Strategic Plan

Connecticut’s adoption of Early Start CT in 2024 provided both opportunities and challenges for the Early Childhood Collaborative of Southington (ECCS) and other local early childhood collaboratives. Opportunities for sustained state support were coupled with additional roles and responsibilities as a Local Governance Partner (LGP) of the OEC. Given the need to update the existing strategic plan, incorporate the new LGP role and address ECCS’s sustainability, the ECCS Board decided to initiate a strategic planning process in March 2025.

ECCS embarked on a strategic plan with three primary goals: 1) to ensure that ECCS continues to meet the needs of young children and their families; 2) to address how ECCS can incorporate the new roles and responsibilities as a Local Governance Partner of the OEC; and 3) to ensure a sustainable future for the organization through funding, board leadership and sufficient staffing.

In undertaking the planning process five focus areas were adopted: Outreach and Family Engagement, Community Engagement, Sustainability, Board/Governance and Staffing/Organizational Capacity. Essential to the success of the plan was soliciting the input and perspective of individual Board members and community leaders, we thank them for their input.

This strategic planning process was completed and the plan approved by the ECCS Board of Directors in October 2025. With its implementation, ECCS’s Strategic Plan will result in:

  • Clarity in terms of priority areas and the most effective mix of community events and more intensive workshops
  • Clear understanding of the role, functions and structure of the Community Table as required by CT OEC of its Local Governance Partners
  • More defined outcomes
  • A more balanced portfolio of revenue sources
  • Increased staff capacity and an agreed upon staffing plan
  • Clear plan for securing and supporting future board leadership and members

This ECCS Strategic Plan Summary (pdf version) includes the process, SWOT Analysis, and strategies for each of the five focus areas. Please contact us if you would like to be involved with moving the organization forward.