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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAngie Chaplin - Self Leadership Program Statement of Interest Inclusive Economic Development Support for Underestimated Businesses and Entrepreneurs Funding Made Possible Through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Local Relief Fund 300 S. Clinton Street Iowa City, IA 52240 (319) 404-7357 angie@angiechaplin.com © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 2 TO: Redmond Jones II, Deputy City Manager, City of Iowa City FROM: Angie Chaplin, Mindful Leadership 300 S. Clinton St. Unit 309; Iowa City, IA 52240 email angie@angiechaplin.com / phone (319) 404-7357 RE: Statement of Interest DATE: May 1, 2023 “Imagine a robust entrepreneurial community in Johnson County that authentically welcomes and empowers underestimated business owners with a sense of belonging throughout all stages of business and idea development.” – Inclusive Economic Development Plan in Johnson County Achieving the Inclusive Economic Development Plan in Johnson County’s vision requires collaborative efforts to build empowering programs that foster inclusion and belonging within and among individuals. As a certified woman-owned small business and designated Targeted Small Business (TSB) based in Iowa City, Mindful Becoming LLC dba Mindful Leadership is grateful for the opportunity to propose a way forward. One of the most significant threats facing underestimated businesses and entrepreneurs is underestimating themselves. Before achieving success in the marketplace, business owners must tap into their own strengths and personal skills to build leadership capacity from the inside out. Toward the shared goal of strengthening human infrastructure through business support programs, Mindful Leadership requests $195,000.00 to develop and implement an innovative and creative self-leadership initiative. With a working title of Self-Leadership Program (SLP), this first-of-its-kind self-leadership academy equips leaders with evidence-based personal skills to lead themselves in any context, situation, or environment. SLP complements Iowa City’s existing leadership programs, Community Leadership Program (CLP) and Executive Leadership Program (ELP), managed through Iowa City Area Development / Iowa City Area Business Partnership. CLP and ELP are well-developed yet their current curricula do not emphasize building internal leadership capacity. The line separating personal and professional development continues to blur, allowing for a paradigm shift toward a more holistic model of leading oneself first as an ideal prequel (or parallel process) to leading others. As primary applicant for this proposal, Mindful Leadership was founded in 2020 and is owned by Angie Chaplin, an internationally recognized industry expert with certified mastery in leadership development. An Iowa native and recent newcomer to Iowa City, Angie’s experience and expertise is sought by private businesses and public government of all sizes from the City of Storm Lake, Iowa, to the United States Senate’s Department of Cybersecurity in the Office of Sergeant at Arms. Mindful Leadership is the sole Certified Master for The Leadership Challenge not only in Iowa but also the Upper Midwest. With Angie’s personal experience in harnessing self-empowered leadership skills to overcome addiction, plus her academic credentials, Mindful Leadership is positioned to build leaders in ways no other consulting practice can. Funding from the City of Iowa City toward the development of a Self-Leadership Program creates an opportunity to build leadership capacity at its source – within the minds, hearts, and spirits of individual entrepreneurs. © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 3 2. GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A general description of the project including the purpose, benefits, and specific goals of the project. Demonstrate the community benefit of the project using qualitative and quantitative measurements. Specifically, note how the project will accomplish the goals outlined in the Inclusive Economic Development Plan and City Council Strategic Plan. Becoming an effective leader is an inside-out process. Leaders, through self-awareness and self-examination, realize their passions, values, and purpose that builds the legacy they leave behind in their homes, their workplaces, and their communities. Leading a life congruent with their personal beliefs and integrated with their purpose creates the authenticity and credibility that stakeholders and constituents demand and deserve. When leaders have identified their values, they have a greater sense of stability, confidence, and peace. Without firm core beliefs, a leader is perceived as inconsistent and untrustworthy, unlikely to be willingly followed. Answering the internal questions, “Who am I, and what do I stand for?’ is crucial for leaders who seek to lead themselves with authenticity and integrity. Aligned with recommended action items in the Inclusive Economic Development Plan, SLP “bolsters entities / organizations that currently support small businesses / entrepreneurs” and “provides resources to the underestimated entrepreneurial and business community” by equipping SLP participants with the internal tools and extrinsic resources to build self-empowered leadership capacity from the inside out. Additional touchpoints with City of Iowa City’s strategic plan include: • Ensure appropriate infrastructure is in place for future business growth and development. (Economy) • Cultivate a strong entrepreneurial and small businesses ecosystem with a focus on creating new pathways to success for systemically marginalized populations. (Economy) • Utilizing American Rescue Act Funds, execute on agreeable recommendations in the Inclusive Economic Development Plan with a particular focus on actions that build long-term support and wealth building opportunities for systemically marginalized populations. (Economy) • Leveraging American Rescue Plan