 2024-2027 Strategic Plan
Throughout the fall of 2023, the League Board of Directors worked tirelessly to prepare a new strategic plan to guide the organization through to the spring of 2027.
The League's strategic directions for the next three years are:
- Organizational sustainability and stability
- Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA)
- Sector relevance
The 2024-2027 Strategic Plan is aligned with the League of Canadian Poets mandate and mission, and will contribute to the long-term presence of a national advocate for Canadian poets and poetry in Canada. In the short term, through this plan the League will create regional connections, remove access barriers, and stabilize our organization to ensure that all poets are represented in the League’s advocacy, programs, and services.
The Board of Directors will develop a reporting and measurement template to track and report on our progress towards our goals. We will measure results with quantitative and qualitative data, as well as with financial and statistical information about our programs, services, membership, and leadership. The League will report on the progress of our strategic plan commitments through our annual reports, website, and Annual General Meeting.
With the League’s rich history of nearly 60 years, it has been a gift to prepare a new strategic plan to continue our work of sup-porting poets and poetry in Canada. With this strategic plan, we focus on goals that will continue to stabilize our organization, and that will ensure the organization is prepared to withstand anything the next three years may bring our way.
The League has seen tremendous growth over the past five years, and along with the entire world has transformed and adapted to the shifting culture resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. We were fortunate to have dedicated members, supporters, partners, and donors to help us through the most challenging years, and we’re excited now to consider what comes next.
This strategic plan celebrates and reevaluates the League’s success and role as Canada’s only national poetry organization: we examine how we can support the growth of the past five years and sustain it through policy, collaboration, and community.
We have set ambitious goals that we know may be out of reach, or that we may not meet in the way we currently imagine. But with the support of our members, a strong leadership team, and a skilled Board of Directors, we are excited to continue on our mission of supporting poets and poetry.
Rayanne Haines, President
Our directions for 2024 - 2027
Organizational sustainability and stability: The League of Canadian Poets is a nearly 60-year-old organization, during which the organization has faced financial crises, staff challenges, and leadership issues. Today, the organization is in a financially stable position, but action must be taken to stabilize the organization in the long term, and to ensure that the organization’s finances, programs, and services are sustainable for many years to come under unknown circumstances.
The League will:
- Complete the transition to a Governance Board structure
- Complete an organizational review
- Increase and diversify revenues
- Develop risk management standards, processes, and policies
Inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility (IDEA): Under its current and recent leadership, the League has made great strides towards meaningful diversity and inclusion in its programming and membership, but lacks a supporting framework for IDEA in all facets of the organization.
The League will:
- Complete an equity audit of our membership, staff, Board, and programs
- Reduce barriers to membership, programs, and services
- Develop community and advocacy partnerships
- Develop comprehensive policies around access, equity, and diversity in leadership, membership, and programs
Sector relevance: The League is grateful and fortunate to have the dedicated support of many members, readers, and supporters, but as both the arts and the charitable sector face increasing obstacles—from burnout, to lower donation rates, to unfavorable governments—the League must invest in itself to ensure that the programs and services offered, as well as the communities served, are unique, valuable, and relevant.
The League will:
- Increase cross-sectoral and regional presence through partnerships, relationships, and collaborations
- Evaluate and define the League of Canadian Poets brand
- Expand the League's membership