Letter from Chief Executive Officer & Board Chair
To our Partners, Staff, Board, and Supporters
Following the retirement of the founder and CEO, Barry La Forgia in 2022, International Relief Teams embarked on its first leadership transition since its founding in 1988. During this process, the Board stated a clear mandate for organizational growth to the leadership team. This directive was focused on the expansion of programs and fundraising revenue, as well as the growth and diversification of International Relief Teams’ donor base.
For the last 24 months, the organization has proactively engaged in an internal process of self-examination. All elements of International Relief Teams’ operation and culture have been reviewed to determine whether to streamline, improve, grow, or replace them. This internal review process has included the analysis of everything from programs and financial infrastructure, to fundraising practices and the use of data and reporting. This deep dive illuminated immediate opportunities for operational efficiencies, which resulted in the development of a revised budget and the use of donor segmentation to guide cultivation and stewardship. Among other things, it became clear that the organization needed a strategic plan to clarify its priorities and guide its efforts for the next three years.
The following pages are the result of an in-depth and collaborative process of active listening. During this inflection point in International Relief Teams’ history, we engaged in intentional conversations with you — our Board, staff, donors, volunteers, and partners – to inform our path forward. Rather than providing turn-by-turn directions, this plan is designed as a roadmap that will allow us to chart a more strategic course and achieve ambitious goals over the next three years. It is not intended to be a detailed tactical plan with specific timeframes. That will be developed in the next phase of this work.
Roadmap for Impact is a blueprint for action that will provide clarity and focus to our efforts, and transparency to our stakeholders in the years to come, honoring the organization’s remarkable 35-year journey and setting the framework for continued success and greater impact for the next 35 years.
Who we are
Who we are
Our Mission
International Relief Teams’ mission is to improve the lives of people affected by emergencies and poverty around the world by providing life’s most essential resources of food, water, shelter and medicines.
Why we serve
Our Purpose
Our work is rooted in an unwavering belief that all humans are equal and have the right to satisfy their basic needs. We believe every person deserves the opportunity to be self-sufficient.
Our purpose is to intervene wherever and whenever people are unable to do so and add value by providing access to basic services, resources and knowledge that can transform people’s lives, and restore hope in their own capacity to be self-sufficient.
We believe in the dignity of all people and deliver services to all regardless of race, religion, or national origin. We serve without asking anything in return. We are apolitical and focus on the solutions, not the origins of the problems. We learn from others and share our knowledge with others.
How we serve:
We strive to make the world a more impartial place, by allocating resources as needed to create equitable outcomes for all communities served.
As a lean, dynamic team with a solid capacity to leverage strategic partnerships, our goal is to achieve the greatest impact for every dollar donated.
Courage
Our work is not easy or straightforward, it requires courage to commit to those who need it most and determination and patience to achieve the results needed.
Our goal is to serve those who are in need, and this can only be accomplished if compassion, respect, and dignity guide our every action.
Goal 1
Grow our Development Programs portfolio to improve long-term access to locally grown food, renewable sources of water, and healthy places to live.
Read more >
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Goal 2
Grow our Emergency Response work in the relief and recovery phases to support distribution of food, water, shelter, and medicines.
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Goal 3
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Goal 4
Grow and diversify revenue streams to ensure the sustainability of the organization.
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Goal 5
Strengthen board leadership and governance.
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We will continue to research best practices implemented around the world to inform our programs and rely on data to guide decisions and implement solutions. We will work with local partners to identify the solutions that are the most appropriate fit for the problem at hand, bearing in mind the cultural nuances of the community.
We will continue working with partners on the ground to identify the best metrics to measure progress and impact of each of our programs. We will use data collection both to assess impact within a given timeframe, and to implement the changes and course corrections needed to achieve the goals set.
International Relief Teams’ staff will operationalize Roadmap for Impact over the next three years with tactical goals and specific action plans and will report to the Board on the progress and updates on a semiannual basis.
Finally, we work in a rapidly changing world and are aware that this is a live document intended to mark the path for the next 3 years. We will adapt as needed to reflect new challenges as they arise.