Act funds, build capacity in local nonprofits that will help ensure they are able to meet future community needs. (Safety & Wellbeing) Underestimated businesses and entrepreneurs face (or perceive) a lack of access to thought leaders, business advisors, subject matter experts, and one-on-one coaches who offer experience and expertise to strengthen their strategic, operational, and human infrastructure. By strengthening relationships with business support systems and providing access to business mentors, emphasis is placed not only on strategic doing, but also strategic being through mechanisms for accountability, transparent evaluation, and growth. Using the evidence-based leadership practices taught by The Leadership Challenge Self-Empowered™ curriculum; content from The Ken Blanchard Companies® Self Leadership modules; and The Six Types of Working Genius by Patrick Lencioni, Mindful Leadership will serve as the primary Project Manager, with specific responsibilities for curriculum development, instructional systems design, and facilitation for SLP. In this capacity, Mindful Leadership’s work will include curating and synthesizing evidence-based content to build a robust curriculum with the best-of-the-best in leadership programming that teaches individuals the mindset and skillset they need to become empowered, proactive self-leaders. © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 4 One or more subcontractors will be sought to assist Mindful Leadership with project management and administrative support duties, with an emphasis on identifying emerging leaders among the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) population in Iowa City. With a strategic objective of seeking input and involvement from the Multicultural Development Center of Iowa (MDCI), BIPOC entrepreneurs and business owners with administrative skillsets will be invited to apply for subcontracting roles with Mindful Leadership. To advance the vision, expand SLP’s impact, and create a sustainable business model, Mindful Leadership will mentor, train, and coach additional facilitators as program needs arise. Input, recommendations, and invitations from MDCI, Inclusive ICR, and other DEI resource partners in Iowa City / Johnson County will be sought for potential apprentices to take part in SLP’s inaugural program, with an opportunity to grow into future facilitators through guidance and mentoring from Mindful Leadership. Leveraging networks across Iowa and beyond, subject matter expert (SME) coaches and business mentors will be solicited through an RFP process with a direct invitation sent to BIPOC-owned companies to respond. These SME coaches and mentors will be matched with SLP participants for monthly one-on-one meetings during the program, with optional continuation at an additional expense following their SLP completion. Specialty topics presented by SME coaches are expected to include StrengthsFinder, Enneagram, Emotional Intelligence, Positive Intelligence, etc. Participants will self-select the content areas that resonate best with their learning journeys and self-leadership goals. SLP participants will be selected by application, with no more than 20 individuals chosen based on quantitative and qualitative criteria determined by Mindful Leadership in consultation with MCDI. The inaugural SLP cohort will be engaged in live, in-person meetings that will be professionally filmed, edited, and produced to create a high-quality and interactive online course consisting of five to seven modules. Because entrepreneurs and business owners may find difficulty in attending in-person meetings during the hours of their daily operations, and SLP’s online modules offer a self-paced option. The online modules will be supplemented with live in- person and/or virtual meetings with the SME coaches as described – combining the convenience of online instruction with the connection of personal relationships. Considering a tentative start date of January 2024, the proposed SLP schedule consists of seven months with in- person meetings held one day per month: Pre-Assessment Leadership Practices Inventory® (LPI®) Self Empowered™ Orientation (Jan 2024) Introduction to The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Module 1 (Feb 2024) Model the Way (values, behavior, coach selection/match) Module 2 (Mar 2024) Inspire a Shared Vision (leadership philosophy, communication) Module 3 (Apr 2024) Challenge the Process (innovation, failure, change, resilience) Module 4 (May 2024) Enable Others to Act (mentoring, coaching) Module 5 (Jun 2024) Encourage the Heart (reward, recognition, self-care) Graduation (Jul 2024) Presentation of Strategic Leadership Projects / Self-Leadership Action Plans Post-Assessment LPI® Reassessment © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 5 Quantitative data collected through the pre- and post-assessment surveys utilizing the LPI® will measure the delta in frequency of leadership behaviors from before and after completion of the SLP. Qualitative data will be collected through the quality of each participant’s leadership development plan, and evaluation surveys of participants at the end of the program. As briefly mentioned earlier, each month’s session will be professionally filmed, edited, and produced to create a digital learning library of courses available on-demand to reach business owners and entrepreneurs who may not be able to attend in-person sessions, or who prefer a self-paced learning approach. This additional flexible learning option meets individual leaders where they are in their entrepreneurial journeys. 