Dart Society

Frank Ochberg issued the challenge one night four years ago in Washington, D.C.
 
He'd brought three Ochberg fellows to the nation's capital -- myself, Miles Moffeit and Penny Cockerell. Frank hoped we could help him accomplish important work on behalf of crime victims and journalists.
 
In the morning, we four Dart Society representatives were scheduled to meet at the Pentagon with the Air Force's chief attorney. Our mission was to try to bring an end to a series of subpoenas issued to journalists regarding their coverage of the military's handling of sexual assault cases. Air Force lawyers wanted to sift through reporters' notes, including Miles'. They hoped to find something that might provide advantage in upcoming criminal trials.
 
Over dinner, we talked about the day ahead. Somehow we needed to help the military understand the special connection that develops between people who are suffering and the reporters they trust to tell their stories. Somehow we needed to respectfully convince military professionals, men and women sworn to uphold the Constitution, that protecting a free press is as sacred a duty as preserving other liberties.
 
 In the midst of that heady conversation, Frank urged us to take on another challenging assignment.
 
The time had arrived for the Dart Society to begin positioning itself as an equal partner of the Dart Center, he said. To get there, though, would require much work
 
A few months before, the center had arranged for the society to start doing business as Newscoverage Unlimited, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation. The center had founded the corporation to handle outreach to journalists struggling with post-traumatic stress. It remained dormant, however, as the then-fledgling center evolved to meet those needs in other ways.
 
The nonprofit corporation status could be a tremendous asset, Frank said, enabling the society to seek funding to support the spread of compassionate, intelligent journalism. With possible changes to the corporation's nonprofit charter, the society eventually could begin recruiting members, expanding the community of reporters worldwide who have committed to bringing superior ethics and craft to stories of human suffering.
 
What came next was a fair amount of tedium and the hard work necessary to establish a solid track record.
 
Working with an attorney and a modest grant from the Dart Center, society leaders developed bylaws that allowed us to launch an executive board to oversee the corporation and to begin soliciting funding. Ochberg fellows brought us project ideas, including the Mimi Award and Target: New Orleans. A favorably impressed Dart Foundation helped fund these projects and encouraged us to keep aiming higher.
 
Four years later, the Dart Society now has a budget that allows us to engage in multiple projects, reaching journalists around the globe.
 
 The Dart Foundation continues to financially support our progress. Not long ago, Jim Lammers, the vice president of the foundation's board, encouraged the society to begin planning for even bigger things.
 
The Dart Society board responded by launching a strategic planning effort. We hope the planning will help us frankly assess our strengths and weaknesses, help us reach consensus on an achievable future, and to chart a course that will make that vision reality. The aim is a more inclusive, more focused Dart Society; one better able to assist the Dart Center in accomplishing a shared mission.
 
On Nov. 13, 2008, Dart Society leaders met in Chicago with representatives of the Bernard Consulting Group to identify the key questions that need answered. Committees of fellows have since been developing plans for tackling each issue in a strategic way. We intend by summer to present a plan that addresses each and charts our future. Interesting answers to these questions already are emerging:

• How do we grow our membership to strengthen our mission?

• How do we ensure we have the appropriate infrastructure to advance our mission?
• How do we strategically position the Dart Society and build brand awareness externally?
• How do we diversify and increase funding to ensure long-term financial sustainability and growth?

We've set up a wiki where Society members can learn more about the strategic planning project and to engage in helping to shape what comes next. Contact Deirdre, myself or any other board member for details or to secure an invitation for access.