• How to Start and Grow a Think Tank
  • Prologue
  • Planning
    • Guiding Principles for State Think Tanks
    • Principles, Specialization, and Free-Market Think Tanks
    • SPN Professional Peer Mentoring Program
    • Do's and Don'ts for Lobbying Group: Charity Activity in an Election Year
    • Holding Think Tanks to High Standards
    • A Think Tank's Bottom Line
    • Measure Success, Not Just Output
    • Waging the War of Ideas: Measuring Success, Maximizing Impact
    • Sample Business Plan
  • Legal Documents
  • Staff
  • Board
  • Sample Board Job Descriptions
  • Infrastructure
  • Fundraising
  • Events
  • Networking and Outreach
  • PR and Marketing
  • General Management
  • Resources
• Grassroots Leadership Guide to K-12 Education Reform
• Taking Donors Seriously
• Fundraising Fundamentals

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Sample Business Plan

Any State Policy Research Institute

Committed to the study and discussion of Any State state policy, based on the principles of limited government, individual freedom and personal responsibility

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

-- The 10th Amendment to the United States Constitution

ANY STATE POLICY RESEARCH INSTITUTE

OVERVIEW

The Any State Policy Research Institute (ASPRI) should be established as a non-partisan, non-profit public policy group.  Through debates, town hall meetings, workshops, research papers, editorials and other events and publications, ASPRI will promote the principles of limited government, individual freedom and responsibility.  As a 501(c)(3), ASPRI will not be permitted to endorse candidates or legislation and must rely on private sector contributions to fund its activities.

 A board of directors, recruited from Any State’s business, civic and religious ranks, will govern ASPRI.  The board will meet on a quarterly basis, for the first year, to discuss the over-all agenda for ASPRI.  Following the completion of the first year, the board and staff will assess the past year and decide on a meeting schedule for the next year.  Similar assessments will take place at the conclusion of each year of existence.

 ASPRI’s research agenda will be dictated by the current needs and happenings in the state.  Likely topics include, but are not limited to, taxes, deregulation, education reform, healthcare, welfare, issues of urban and suburban development, the environment, and opportunities to reduce the size of government through privatization.  ASPRI will respond to issues that are expected to receive emphasis by the state government, as well as Federal issues that will have a defined impact on Any State.

 ASPRI’s events will reach out to Any Stateans in every demographic to encourage discussion and thought on public policy and the need for a founding in limited government, individual freedom and personal responsibility.  EXAMPLE:  The key-stone event of ASPRI will be the Any State Leadership Conference, which is described below.  Additional events will be held to reward and engage our members and high-level donors and to recruit new patrons.

 Fundraising strategies for ASPRI must be as diverse as the issues we choose to take on and the citizens we attempt to captivate with our work.  Donor clubs, grass-roots and high-dollar events, direct mail, internet solicitation and donor visits will all be utilized to provide an ever-rising membership base and an increased interest from high-level supporters.

 ASPRI should be located in such a way that it is accessible to state officials, academic scholars and the general public.  The logical setting appears to be Big cities.  Either city has the accessibility, which we desire, and will provide a suitable setting for our pursuits.

Organization

Board of Directors

The most important step in the development of ASPRI will be the formation of the Board of Directors.  Perhaps no decision will be as consequential to ASPRI’s success than the choice of the founding Board of Directors.  These individuals will embody the mission and attitude of the organization, particularly in the early developmental stages.  The media, potential donors and the general public will gauge ASPRI based on their knowledge of and associations with the founding board members.

There will be two major criteria for selection to the Board of Directors, the first being a commitment to the mission of ASPRI.  This commitment should be backed by action, either in the public, private or non-profit sector.  The second criteria is a willingness to devote resources, either in time, money or knowledge, to the development and continuing success of ASPRI.  Additional factors will be utilized, in order to achieve a board that represents the geographical diversity of Any State, but these two criteria should be constant to provide for the strongest possible ASPRI Board of Directors.

ASPRI will develop a Board of Directors from a wide array of business leaders, public officials, community activists and religious leaders from every corner of the state to help promote and foster the work of ASPRI.  Tapping into the political, business, non-profit and religious sectors of Any State will provide ASPRI with access to a broad spectrum of supporters at every level of participation.

Academic Advisory Board

ASPRI will be recognized as a distinguished, scholarly and influential research and educational organization and a resource for all of Any State.  Accordingly, we will recruit an Academic Advisory Board consisting of top political, philosophical, economic and social scholars.  While the academics selected will share the basic philosophical orientation, they will also preserve the integrity and objectivity of ASPRI, by being less involved with the political and business ramifications of the work.

In addition to guiding the research efforts of ASPRI, several members of the Academic Advisory Board will be asked to contribute directly to the work of ASPRI.  This contribution will be made through the writing of policy papers, editorials and other publications, as well as conducting speaking engagements.  Expenses will be paid for these endeavors using a budgeted, reimbursement method 

Members of the Academic Advisory Board will also be invited to take part in ASPRI sponsored events.  These events include debates and town hall meetings, as well as a strong push for participation in the Any State leadership conferences.