3. RESILIENCY-BUILDING CAPACITY: A description of how the project builds community resiliency following the COVID-19 pandemic by building capacity to serve residents. Resilient communities cannot exist without resilient leaders, and resilience is more than being able to persevere and overcome circumstances when things get difficult. In Iowa City, the Resilient Sustainable Future for Iowa City (RSFIC) organization understands the short- and long-term impact of building systemic resilience. RSFIC’s vision of “strong and interdependent neighborhoods, where we’re all working on something important for the community, we have the diverse set of skills we need to sustain ourselves, and we’ve claimed ownership of fundamental sources of power like food, shelter, and energy. RSFIC’s vision requires strong and interdependent leaders with the mindset and skillset to strengthen their self- sufficient leadership capacity – and these leaders would benefit from the resources offered through SLP. Brent Gleeson writes in “Resilience in Leadership: How to Lead and Win Despite Change and Obstacles” for Forbes: “Resilient organizations have sound leadership at all levels and strong cultures founded on trust, accountability, and agility. They have high degrees of engagement and participation, approach work with an adaptive mindset, and navigate change more successfully than other similar organizations. Resilient teams have a foundation of meaningful core values that all members believe deeply in and a sense of unity beyond what you find in many teams. They also have a tendency to show consistent and better- than-average profitability year after year. Resilience provides the ability to recover quickly from change, hardship, or misfortune. It’s the product of a broad perspective. You can bolster it with a supportive network of professional and personal relationships and use it to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Resilience taps into your ability to adapt even as it relies on your own knowledge about yourself - your values, confidence, and optimism. Make it a key element of your leadership success at all levels - from your pursuit of personal goals and well- being to your capability to lead others through times of transition, stress, and uncertainty. Resilient leaders tend to: maintain emotional equilibrium and their composure under stress; when upset, do not agitate others by spreading tension and anxiety; tolerate ambiguity or uncertainty and adapt readily to new situations; handle mistakes or setbacks with poise and grace; put stressful experiences into perspective and do not dwell on them; invest in their own physical and psychological health; communicate confidence and steadiness during difficult times; and have the support necessary to cope with emotional overload.” © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 6 In addition to RSFIC resources contributing to SLP development, the third module on Challenge the Process will include content from the Resilience-Building Leader Program, Inc. (RBLP) reinforcing the importance of strengthening resilience from the inside out. Additional resilience-building content will be incorporated through Mindful Leadership’s certification as a mindfulness teacher with the Center for Koru Mindfulness, infusing science-backed mindfulness practices within the SLP curriculum. 4. ESTIMATED PROJECT BUDGET: An estimated project budget including how much in City assistance you are requesting. Identify both the proposed sources and uses of funds for the total project. Identify if each funding source has committed funds. Mindful Leadership requests financial assistance to develop, market, and launch SLP as a self-sustaining program that strengthens an entrepreneur’s greatest asset – their capacity to lead themselves. EXPENSES Project Management / Curriculum Development $77,000.00 Administrative Support $22,000.00 Video Production $42,000.00 Online Course Development $24,000.00 Marketing (website, social media, direct mail, print, video) $22,000.00 Subject Matter Experts / Coaches (RFP process) $8,000.00 TOTAL EXPENSES – requested funding from City $195,000.00 INCOME (year one) Participant Registration – 20 @ $990 for seven-month SLP $19,800.00 SLP Monthly Membership (ongoing support) – 10 @ $99 per month (five months) $4,950.00 INCOME (year two and beyond) Participant Registration – 20 @ $1,100 $22,000.00 Recurring SLP monthly membership – 20 @ $99 per month (12 months) $23,760.00 SLP Online Course – 20 @ $1,100 (lifetime access) $22,000.00 ASSETS Education, Training & Certification as Master Facilitator & Educator $44,000.00 Education, Training & Credentialing as Mindfulness Teacher $3,000.00 Training, Coaching & Mentoring of Apprentices $24,000.00 Leadership Resource Library $4,400.00 The Leadership Challenge Facilitator Guides $8,000.00 Professional Associations & Networking Memberships $2,200.00 Equipment & Supplies $4,000.00 Marketing Resources $8,000.00 TOTAL ASSETS – Mindful Leadership contributions $97,600.00 © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 7 5. PRELIMINARY TIMELINE: A preliminary timeline for the execution of the project. The City intends for all grant funds to be expended by December 31, 2026. If this is not possible in the project schedule, please detail the estimated draw-down timeframe. Curriculum development will commence upon receipt of funds, with anticipated launch of marketing campaigns in September 2023 to introduce SLP and work with strategic partners to increase awareness and generate applications. Relational marketing through personal contact with Iowa City / Cedar Rapids employers will include an invitation for companies to sponsor their employee-leaders to attend. Considering a tentative start date of January 2024, the proposed SLP schedule consists of seven months with in-person meetings held one day per month at an Iowa City venue to be determined. Pre-Assessment Leadership Practices Inventory® (LPI®) Self Empowered™ Orientation (Jan 2024) Introduction to The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership Module 1 (Feb 2024) Model the Way Module 2 (Mar 2024) Inspire a Shared Vision Module 3 (Apr 2024) Challenge the Process Module 4 (May 2024) Enable Others to Act Module 5 (Jun 2024) Encourage the Heart Graduation (Jul 2024) Presentation of Strategic Leadership Projects / Self-Leadership Action Plans Post-Assessment LPI® Reassessment Mindful Leadership’s single owner / operator business structure allows for the flexibility and agility to customize this timeline as needed, based on input from potential resource partners listed below. With an expected increase in SLP interest and participation, additional facilitators and SLP project team members will be needed to sustain program growth and expansion. For The Leadership Challenge curriculum, only designated Certified Masters are allowed to offer training and certification of facilitators. Because Mindful Leadership holds this designation, Angie Chaplin is endorsed to train additional program facilitators as the SLP expands to potentially include alumni events and programming. Additionally, the launch of SLP’s online modules will allow participants to add-in monthly in-person sessions to supplement the online learning, thus creating additional revenue streams to support and sustain SLP’s growth and expansion. 