Our Strategic Direction: FY2025–2032

Unity Foundation does not operate on aspiration alone. Our programs are guided by time-bound, measurable organizational goals that we publish publicly and report against honestly. Plans are not predictions. This four-phase plan outlines the roadmap for the Smart Agriculture & Open Technology Program — where we are, where we are going, and the specific commitments we are making to the communities, partners, and funders who are building this with us.

A planning session mapping the strategic direction.

measurable goals

“Plans are not predictions. They are commitments.”

On this plan

Mission

Unity Foundation builds scalable talent pipelines and open technology ecosystems to solve complex challenges across industries, serving as an integrated framework for talent, technology, and long-term capability.

Vision

Building the next generation of problem solvers across every industry by connecting emerging talent with real-world problems — and giving them the tools to meet them.

The Four Phase Plan

Fourteen measurable goals. We publish them publicly and report against them honestly.

Phase

Establish the Foundation

2025–2027

Phase 1 is about doing one thing well enough to replicate it. We are building the proof of concept that makes everything else possible.

1.1

Launch and stabilize the Smart Agriculture & Open Technology Program

Deliver a Pilot curriculum in active partnership with Hazelwood School District with a student completion rate of 85% or higher. Establish end-of-phase data collection infrastructure — student surveys, session logs, and educator feedback — so that outcome data is available and reportable from the Pilot phase forward.

1.2

Establish an internship pipeline

Establish an internship pipeline with a community partner organization. Document outcomes — completion rate, skills attribution, next-step placement — and use those results to design the first full intern cohort for FY2028.

1.3

Build the governance foundation

Adopt all three core governance policies — Conflict of Interest, Whistleblower Protection, and Document Retention — by board vote. Complete or initiate Unity Foundation's first independent financial review. Establish the board composition required for Charity Navigator Beacon 1 compliance.

1.4

Begin higher education conversations

Initiate articulation discussions with regional higher education institutions. Provide transparency in our progress and commit to a target date for agreement finalization.

Phase

Build the Pipeline

2027–2028

With a proven model and a governance foundation in place, Phase 2 is about widening the pipeline and formalizing the network: adding partners, advancing program phases, and formalizing regional relationships.

2.1

Advance the curriculum through phase 2

Launch phase 2 of the Smart Agriculture & Open Technology Program with the cohort of students who completed phase 1, introducing BBC micro:bit and Raspberry Pi programming. Begin student contributions to a shared scientific data repository. Achieve a phase 1 to phase 2 advancement rate of 75% or higher.

2.2

Expand to a second partner school district

Identify, engage, and launch program delivery in a second school district. Use the curriculum adaptation experience from Hazelwood School District to accelerate onboarding. Target: second district cohort active and delivering sessions by the end of FY2028.

2.3

Expand the internship pipeline into a structured annual cohort program

Expand the internship pipeline into a structured annual cohort program. Target cohort size: 25 participants.

2.4

Formalize the regional partner network

Execute formal partnership agreements with a minimum of four regional institutions — spanning education, community organizations, and agricultural or civic infrastructure. Establish shared outcome reporting across the network. Hold the first documented regional partner convening.

2.5

Achieve Charity Navigator 3-Star rating or higher

With governance policies adopted, constituent feedback documented, and the regional network formalized, submit all required Charity Navigator portal data and target a minimum Encompass score of 70 out of 100 — moving from current estimated 2-star territory to 3-star or higher.

Phase

Consolidate and Credential

2028–2030

FY2030 is the phase the model produces its first full-cycle evidence. Students who entered the program in phase 1 will be completing phase 4. The data collected across three program phases will be sufficient to evaluate the model honestly and report on it publicly.

3.1

Graduate the first certificate cohort

Support phase 1 students through phase 4 completion and capstone presentation. Document graduation rate, certificate completion rate, and post-program outcomes for the inaugural cohort. Publish results publicly and submit to the Charity Navigator Impact portal.

3.2

Reach a third partner school district

With two active school partnerships and three phases of implementation experience, expand to a third partner district. Combined annual enrollment target across all partner districts: 150 students.

Phase

Scale and Sustain

2030–2032

The final phase of the plan is about proving what works in North St. Louis County can work anywhere — and building the infrastructure to let it.

4.1

Establish a self-sustaining regional network

Establish a self-sustaining regional network — connecting partner districts, higher education partners, community organizations, and regional agricultural and civic institutions — that operates under formal governance with shared outcome reporting and a documented replication framework. The network convenes annually. Partner institutions contribute to shared curriculum development. The model no longer depends on Unity Foundation as the sole organizing force.

4.2

Document and publish the replication framework

Produce a publicly available curriculum and partnership framework guide — capturing the full instructional architecture, partnership model, governance structure, and outcome measurement approach — so that other communities and organizations can adapt the model for their own local challenges.

4.3

Scale the internship pipeline

Grow the internship cohort to a minimum of 50 participants per phase across multiple sectors. Establish a formal alumni network that feeds experienced participants back into the program as mentors — completing the Growth Rings cycle and making the talent development ecosystem genuinely self-sustaining.

A note on this plan

Plans are not predictions. They are commitments — to the communities we serve, the partners we work with, and the funders who make the work possible. We will not achieve every target on the schedule we have set. What will not change is our commitment to publishing our goals publicly, reporting our progress honestly, and updating this plan when the evidence tells us something important.

This plan will be reviewed by the Unity Foundation Board of Directors annually and updated to reflect actual outcomes, changed conditions, and new opportunities. The most current version will always be available on this page.

Last updated: June 2026 · Next review: Board annual meeting (pending)