Publications

In order to be a strong force in Any State public policy, ASPRI will release publications throughout each year of activity.  These publications will be tailored to attract potential donors, increase name recognition of ASPRI, and to excite an interest in our mission.  Staff members, Academic Advisory Board members, and members of the Board of Directors will all be asked to participate in the publications process in some manner.

All publications released by ASPRI will focus on issues currently affecting the state of Any State.  Topics will be discussed during meetings of the Academic Advisory Board and Board of Directors.  Publications will be reviewed by the Executive Director before they are viewed by anyone outside of ASPRI, this includes the media, state officials and the general public.

Editorial

Editorials will provide a cost-effective avenue for ASPRI to spread its message.  Initial focus will be on Any State state and local newspapers and those in the surrounding areas.  Steps will be taken to gain access to the editorial pages of the major national newspapers within the first three years of ASPRI’s existence.

ASPRI Monthly

ASPRI Monthly will be a monthly newsletter available to select ASPRI supporters ($50+) and leaders of the Any State State government.  The first two editions of ASPRI Monthly will be sent to all members of the state assembly and state senate, leading officials in the state executive branch, the Justices of the State Supreme Court and potential donors.

Any State Policy Papers

Any State Policy Papers will be published periodically, by staff members and members of the Academic Advisory Board, with at least four (4) such papers being released each year.  ASPRI supporters who make contributions of over $500 a year will also receive these mailings.  Topics will be chosen by the author and focus on pertinent issues and their relation to the mission statement of ASPRI.  These papers will be more lengthy and in-depth than the editorials and ASPRI Monthly.  They will be distributed to leaders in the state government, businesses and education.  The topic of discussion will dictate the mailing list for each individual paper.

Internet access

Copies of all ASPRI publications will be made available on our website.  If the number of publications makes this unfeasible, then select publications will be placed on the website.

Special Events

In addition to spreading our message through publications, ASPRI will hold events to promote discussion on issues relevant to our state.  ASPRI will also organize and host the Any State Leadership Conference.

Town Hall Meetings and Debates

ASPRI will organize town hall meetings and debates throughout each year.  The meetings and debates will focus on pending legislation and work to ensure the representation of opposing viewpoints.  ASPRI will work with veterans groups, schools, churches and other community organization to hold a minimum of six (6) such events per year.  These events will be held throughout the state.

(SAMPLE EVENT – just an EXAMPLE) --  Any State Leadership Conference

The Any State Leadership Conference (ILC) will be the hallmark event of ASPRI.  This event will bring Any State collegians together for several days of discussion and learning.  Students attending college in the Any State and Any State high school graduates attending out-of-state schools will be invited to attend ILC.

ILC will cover issues and the nuts-and-bolts of how to become part of the solution.  Members of the Board of Directors and Academic Advisory Board will be asked to participate in the planning of ILC, as well as give some of the lectures.  Leaders from the Any State state government will be invited to participate, along with members of the conservative movement and leaders throughout the country.  Any State’s status as the ninth most populous state could draw potential interest from Presidential candidates every four years.

 ASPRI will work with college student groups and professors, in order to draw interest for ILC.  Leaders of student organizations will be targeted as strong candidates and encouraged to attend and spread the word to their groups’ members.  ILC will be funded through private donations and tuition.  Merit-based tuitions will be solicited from Any State businesses, organizations and citizens, in order to more personalize the contribution.

 Marketing and Outreach

The marketing program for ASPRI will not be designed merely to get out name in the news.  It will be intended instead, to focus the attention of our state’s policy making community and the general public on new ideas crafted at the ASPRI and to stimulate thoughtful discussion of these ideas at all levels of state government and the general public.

ASPRI studies and publications will be provided to the media throughout the state via fax, Internet or mail.  In particular ASPRI will target local columnists and editors, network news affiliates, organizational newsletters, and other news sources in Any State.  Our staff will also appear on radio and television news talk shows.

Upon inception, ASPRI representatives will begin meeting with the editorial boards of Any State newspapers.  The first meetings will be initiated with those papers that hold the largest circulation.  Similar meetings will also be scheduled with newspapers in the surrounding area that dedicate sections, on at least a weekly basis, to Any State happenings.

ASPRI Website

One of the earliest undertakings must be to create a website.  The ASPRI website can link to sites of similar interest, including the State Policy Network, townhall.com and voter.com.  The website will be eye-catching and user-friendly, in order to draw and keep the attention of the viewer.  All ASPRI programs and publications will be accessible through the site and on-line donations will be accepted.

Community Outreach 

In order to reach the most people, ASPRI will constantly strive to gain the interest of civic organizations.  Veterans groups, chambers of commerce, service and religious organizations will all be sought after zealously.  Whether it we are speaking at a Rotary club luncheon or holding a town hall meeting co-sponsored by the local VFW, we will welcome all participation.

As mentioned above, this same technique will be used to promote the Any State Leadership Conference to college students.