Over the past year, the board has been working behind the scenes to identify our top goals to accomplish over the next 5 years. With a focus on growth, inclusion, and long-term success, we're excited to see our vision come to life! 

These five essential goals outlined below will be the motivation for our organization’s strategic approach to the next five years (2021-2025).

Goal #1: Cincinnati Ultimate prioritizes the importance of fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for our community. All of our business and outreach activities must remain consistent with this purpose as we promote Spirit of the Game.

Supporting Tactics

• Empowered and Impassioned Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

  • Education is the first step

    • Board education plan in place by the end of 2021

    • Action plan to expand out education from there after 2021

  • Continuing the use of town hall forums

• Reducing barriers to entry

  • Apparel and equipment drives to provide for those who can’t afford

  • Creating flexible payment structures that reduce barriers to entry

  • Facilitating playing opportunities to service traditionally under-represented populations / demographics

  • Create relationships with other organizations to bridge the gaps

  • Hosting inclusive social events beyond the ultimate field

• Social Awareness

  • Creating a clearer definition of what we stand for

    • Rewriting mission statement to incorporate inclusivity and identify values

    • Adding a vision statement

    • Continually revisiting our policies and standards to adhere to our updated mission

• Cincinnati Ultimate Foundation

  • Evaluating the opportunity of creating separate foundation to support these efforts

  • Ability to apply for grants and funding beyond our current scope

  • Consider pathway to 501(c)3

Goal #2: Cincinnati Ultimate will re-establish our organizational identity and create a brand that properly represents the community that we serve.

Supporting Tactics

• Mission Statement

  • Agreement to revisit the mission statement in 2021

• Branding

  • Complete transition from Cincinnati Ultimate Players Association to Cincinnati Ultimate

  • Rebrand in 2021

• Organization Structure

  • Board of Directors

    • Reduce size to 11 total members

    • Provide role description requirements for Board members

    • Institute proper election format by next election cycle in 2022

  • Committees

    • Formalize and Empower Committee Structure

    • All Committees must have Board representation

  • Dayton Ultimate

    • Create Dayton Committee to develop structure for growth

  • Employees

    • Solidify Director of Operations role

    • Create plan for hiring second employee (targeting a Youth Director)

• Strategic Planning

  • Publish 5-year strategic plan in 2021

  • Revisit by 2025 to prepare for next cycle

• USA Ultimate / Ohio Ultimate

  • Remain involved with discussions around the development of Ohio Ultimate

Goal #3: Cincinnati Ultimate will ensure that our core business maintains the highest standards possible. Focusing on sustainability and growth will lead to long-term success as an organization.

Supporting Tactics

• Execute Safe Return to Play Post-Pandemic

  • Will maintain equitable considerations at the same time

• Expand and Improve Resources for Coaches

  • Fostering a collaborative community for our coaches

  • Providing resources to support our coaches

  • A motivated community of coaches is essential for growth at the youth level

• Youth development will remain a priority, as it has always been

  • Clinics will be imperative as we bridge the gap out of the time off

  • Middle school development will create a larger base of players moving into high school

  • High school expansion will remain the cornerstone and allow for organic middle school and clinic growth below

  • Representation at the Youth Club Championships

    • Increase CUPA oversight and collaboration with the program

    • Capture feedback from program directors as to how Cincinnati Ultimate can best provide support

• Adult Leagues

  • Experience Levels

    • Differentiating by purpose of league (recreational versus developmental) as opposed to current experience level

    • Create more opportunities for beginner players

  • Maintain ultimate activities through all four seasons of the year

  • Expand to additional locations across the year

    • Identify available field locations and foster relationships with those providers

  • Adult leagues (particularly summer leagues based on volume) remain essential to the core sustainability of our organization

  • Improve our metrics around league growth and player retention

  • Improve our channels for collecting participant feedback

• Continuity between participation levels

  • Colleges

    • Need to make a more targeted effort to engage our local college teams

    • Considering unilateral support similar to the way we do at the youth level

  • Club Teams

    • Networking with leadership is important to develop relationships

    • Club Team Committee can improve sustainability and continuity between our local teams

• Hosting Major Events

  • Cincinnati Ultimate LLC remains intact for these purposes

  • Commitment to consider hosting one major event every other year if volunteer base can support

Goal #4: Cincinnati Ultimate will expand our community engagement and organizational transparency. Through marketing strategies, targeted communications, and leveraging the skill set of our Director of Operations, we intend to increase awareness and clarity about our sport and organization.

Supporting Tactics

• Social Media Engagement

  • Centralize social media strategy across platforms with Director of Operations

• Organizational Transparency

  • Consistent Board of Director and Committee meeting minutes available online

  • Current information posted about Board, Committees, and Volunteer Opportunities

  • Building out centralized Google Drive for operational efficiency

  • Creating Slack channels for Board and Committee activities

  • Creating shared Google calendar

• Regular Communications / Announcements

  • Centralize communication systems through Director of Operations

  • Maintain a master communications strategy / calendar

  • Consistent and timely league registration announcements

• Evaluate Partnership Opportunities

  • Examples include: Disc Golf, Field Providers / CVBs, Sponsors, Other Organizations (Parks Departments, summer camps, etc.), Youth Groups, YMCAs, Summer Day Camps, Schools, Athletic Directors

• Strategic Advertisements

  • New avenues for advertising our leagues

  • Social media advertising

• Website Development

  • Website development and maintenance will stay in-house

  • Expanding Website Committee to distribute some work

  • Improved social media integration

  • Improved Data export functionalities

Goal #5: Cincinnati Ultimate will expand our infrastructure and leverage available resources.

Supporting Tactics

• Investigate what similar organizations have tried in efforts to acquire land

• Upgrade storage facilities and ease of access

• Maintain current staff (Director of Operations) with intention to bring on a second hire (Youth Director)

• Continue to maintain fiscal responsibility for sustainability of the organization

  • Annual budgeting process resumes when we return to play

• Volunteers

  • Continued appreciation for our amazing volunteer base, including the annual Volunteer Appreciation Event

  • Define our volunteer benefits, incentives, and opportunities to more easily promote

• Equipment Management

  • Centralize disc ordering process with our Director of Operations

  • Implement inventory system

  • Consider other equipment provisions / improvements for our leagues (scoreboards, consistent Spirit prizes, etc.)