Eversight2023 Strategic Plan

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In September 2019, leadership and staff began developing Eversight’s new three-year strategic plan. We undertook this process when it became clear we would achieve the objectives of our 2018-2020 strategic plan—including achieving a $1 million positive net margin—more than a year earlier than planned. Our successful turnaround took place amid rising costs and complexity of new technologies and practice, surgeons’ increasingly specialized needs, and declining reimbursements for fees.

These challenges remain. More have arisen. Our industry and the world continue to rapidly evolve. We must prepare for the knowns that we can predict and the unknowns that we cannot, as the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic has so vividly reinforced for all of us.

Embracing these truths has been crucial to our strategic planning. We rigorously examined the trends and assumptions that will affect our growth and service to our mission over the next several years and beyond. We assessed the challenges and, most of all, ourselves —our strengths, opportunities and aspirations as an organization.

The outcome of this process is our 2023 Strategic Plan.It establishes the clear strategies and objectives we will undertake to advance our mission impact through 2023.

And it reflects the expertise and insights of the entire Eversight team. Throughout our planning, staff provided input and ideas that shaped our goal and strategies and made them better—while reinforcing clear passion for our mission and ongoing success.

Our staff also articulated important themes that are embedded throughout our plan, our vision for Eversight in 2023 and initiatives already at work throughout the organization. These are our emphases on customer service, quality, technology, training, external visibility and innovation.

We are excited to embark on this next journey to grow our impact amid the changing world around us.

Our goal in 2023 is to be a thriving, agile and innovative organization driven by exceptional people, partnerships and practices, changing lives worldwide.

Our vision for 2023We will know we have achieved the goal and objectives of

our 2021–2023 Strategic Plan when this vision is our reality . . .

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Our vision for 2023

We are laser-focused on patient and customer satisfaction and outcomes. Driven to ensure outstanding customer experience, we consistently delight surgeons and researchers through our actions, offerings and support.

We are a $25 million business. With a 95 percent market share in our domestic service areas, we continue attracting and retaining new surgeons across the United States. We have grown an additional $5 million through partnerships for tissue, joint innovation initiatives and research. We partner with other eye banks that share our values, and we take responsible risks that transform the world for the better.

Globally, in partnership with the Korean Cornea Society, our mission impact through our Korea operations has burgeoned. Tissue placement and program service fees, along with ongoing grants and philanthropic support, sustain our ever-growing humanitarian projects and partnerships as Eversight International builds on programs in Pakistan, the Middle East and East Asia.

Eversight International is poised to be a leading non-governmental organization (NGO) eliminating preventable blindness throughout the world—providing tissue for transplantation and research, advancing eye health research and advocacy, offering cultural competency and education, and working with countries to develop their own eye banking infrastructure, capacity and physician training. Its diverse Board of Directors represents multiple countries and maximizes our mission success in partnership with major funding providers and key partners.

Eversight provides the highest-quality eye tissue and most extraordinary customer service. Period. Surgeons and researchers overwhelmingly choose to partner with us for their needs.

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Our vision for 2023

Our integrated systems and artificial intelligence applications have powerfully improved our efficiencies. We have saved costs and enabled staff to fully focus on our customers—increasing their appreciation for our partnership, service and support.

We are providing Eversight services to other eye and tissue banks that seek to benefit from our training, practices and technology. Our Donation Support Center is recognized as the most advanced call center in eye banking. We have achieved consistently high suitability rates and streamlined decision-making by using technology to create efficiencies in donor screening, data entry and recovery dispatching. We spend more time speaking with families as a result, truly focused on their experience and instilling confidence in the path for their loved one’s gift.

With electronic medical records access to the information we need during cases, we have reduced the burden on hospital staff—who value our expertise and our respect for their time. The Donor Eligibility department has achieved seamless processes and rapid case completion while eliminating preventable errors.

Based on our international and research growth and our advanced tissue preservation techniques, most recoveries provide surgical and non-surgical tissues from the same donor. Our recovery technicians expertly apply

specific recovery techniques to maximize the impact of every tissue. Their skill at the time of recovery means we are optimizing every donor’s gift and ensuring the highest possible quality of tissue for transplant and research.

Our state-of-the-art clinical labs facilitate superior tissue evaluation and processing. We have established processing centers beyond Chicago and Ann Arbor to support our exceptional placement growth, particularly throughout the East Coast. In South Korea, our processing team is providing for placements throughout Asia. Domestic and international surgeons value the excellence of our staff and our innovative processing techniques that increase success rates.

In Tissue Distribution, we have eliminated shipping anomalies and are meeting tissue specifications, saving time and delighting surgeons. Tissue transfers are rare, reducing time that our lab staff spend on packaging and waiting for tissue arrivals. And efficiencies across all clinical areas mean we can provide more tissues to underserved regions worldwide.

