In 2008, the Bush Foundation launched an ambitious new strategy we called “Goals for a Decade.” We set three goals and developed Foundation-led initiatives to achieve them.

Now, a decade has passed. While we’ve shared successes and challenges on each initiative along the way, we thought it was the right time to do an overall assessment of the strategy. In our 2019 issue of bMag (PDF) we’ve included our story of the decade’s work. You can read it here.

I wrote the article along with June Noronha, who was on staff at the Foundation from 2005 through 2016 and was our strategy officer at the time we made the transition. We got lots of input and counsel from current and former board members, staff and partners.

Goals for a Decade was a huge strategic shift for us with significant consequences for us and others. It was a disruption in ways that were intended and ways that were not. If you read the article, you’ll learn about both successes we are proud of and lessons we learned the hard way.

For all its challenges, the strategy made us wrestle with big questions about our impact and our role in the region. We’ve incorporated the lessons of our experience into the way we operate today. We believe we are stronger because of it.