Societal Transformation Towards Sustainability | Our Plan

Strategic Plan 2020+

Leading the Next Gen of Environmental Action Through Strategic Planning For Societal Transformation Towards Sustainability

About The IDEAS For Us Strategic Plan

As IDEAS For Us has progressed since 2008, it has become clear that no country on Earth is on track to achieve the Global Goals for Sustainable Development by 2030. Additionally, The United Nations first proposed these goals in 2012 and by the end of 2015, 193 countries adopted the historic new agenda, entitled “Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. Such a failure to act against climate change and the social and economic tragedies we collectively face, will prove catastrophic for this and future generations. Also, since the onset of 2020, IDEAS For Us has readied for our most ambitious decade of action yet.

This strategic plan also highlights our four phases of this new decade. We remain committed to solving the environmental challenges of today and tomorrow by continuing to develop ideas, fund action, and scale solutions, especially to the frontline communities farthest from sustainability. And as we emerge from the worst global pandemic in over a century, we have chosen to double down on our commitment to exposing the nexus between the environment and health, as well as developing our action projecting into programs and then into job-creating eco-enterprises.

2020 – 2030 will be forever remembered as our last chance to thwart the worst impacts of climate change. We are proudly evolving our “Education, Engage, and Empower” aphorism into “Educate, Engage, and Employ” to focus our efforts around multi-sector solutions that have clear economic, environmental, and social benefits that advance local sustainability.

Our Global Footprint

Today, IDEAS For Us is an interconnected network of students, community leaders, and like-minded businesses working to share best practices for advancing sustainability. Our goal is to help catalyze action and incubate Back in 2008, when we were founded as a student club at the University of Central Florida.

Theory of Change

All good nonprofit organizations have a theory of change. This big picture approach to achieving our mission is what for-profit businesses call a “unique value proposition” and in simple terms it is what makes us unique. Our theory of change is laid out in Four (4) Phases and twelve (12) steps for the purpose of transforming society towards sustainability. Every IDEAS Branch begins at Step 1 and progresses through each step until reaching Step 12. This process is dependent on volunteers, available funding, and a number of other factors that require years of mentorship and financial investment in our IDEAS Branches at each location. Our oldest and founding IDEAS Branch in Orlando, Florida is currently in Phase 3. We refine our theory of change each year and we are determined to bring all of our branch locations through Phase 1 for this year’s Strategic Plan.

IDEAS Theory of Change: Societal Transformation Towards Sustainability

Phase 1

Create localized and Consistent Opportunities for Action and Involvement

Step 1: Establishment of The IDEAS Hive

Step 2: Hold Monthly Eco-Action Projects crowd sourced from The IDEAS Hive related to Energy, Water, Food, Waste, and /or Ecology aligning with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals

Phase 2

Support Action With The Solutions Fund

Step 3: Establish Dedicated Project Funding for Crowd Sourced Solutions

Step 4: Identify Pilot Projects To Become On-going Programs With Revenue Models

Step 5: Launch Eco-Enterprises and also Create Jobs

Phase 3

SDG Cities Project

Step 6: Partner With Cities and Businesses To Develop And Pass Resolutions That Adopt The SDG Framework

Step 7: Support Local Government and Business Leadership to Integrate SDGs Into Existing Sustainability Plans

Step 8: Host SDG Impact Award Ceremony To Recognize Businesses, Elected Officials, and Partner Organizations Across Community

Phase 4

Leadership Integration For Resiliency

Step 9: IDEAS Leaders Establish For-Profit And Nonprofit Businesses As CEOs

Step 10: IDEAS Leaders Ascend to Elected Office And Empower Citizens

Step 11: IDEAS Eco-Enterprises Provide Great Investment Opportunities To The Communities They Help

Step 12: Optimize, Evaluate, and Expand Impact Based on IDEAS Values and Scientific Data

IDEAS For Us Around The World

FUND DIRECT ECO-ACTION

SUPPORT OUR BRANCHES HELPING COMMUNITIES IN NEED