Our clinical operations are the most advanced in the field. We have transformed through technology, training and relentless focus on quality and customer service.

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Our quality improvement and compliance are second to none. Robust, accurate data is driving impactful decisions through the organization, at every level. We are fully utilizing our powerful customer relationship management software and our insights to rapidly identify trends and quality improvement opportunities—to drive analysis, formulate corrective and preventive actions, and reduce errors.

We use real-time reviews to monitor processes, enabling us to spot and address potential problems before tissue is distributed, particularly those that could affect recipient outcomes.

Across all levels and locations, we seamlessly share and access information to ensure exceptional personal contact and service delivery. We actively report and engage in quickly resolving issues. Leadership and staff continuously review data and response, informing how we improve our customers’ experience at every touchpoint—whether on our website, in response to an email or by phone.

We’ve transformed and streamlined our processes through robust data analysis, technology and behavior-based quality. It’s embedded in all we do.

Our vision for 2023

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We are recognized as a premier provider of ophthalmology solutions including surgical grafts, innovations for surgeons, and optimized R&D utilizations of postmortem human tissue. In developing our R&D and significantly expanding innovations, we have established a long-term, sustainable business model.

We are in demand among research clients and partners. Across academia, pharma and biotech, we provide research and pre-clinical development for new drugs, devices, agents and methods at our sophisticated R&D laboratory at the Eversight Center for Vision and Eye Banking Research.

As our industry clients provide revenue for our critical work, we also attract sizeable and ongoing grant support for our own impact projects. We steadily generate important new findings and publications through our scientific authority, as well as in partnership with a range of academic institutions. Our pipeline for innovations projects is busy, steady and diverse.

We advance Eversight innovations from bench to bedside, while our research and development drive significant revenue options for the future.

Our vision for 2023

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Surgeons, researchers, funders, public officials, partner organizations and others with a stake in vision health closely follow our work. They continuously engage with our high-impact marketing and information, continuously disseminated through our leading-edge channels with precision and extraordinary efficiency. Our massive web traffic, media exposure, and blog and social media followings demonstrate our thought leadership.

Lions, organizational and individual advocates, and funders at all levels rely on our robust online information, tools and guidance to continuously generate funds on our behalf. Our funders are diverse: individuals who spearhead crowd-sourced campaigns, those who commit annual major gifts, and corporations and major foundations that consistently support Eversight.

Quite simply, we are the nonprofit of choice for any individual, group or organization that seeks to support sight restoration and prevent blindness. We are known as a high-impact, trusted steward that transforms dollars and support into the greatest possible impact on lives worldwide.

As a result, our philanthropic outreach raises revenue over expenses by increased margins every year—to more than $500,000 by 2023 to support our operations, global development, research and innovations. We are the model for philanthropic engagement in our field and beyond.

Everyone who cares about vision health and research cares about what we do and say—and actively works to support it.

Our vision for 2023

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Across Eversight, we are a “learning” organization. Our knowledgeable staff continuously grow their skills and expertise through training and opportunities aligned with our organizational strategies and ongoing need to evolve. Existing and future Eversight leaders are leading ever-higher levels of performance and positive employee experience. We value one another as partners as well as customers. Everyone’s extensive knowledge of our operations, processes and services across the organization intensifies the exceptional care that every customer receives.

Smart use of our powerful learning management system has transformed our new hire onboarding, clinical training, leadership development, compliance and quality training, and technology adoption. We’ve reduced our training time for new clinical staff by half, while growing the depth and scope of their instruction through robust curricula specialized for each department.

Staff across Eversight develop their skills as designated trainers to provide instruction to others. Our “train the trainer” model means we are delivering clinical training more efficiently and effectively than ever before.

Our staff benefit from our programs and strong support for their mental, emotional, physical and financial well-being. Our eye banking colleagues recognize the strength of our teams—especially how we support our recovery staff navigating the emotional challenges of their work—and seek our input on improving their own.

Our staff thrive because we authentically care and invest in their well-being and development.

Eversight is a great place to work. We retain high-performing employees and attract highly skilled candidates who share our values and passion for learning. We outperform the competition, driven by our employees’ engagement and skills, their trust in leadership, and their pride in working for Eversight. Our clearly defined core culture—our organizational purpose, philosophy and priorities—clearly drives all of our interactions and our meaningful work.

Our vision for 2023

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With effective technology and automations, our business team has significantly lowered administrative costs. Most importantly: They serve the organization and our customers with greater ease and service than ever before.

Our short- and long-term financial foundation is secure. Our discipline and stewardship at every level of the organization means we generate an annual operating margin of more than $1 million. We have diversified our operating revenues, through philanthropic revenue over expenses every year and through growing research and innovations income. We have achieved critical markers for nonprofit financial health, including three months of operating reserves on hand at all times. Our wise investments solidify our base for future growth and mission impact.

We have transformed our business operations and secured our financial future.

