Strategic Plan

We Are

Working Together for a Better IPS!

We’re on a mission to make IPS better. For our clients, stakeholders and all Tennesseans. Our goals for 2023-2025 are:

Financial Stability

Our funding will meet expanding customer needs by 2025.

Programs

We will deliver best-in-class, customer-focused education and technical assistance.

People

We will develop a diverse and highly skilled workforce that embodies the values of integrity, accountability and professionalism.

Marketing & Communications

We will communicate IPS's impact, value and story.

Access our full 2023-2025 Strategic Plan, and check back for updates on goals and action items.

Strategic Plan

Areas of Focus, Goals & Action Items

Financial Stability

Committee Chair: Rumira Xhaferaj, (865) 974-0968

  1.  Diversify and increase non-appropriated revenue.

    1. Launch an internal committee responsible for analyzing existing program markets, identifying new markets and creating a new market entry strategy.

    2. Pursue grant and sponsored project opportunities that fit well within our mission through collaborative efforts by the IPS director of external funding and IPS program managers.

    3. Identify and cultivate relationships with prospective and existing donors and define funding priorities in collaboration with the IPS development director and IPS leadership.

  2. Emphasize the value and importance of the IPS internal budget process.

    1. Involve program managers in budget planning. Integrate early and continuous communication between program managers, business managers and the IPS business office.

    2. Develop a budget process that is rooted in the cost analysis of our existing and new programs.

  3. Grow financial opportunities through collaboration.

    1. Identify opportunities to fund federal program match requirements through cross-agency collaboration.

  4. Increase appropriated revenue.

    1. Better quantify the value of our services to share our positive impact throughout the institute.

    2. Work with the IPS communications team to share these results with current and potential stakeholders in an effort to build funding opportunities.

Committee Chair: Susan Robertson, (865) 974-8518

  1. Expand marketing and communications capacity, efficiency and consistency.

    1. Establish a project management process and resources.

    2. Update and print a branding style guide to be given to IPS employees, with a digital version available on the IPS intranet.

    3. Employ a marketing/communications contact in each agency.

  2. Develop a cross-agency marketing strategy for external audiences including UT System and Knoxville campus staff.

    1. Increase the distribution list for Brighter Tennessee and the IPS annual report.

    2. Aggregate information on services and programs across the institute and create fact sheets detailing each agency’s expertise (including SMART) and opportunities to support IPS programs and services.

    3. Implement a multi-site web presence across the institute, including a master calendar that is accessible on every website.

    4. Market to existing customers and promote cross-agency programs using agency websites, digital outreach and marketing pieces given out with class materials.

    5. Increase IPS podcast posting from once to twice monthly.

    6. Publish periodic Trendwatch articles from agency directors and experts about trending topics in their respective areas.Develop a cross-agency marketing strategy for external audiences including UT System and Knoxville campus staff.

    7. Coordinate an “Everywhere you Look, IPS” tour in the three grand divisions spring 2023 and subsequent years.

    8. Create two customer-focused social media campaigns each year. The campaigns for 2023 will be #neverstoplearning and #whattheyaresaying.

  3. Improve internal marketing and communications to boost transparency, collaboration and employee engagement.

    1. Implement new and improved IPS intranet to be launched in 2023.

    2. Develop a cross-agency marketing/communications strategy for internal audiences.

    3. Have the communications contact at each agency involved in all levels of the agency to gather story ideas.

    4. Increase employees’ branding awareness through CatchUp briefs.

    5. Install digital message boards at each office across the state to share briefs that appear in CatchUp as well as periodic video greetings from Dr. Byrd.

    6. Create a mobile phone app to spread internal communications messages.

    7. Hold two virtual town halls (January and June) for Dr. Byrd to update employees on IPS news.

Committee Chair: Tomi Rogers, (865) 974-1535

  1. Identify new ways to celebrate successes across IPS and to encourage sharing career milestones across the Institute.

    1. Identify and implement a central communication platform for all IPS employees to access in sharing news, information and milestones.

  2. Encourage inter-agency cross-training and networking.

    1. Promote the IPS mentoring program, providing updated resources, training and expanding the program in sequential years.

    2. Provide time for employees to participate in job shadowing sessions with employees of other IPS agencies to promote networking and better understanding of the scope of services provided to customers.

    3. Agencies will provide a list of services, events and programs that employees would be welcome to attend. This would serve as an opportunity for employees to learn more about the other parts of the Institute and/or to meet customers of other agencies. This information would be placed in a centrally located repository for easy access for all employees.

  3. Seek ways to integrate additional life balance for employees.

    1. Provide annual information and/or training for best practices in alternative work assignments (AWA) for all employees.

    2. Offer an ongoing repository of resources available to address work-life harmony concerns experienced by employees.

Committee Chair: Jon Walden, (615) 532-3555 

  1. Develop and maintain customer relationships through programming and technology.

    1. Create cross-agency working group to identify and prepare to address emerging trends and needs in training and technical services. The working group would report to the IPS leadership team any discoveries and make recommendations for action items to enhance IPS programmatic services in the future.

    2. Deliver world-class, relevant and helpful programs to IPS customers by benchmarking with programs of other universities and private companies and by recommending enhancements for current IPS programs.

  2. Capture, manage and retain expert knowledge as well as customer and agency information.

    1. Identify and implement an institute-wide knowledge and customer management system to retain vital knowledge and expertise for IPS employees.

    2. Provide training to all IPS employees on how to use the new system.

  3. Integrate additional platforms for ongoing feedback from current and potential customers.

    1. Schedule recurring focus groups with customers to evaluate services.

    2. Facilitate an annual meeting for the IPS leadership team to engage members of the IPS advisory board on suggestions of known trends or identified needs on which IPS agencies might focus in the future.