6. FISCAL MANAGEMENT: A statement about the organization’s ability to perform appropriate grant and financial management, including any related experience managing city, state, or federal grant funds. Provide three years of financial statements of the lead organization, if available. Please indicate what type of technical assistance may be needed to help prepare the organization for grant management responsibilities. With previous experience in budget management including nonprofit executive leadership roles, Mindful Leadership is equipped to fiscally manage the SLP project. However, as learning opportunities to expand fiscal and project management capacity arise, resource partners may be leveraged for consultation and advisory services. Upon receipt of funding, Mindful Leadership will pursue intentional connections with potential strategic partners who may be positioned to provide such services, including the following resource providers: © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 8 • Iowa City Area Development / Iowa City Area Business Partnership • Multicultural Development Center of Iowa (MCDI) • Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program • University of Iowa’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center • Inclusive ICR • University of Iowa – Tippie College of Business Financial statements for Mindful Leadership are included in section #8: Supporting Documentation. 7. WORK COMPLETED TO DATE: A description of all work related to the project that has been completed to date, if any, including any secured funding, contracted professional services, property, land acquisition, grant or loan activity, etc. Mindful Leadership is an active Targeted Small Business (TSB) designated by Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA). With credentials as a Certified Master Facilitator, Leadership Practices Inventory Coach, and Mindfulness Teacher (completion in July 2023), the framework for curriculum development is already in place through The Five Practices of Exemplary Leadership from The Leadership Challenge. Building, developing, and delivering leadership programs has been Angie Chaplin’s specialty for 20+ years. As curriculum designer and facilitator of Lutheran Services in Iowa’s Leadership Academy, Angie created the first nonprofit internal leadership development program in Iowa that became an example for nonprofit agencies across the country. Known as an expert communicator and authentic relationship-builder, Angie’s personal and professional networks strengthen her abilities to inspire, influence, and educate leaders at all levels. Following graduation from Seton Hall University with a Master of Arts degree in Strategic Communication & Leadership, Angie was invited to join the graduate school faculty. Adapting The Leadership Challenge curriculum to an academic context, Angie was asked to contribute to The Leadership Challenge Facilitator Guide published by Wiley and has contributed content to additional publications for The Leadership Challenge. In anticipation of building visibility for SLP through website development, Mindful Leadership owns several relevant website domains, including selfleadershipprogram.com, selfleadershipchallenge.com, yourselfleadership.com, and yourselfleadershipacademy.com. These and additional marketing assets are already in place to support the promotion of SLP, allowing for website development to begin upon receipt of funding. With decades of previous work completed in preparation for this type of opportunity, Mindful Leadership is equipped, capable, and committed. Awarding of this funding request allows Mindful Leadership to accept the challenge of creating the first-of-its-kind Self-Leadership Program, partnering with organizations to help establish SLP as one of Iowa City’s flagship programs, and contributing to a “robust entrepreneurial community in Johnson County that authentically welcomes and empowers underestimated business owners with a sense of belonging throughout all stages of business and idea development” by strengthening individual capacity to lead themselves first. © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 9 8. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION: Any other information, including letters of support, the submitting agency deems appropriate. 8a. MINDFUL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITY STATEMENT: © 2023 Mindful Leadership. All Rights Reserved. This document is the property of Mindful Leadership and contains confidential information. 10 8b. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (2020-2023 YTD) 8c. MINDFUL LEADERSHIP ASSETS (also included in #4: Estimated Project Budget) ASSETS Education, Training & Certification as Master Facilitator & Educator $44,000.00 Education, Training & Credentialing as Mindfulness Teacher $3,000.00 Training, Coaching & Mentoring of Apprentices $24,000.00 Leadership Resource Library $4,400.00 The Leadership Challenge Facilitator Guides $8,000.00 Professional Associations & Networking Memberships $2,200.00 Equipment & Supplies $4,000.00 Marketing Resources $8,000.00 TOTAL ASSETS contributed by Mindful Leadership $97,600.00