CLIENT STORY · 2022–PRESENT
FIVE FACTOR™ · TEAM ALIGNMENT / ENGAGEMENT / BOARD
SCOPE · Strategic planning, data dashboard development, community outreach strategy, board development, human resources optimization
Turning Early Learning Strategy
Into Measurable Momentum
The Early Learning Coalition of Broward County partnered with Sharity to move from high-level strategic goals into a more operational, metric-driven model. Together, we built a strategic plan that could be actively managed through short-term execution cycles, live data visibility, and clearer alignment across staff, board, partners, and community stakeholders.
The Outcome
The organization implemented a 2023–2026 strategic plan supported by 90-day goal cycles and a live data dashboard. Early results included Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten enrollment reaching 95% of state estimates, a staff turnover rate of 10.99%, and increased board engagement in fundraising and legislative outreach.
Meet the Organization
The Early Learning Coalition of Broward County serves families across one of Florida’s largest and most diverse regions.
Through Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten and School Readiness programs, the Coalition helps families access early learning opportunities that support kindergarten readiness, child development, and long-term educational success.
The work requires coordination across childcare providers, community organizations, public systems, employers, elected officials, and families. As the Coalition looked toward its next stage of impact, leadership recognized an opportunity to make strategy more visible, measurable, and usable in daily operations.
Setting the Stage
A Strong Mission Ready for Stronger Execution
The Coalition had clear priorities and a deep understanding of the families it served.
The next step was building an operating rhythm that could translate long-term goals into short-term action. Leadership wanted a strategic plan that would not sit apart from the work, but actively guide decisions, track progress, and support accountability across the organization.
Several priorities shaped the engagement:
- Translating strategic priorities into manageable execution cycles
- Making performance data easier to access and use in real time
- Strengthening board engagement in fundraising and advocacy
- Connecting internal operations with external community and legislative priorities
- Supporting staff retention and organizational health
The question was how to turn a multi-year strategy into a living management tool.
Strategic Planning
From Long-Term Goals to 90-Day Action
Sharity supported the development and implementation of the Coalition’s 2023–2026 strategic plan.
The plan was organized around seven priority areas, including service awareness, quality of care, kindergarten readiness, stakeholder relationships, and organizational health.
To support execution, the plan was translated into a shorter-cycle operating structure:
- Annual goals tied to the broader strategic plan
- 90-day goals reviewed quarterly
- Clearer accountability across departments
- Regular opportunities to evaluate progress and adjust course
This gave leadership a practical rhythm for managing strategy in real time.
Rather than waiting for annual review cycles, the team could see what was moving, what needed attention, and where additional support or coordination would help.
Data & Performance Tracking
Making Progress Visible
A central component of the engagement was the development of a live data dashboard.
The dashboard allowed leadership to:
- Track key metrics tied to the strategic plan
- Monitor progress across priority areas
- Identify areas requiring intervention
- Use shared data to support internal decision-making
Specific performance targets were also defined, including a goal to improve follow-through for families referred to the Florida Diagnostic and Learning Resources System.
This helped the Coalition move from static reporting into a more active learning and management process. Data became a tool for alignment, not simply documentation.
Organizational & Board Alignment
Connecting Internal Health With External Influence
Operational alignment extended beyond the staff team.
Sharity also supported structures that strengthened human resources, board engagement, fundraising, and advocacy.
The work included:
- A human resources initiative focused on hiring, retention, and internal promotion
- An Engagement Matrix to help board members track relationships with elected officials
- An ad hoc Fundraising Committee to support unallocated funding for internal priorities
- Clearer pathways for board participation in legislative outreach and community engagement
These changes helped connect the Coalition’s internal capacity with its external role as a community leader.
As the organization became clearer on its goals, board members had more specific ways to participate in advancing them.
Real-World Outcomes
Strategy in Motion
Early implementation has produced measurable progress across enrollment, workforce stability, outreach, referrals, partnerships, and advocacy.
Key outcomes include:
- 13,608 children enrolled in VPK, reaching 95% of the state estimate
- 3,333 children enrolled in School Readiness, with 100–150 new children added weekly
- 10.99% staff turnover, approximately 24% below industry standard
- 63% follow-through rate for FDLRS referrals, with 364 of 580 families completing the next step
- More than 10,000 flyers distributed across 22 Title I schools
- Employer outreach with organizations including Publix, Teleperformance, and McDonald’s
- Collaboration with Florida State University to implement the Baby Navigator autism initiative
- Engagement with two-thirds of the Broward delegation’s PreK-12 Appropriations committee members, along with multiple municipal leaders
These outcomes reflect the strength of a plan that is actively managed, regularly measured, and connected to the real conditions shaping early learning access in Broward County.
IMPACT SINCE IMPLEMENTATION
Children enrolled in VPK
Of the state VPK enrollment estimate reached
Children enrolled in School Readiness
Staff turnover, approximately 24% below industry standard
Follow-through rate for FDLRS referrals
Flyers distributed across 22 Title I schools
What We Learned
Strategic plans become more powerful when they are visible in the rhythm of daily work.
Long-term goals create direction. Short-term cycles create movement. Real-time data creates the conditions for timely decisions, shared accountability, and measurable progress.
For the Early Learning Coalition of Broward County, strategy became more than a plan. It became a management practice that helped leadership, staff, and board members move with greater clarity and coordination.