You are the executive director of an established not-for-profit, community-based organization provider that offers high-quality educational, vocational, and training services to various segments of the local population. In response to the increasing dropout rate of high school students in the local community and a worsening financial situation at the local school district, the organization is considering the opportunity to offer basic skills and vocational training programs in the community. The purpose of this new program is to equip high school dropouts with necessary skills needed to gain potential employment opportunities. 

As an executive director, justify the reasoning behind this new program and develop a complete launch plan, including a budget and consideration of environmental factors. You must determine how data will be used to support the new program and consider human resources issues affecting this new program.

The organization has these issues to consider:

• The local economy situation is depressed due to steady job losses resulting from employers relocating to other cities and communities that offer better economic incentives to employers. As a result, local property taxes that support funding of high school programs have declined singifantly in recent years. The reduction has caused the local school district to lose significant financial resources to retain good teachers or fill vacant teachers' positions. 

• In the last two years the high school dropout rate had climbed to 15% from 5%. The local school district along with state agencies decided to sponsor and fund new training and vocational programs for high school dropouts in order to provide these high school dropouts with necessary skills needed to gain potential employment opportunities. The total funding available for this program is $1,600,000. 

• The projected number of eligible high school dropout students in year one: 1,000

• The projected number of eligible high school dropout students in year two and thereafter: 2,000

• This organization needs to plan for the recruitment and hiring of experienced trainers and other highly skilled technical staff to start the proposed programs. The tight financial resources available makes finding qualified personnel a challenge. Also, after hiring the appropriate staff, it is critical for the executive director to think proactively in order to motivate the staff and use an appropriate appraisal and reward system. 

• If the organization decides to provide these comprehensive training programs, the following financial data must be considered: 

Operating Expenses: Per Year
Rent 
$125,000 

Utilities 
$100,000 

Office supplies 
$25,000 

Equipment/lease 
$50,000 

Transportation and travel 
$100,000 

Outside consultants 
$100,000 

Overhead costs 
$100,000 

Personnel expenses: Annual Salary Number of FTEs
Executive director 
$100,000
1
Training supervisor 
$80,000
1
Trainers 
$50,000 10
Administrative coordinator 
$45,000 1
Administrative staff 
$25,000 3
Employee-related benefit expenses @ 25% 
$200,000

• All costs excluding the salary of the executive director and training supervisor will be allocated according to this formula: 

o 60% to basic skills program
o 40% to vocational program

• In year two and thereafter, when the number of eligible high school dropouts increases to 2,000, personnel expenses (excluding executive director and training supervisor) and operation expenses will increase by 50%. Funding will increase accordingly.

Based on the background provided, prepare a 1,400- to 1,750-word paper that addresses the following:

• A Statement of Opportunity: Provide a clear and concise statement of the opportunity to be addressed. The opportunity statement should be no more than two or three sentences and, in many cases, a single, well-crafted sentence is sufficient. 

• Impact on Organizational Structure: Discuss the importance of an executive director's vision in turning the challenge into an opportunity. Identify the organizational structures that would be most affected by this situation and explain the impact on each organizational structure identified.

• Community Environmental Factors: Consider and discuss how the environmental factors such as competition, financial resources available, and employment may impact the opportunity of starting this new training program. Explain the risks or benefits that the organization would face by attempting to capitalize on the opportunity. 

• Human Resources: Explain what human resource plans or initiatives are needed to manage the strategic goals associated with the identified opportunity.

• Budget: Develop various specific budget profiles that achieve optimal allocation of organizational resources to manage the opportunity.

o A line-item budget for total cost in year one, two, and thereafter
o A functional and program budget to calculate total costs per high school student dropout in year one