Egan Maritime Institute

Strategic Plan – January 2017

Vision

A healthy and vigorous future for Nantucket through widespread understanding of and deep respect for the island’s
rich maritime heritage.

Mission

The Egan Maritime Institute, and its affiliates’, mission is to advance the appreciation, documentation, preservation,
and study of the art, history, literature, architecture and traditions of Nantucket, all of which are shaped by the
maritime character of people who live by the sea. For within these people lies, in great part, the story of America.

History

The Egan Maritime Institute was founded in 1989 by Albert F. (Bud) Egan, Jr. to highlight the island’s seafaring heritage.
In 1992, Bud negotiated a lease with the Trustees of the Coffin School. He housed his family’s extensive maritime art
and artifacts collection in the school, incorporated the eight-year-old Mill Hill Press and named National Book Award
winner, Nat Philbrick, as the Egan Foundation’s first executive director.

Since then, the institute has worked with on-island and off-island organizations to present a calendar of
enlightening and entertaining programs to enhance one’s experience on the island. These programs include
annual publications through Mill Hill Press, annual maritime exhibits at the Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, 158
Polpis Road, up-to-date weather, and wind and tide reports via ACKweather.com, guest speakers, films, art
exhibits and concerts and, in the summer of 2013, the launch of “Sea of Opportunities,” a maritime education
program for students.

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 Sea of Opportunities
EMI’s mission for SOO is to create a bridge between Nantucket’s historical connection with the sea and today’s
young Nantucketers, enriching their future professional and personal lives by exposing them to maritime traditions,
trades, and sciences.

Goals for Sea of Opportunities

EMI has three principal goals for Sea of Opportunities:

Goal 1: Ensure sufficient funding

Goal 2: Expand educational presence at the Middle and High School
Goal 3: On the Water Presence & Access i.e. Surfboat

Sea of Opportunities Goal 1 - Implementation & Action Plan

Goal 1: Ensure Sufficient Funding

EMI’s mission for SOO is to support itself in perpetuity. In order to do this the foundation will need to raise sufficient
funds to cover the annual budget.
Strategies
1. Charge the Development Committee with raising Target Goal of Annual budget
2. Produce Showstopper Summer Event
3. Research foundation and appropriate grants

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 Sea of Opportunities Goal 2 - Implementation & Action Plan

Expand Educational Presence at Middle and High Schools

Strategies
1. Vocational Classes/Career Opportunities in High School & Addition of Teachers
2. Design and Strengthen Middle School Presence
3. Develop & Grow Educational SOO Team

Sea of Opportunities Goal 3 - Implementation & Action Plan

On the Water Presence & Access

Strategies:
1. Give students opportunity to sail on the water (i.e. Lynx, Endeavor, Nantucket Community Sailing)
2. Summer Surfboat Program
3. Experiential Learning

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 Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum

The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum preserves the memory of those Islanders who risked their lives to save
shipwrecked mariners. These men served in organizations devoted to maritime rescue, such as the Massachusetts
Humane Society, United States Life-Saving Service and the United States Coast Guard.

Goals for Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum

EMI has three principal goals for NSLM:

Goal 1: Flex Space/Expand Exhibit Area

Goal 2: Increase Number of Visitors/Improve Financial Performance
Goal 3: Collaboration with SOO

Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum Goal 1 - Implementation & Action Plan
Flex Space / Expand Exhibit Area
The Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum mission is to preserve the memory of those Islanders who risked
their lives to save shipwrecked mariners.
Strategies
1. Hire Architect – Steve Roethke – to explore expansion possibilities on main floor
2. Research switching Program Room with Exhibit Room possibility
3. Explore possibilities of expanding artifact room

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 Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum Goal 2 – Implementation & Action Plan

Increase Visitors / Improve Financial Performance

Strategies:
1. Expand Season
2. Exploring Purchase of Transportation (Bus)
3. Increase Membership Enrollment
4. Increase Number of Museum Rentals for Non-EMI events

Nantucket Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum Goal 3 - Implementation & Action Plan

Collaboration with SOO

Strategies
1. Use new Program Space for Dedicated SOO Programming
2. Field Trips with Students
3. Incorporate SOO Presence at NSLM

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 Outreach & Development

The goal for Outreach and Development at Egan Maritime Institute is to create long lasting and rewarding relationships
with our membership base & donors in order to improve on our process for cultivating these relationships. The
assumption is that through fostering these relationships, EMI will be able to support its annual development goals.

Goals for Outreach & Development

EMI has two principal goals for Outreach & Development:

Goal 1: Provide annual financial support through development efforts to ensure financial security for annual
budget
Goal 2: Produce annual Showstopper/Signature Events/Lectures that expand & support EMI’s Mission

Outreach & Development Goal 1 - Implementation & Action Plan

Provide annual financial support through development efforts to ensure financial security for EMI’s programs
Strategies
1. Establish annual charitable contribution goals
2. Provide annual fund action & development plan with benchmarks
3. Cultivate new donors, retain current members and donors
4. Reach out to past event attendees & members
5. Review results and evaluate return on investment compared to plan
6. Share outcomes with full board

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 Outreach & Development Goal 2 - Implementation & Action Plan

Produce annual Showstopper/Signature Events/Lectures that expand & support EMI’s Mission
The Goal with Outreach and Development is to get EMI’s mission and vision out to the public in a clear and concise
way. This way it will make it easier for development efforts and PR.

