Ranchin Vets

Programs: Ranchin' vets measures its program accomplishments based on the annual strategic plan approved by its board of directors. In 2016 the organization sought to accomplish being financially sustainable, operationally excellent, customer focused, cost efficient and network effective. In 2016, to assure financial sustainability in meeting the current and future needs of veterans ranchin' vets serves, the board of directors approved the 2016 budget. The financial goals for 2016 were to be attained through grants, donors (including an active giving board) and fundraising events. By the end of year, 2016, ranchin' vets met and exceeded this goal. In doing so, this allowed ranchin' vets to not only meet the needs of the veterans they served in 2016 and 2017 but to expand their outreach to veterans on a national level in 2017. Through the expansion of veteran outreach, made possible through the successes of 2016, ranchin' vets has prepared itself to significantly increase the veterans who will benefit from its organization in 2017, 2018 and beyond. Ranchin' vets has assured its financial solvency through strong, steady and methodical growth. Ranchin' vets philosophy, is to assure the financial strength of the organization, to meet the needs of the veterans they serve. Being operationally excellent, is tandem to being financially sustainable. However, specifically within the 2016 strategic plan, being operationally excellent specifically relates to meeting the financial needs of ranchin' vets operation hire a vet program; providing monetary assistance veterans in its program. The fiscal responsibility which guides ranchin' vets assured that the organization was indeed operationally excellent in 2016. Ranchin' vets mere existence is to "serve those who have served us". Therefore, each year, including 2016, our strategic plan emphasizes being customer focused. A customer is one who is served and one who has choices as to where to attain services and goods. Ranchin' vets strives to be an organization that truly and unconditionally, gives back to the veteran. The veteran is the priority. With the veteran as our priority, the board of directors instructed the program director to spend 85% of her time focusing on the program itself, and to limit time spent on administrative duties to 15%. Ranchin' vets could not accomplish its goals of placing veterans in agricultural jobs without the support of ranchers, farmers and other agricultural employers. Ranchin' vets values the "partnership" of these potential employers of veterans registered in our program. Within the strategic plan, the agricultural employer is also viewed as a customer. Ranchin' vets is an excellent resource for these employers, providing hard working, committed, responsible veterans as a potential employee with a unique willingness, and eagerness for this type of employment opportunity. During the year of 2016 six veterans were served by ranchin' vets. During the end of 2015, the board of directors met to set target revenue objectives for 2016. The success in developing and executing the 2016 operating budget assured that ranchin' vets was cost efficient in 2016. The operating budget focused 85% of the program directors time to be spent on our cause and limited the administrative responsibilities to 15% of the program directors time. In 2016, ranchin' vets formed an auxiliary board. The auxiliary board is comprised of 8 volunteers geographically spread across the country. The purpose of the auxiliary board is to directly assist the program director with achieving the annual fundraising and network goals. Ranchin' vets maintains an active board. In 2016 sub- committees were formed within the board, to assist the program director with veteran outreach, grant and donor opportunities and administrative help. In 2016, board of directors and auxiliary board members actively volunteered to assist the program director in the overall administrative management of the organization, to assure the program director focused on outreach and service to veterans. Vital to the future of ranchin' vets is to maintain and grow an effective network. In 2016, organizations within the veteran, ranching and farming communities were an integral component in ranchin' vets growth. A strong network allowed us to meet the commitment and the services we provided to veterans in our program. During 2016, the efforts of ranchin' vets to enhance their network provided increased funding for our program which directly impacted and increased the veterans that registered for our program in 2017. As ranchin' vets expands its network on a national level, it assures that each year they will provide more veterans with employment opportunities within the agricultural industry.