1. Decide Showstopper Event for , 2017, 2018, 2019

2. Decide Lecture and Event Possibilities for 2017 Summer Season
3. Brainstorm for Events to be held in 2017, 2018, 2019

PR & Marketing

Egan Maritime Institute would like to strengthen the EMI brand and brand recognition. As the parent company of Nantucket
Shipwreck & Lifesaving Museum, Sea of Opportunities, Mill Hill Press and ACKweather, EMI manages varied programs with their
own brand awareness. With the following goals, we hope to bring them together and reinforce the community’s
understanding, both locally and globally, about what we do.

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 Goals for PR & Marketing
EMI will clarify the connection of the Affiliates as under the umbrella of EMI with PR & Marketing materials; by creating a
standard language to be used in all Marketing efforts in order to solidify brand awareness.

EMI has three principal goals for PR & Marketing:

Goal 1: Strategize and Develop Strong Marketing Approach to Highlight EMI as Umbrella/Parent Organization and its
Affiliates
Goal 2: Develop “Elevator Speech”
Goal 3: Marketing Strategy for Individual Programs i.e. SOO, MHP, NSLM, ACKweather

PR & Marketing Goal 1 - Implementation & Action Plan

Strategize & Develop Strong Marketing Approach

Strategies
1. Design Banner Logo to use in all advertising, website presence
2. Invest in Logoed items – mugs, hats, shirts
3. EMI Staff & Trustees have clear understanding and comfort in communicating the structure of Operations during
interviews, lecture series, conversations, etc. ie. Egan Maritime Institute as Parent organization with affiliates NSLM, SOO,
MHP, ACKweather

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 PR & Marketing Goal 2 - Implementation & Action Plan

Develop Elevator Speech

Strategies
1. Script a 30-40 second explanation of Egan Maritime Institute
2. Practice and Gather Constructive Input from Partners to test Effectiveness of Speech

PR & Marketing Goal 3 - Implementation & Action Plan

Marketing Strategy for Individual Programs

Strategies
1. Identity Individual Program Marketing Goals
2. Develop and Implement a Rubric to determine efficacy

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 Technology

Egan Maritime Institute must stay on trend with the emerging technologies and use these in effective ways to support the
mission & work of Egan Maritime Institute.

Goals for Technology

EMI has three principal goals for Technology:

Goal 1: Technology / Purchasing Plan

Goal 2: Research Annual Needs to align with current industry best practices
Goal 3: Website Maintenance

Technology Goal 1 – Implementation & Action Plan

Technology/Purchasing Plan
Strategies:
1. Create Technology Plan with Projected Needs

Technology Goal 2 - Implementation & Action Plan

Research annual needs to align with best practices

Strategies

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 1. Confer with IT Team to gain information on current trends/tools
2. Confer with School Partners to ensure EMI has up to date technologies to support SOO Students

Technology Goal 3 - Implementation - Action Plan

Website Maintenance
Strategies
1. Update EMI Website, i.e. Donor Page
2. Update and rebuild ACKweather website and App
3. Annual updates as necessary to Programs and as schedule of events develops

Governance

Egan Maritime Institute with its affiliates requires many different committee groups to support its mission. Our by-laws provide
these committees with their outline of purpose. The Governance committee will review and update as necessary polices, by-
laws and the outline for principal committees. Their work will support principal committee and advisory committee to better
understand their roles & responsibilities in keeping EMI with best practices.

Goals for Governance

EMI has three principal goals for Governance:

Goal 1: Formation of Governance Committee

Goal 2: Review By-Laws & polices every 3-5 years

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 Investment

Along with the affiliates, Egan Maritime Institute owns a number of assets that need to be reviewed and maintained.

Goals for Investment

EMI principal goals for Investments:

Goal 1: Review of all invested assets

Goal 2: Provide appraisal information for Freedom Square every 3-5 years
Goal 3: Annual Structural Evaluation of all EMI Owned Properties

Mill Hill Press

Mill Hill Press began operation in 1984 and is the most prolific publisher of books related to the island and its maritime
heritage. Mill Hill Press publishes books on topics ranging from the history of Nantucket, literature, art and architecture to
the island's traditions and relationship with the sea.

Goals for Mill Hill Press

EMI has three principal goals for MHP:

Goal 1: Annual inventory

Goal 2: Review potential projects annually with priority going to pre- funded projects

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 Evaluation*

Evaluation Plan
Once formally approved by the Board of Trustees, this document should be reviewed by the Strategic Planning
Committee (March & September) to determine whether the assignments and the time lines are realistic.

Adjustments to the plan may and should be made as internal and external conditions change.

The Executive Director will be evaluated (annually) on his/her performance against this plan.

Measures of Impact 1
Short Term Long Term

Executive Director will be responsible in regular written Voluntary focus groups made up of Nantucket opinion
reports to the president and the Board for leaders to evaluate whether the Foundations vision
implementing this plan and mission is positively affecting the people of
Nantucket.
 Within budget (monthly financial statements)
 In accordance with the operating principles
 By informal feedback from the community

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What are the indicators and sources of date and who will be responsible for gathering information?

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