Our vision for 2023

In all ways, Eversight embodies its 2023 strategic plan goal: To be a thriving, agile and innovative organization driven by exceptional people, partnerships and practices, changing lives worldwide. What’s more, we are positioned to change lives for generations into the future.

Securing our future means we continue to provide the gift of sight for transplant recipients like Colton, for many years to come.

Eversight 2023 Strategic PlanWe have identified these strategies to achieve

our visioning, goal and mission . . .

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Increase tissue availability and placements

Objectives1.1 We will increase our tissue supply and maximize placements, including last-minute fulfillments,

through quality improvement in our processes.

Outcome: We provide high-quality tissue to meet every customer’s need, every time. Increased next-of-kin authorization and acknowledgement • Improved endothelial keratoplasty (EK) preference

outcomes • Improved recovery outcomes • Reduced “walk-away” cases • Behavior-based quality • Quality improvement technology • Real-time record reviews

1.2 Data analysis will drive our operational decisions.

Outcome: We maximize tissue placements while providing the highest level of quality and customer service.

Performance scorecards • Improved tissue placement processes • “Operations Control Tower” • Improved daily and weekly forecasting • Quality and customer service audits

1.3 We will increase our market share and secure our viability as a competitive eye bank partner.

Outcome: We serve at least 95% of the surgeon market in our domestic service areas, and attract and retain new customers each year. Customer service, retention and satisfaction • Comprehensive onboarding for new surgeons • Enhanced digital resources and communications • Interactive roundtables • Expanded offerings for fellows and residents • Eversight Young Physicians Group • Training and wet labs • Business and practice support • Enhanced hospital agreements and business contracts for priority surgery centers • New business plans, including plans for Latin America, Middle East and Asia • Medical Director engagement

1.4 We will secure new partnerships that maximize tissue availability and placements.

Outcome: Our tissue importation agreements produce positive financial and operational results. Increased tissue availability • Philosophy of partnerships • Collaboration with eye banks across the country

1.5 We will develop a comprehensive business continuity plan to ensure the availability of Eversight tissues and services under adverse conditions.

Outcome: Eversight maintains uninterrupted operations and service to surgeons under a range of adverse conditions.

Comprehensive planning and procedures • Industry-standard best practices • Lessons learned from COVID-19 • Robust planning and resources to ensure safe tissue and operations

1Strategy

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Deliver innovative services and products

Objectives2.1 We will advance and expand our research and development capabilities, specifically high-

reimbursement research service lines.

Outcome: Our in-demand services for researchers drive growth in our high-reimbursement tissue placements.

New processing techniques for in-demand, non-corneal research tissue • Advanced recovery throughout our service areas • Active R&D laboratory at the Center for Vision and Eye Banking Research • Reduced death-to-preservation time for direct research placements • Innovation in capturing donor medical history for research needs

2.2 We will establish new scientific leadership and authority.

Outcome: The scientific community pursues Eversight as a trusted, valued research partner and innovations leader—as demonstrated through our collaborations, publications and visibility.

Client and partnership growth • Publications disseminating our learnings • Industry conference presentations • Original science and research • “Think tank” programming to highlight advancements and innovations in the field • Thought leadership and visibility

2.3 We will develop a robust new product pipeline.

Outcome: We are continuously identifying and developing opportunities and partnerships to produce new products, innovations and offerings.

CorGel clinical development • DMEK offerings • Advanced product lines and new processing techniques

2Strategy

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Expand philanthropic support

Objectives3.1 We will develop and solidify more giving opportunities and relationships that grow our support

from all contributors.

Outcome: Greater giving by foundations, corporations, Lions, boards, staff and individual contributors increases philanthropic revenue to Eversight every year.

High-impact giving opportunities for Lions • Visionary Society and planned giving • Matching campaigns • Grants • Employee giving opportunities • Board engagement

3.2 We will refine fundraising strategies and capacity specific to each service region and functional area.

Outcome: Our specialized, high-impact outreach targeted to key stakeholders in each area generates increased contributions each year.

Strategies specific to relationships, capacity and opportunity in every service area • Board of Directors and Advisory Board engagement • Ongoing staff development

3.3 We will implement a comprehensive marketing strategy that advances growth in unrestricted and program-specific giving.

Outcome: We generate a growing annual level of reliable funding for general operations and projects, with robust new marketing and communications for philanthropic giving to Eversight.

Compelling campaigns and cases for support • Market research • Strategies to increase current giving • New contributors nurtured • Information, content and web development

3.4 We will generate reliable annual funding for global development and humanitarian outreach.

Outcome: Increased funding for global development expands and sustains our ability to provide international impact.

International board development • Key projects identified • Major funders developed • Visibility for global impact and funder recognition

3.5 We will expand and generate reliable annual funding for research and innovations.

Outcome: Expanded funding sustains our growing research and innovations, ensuring revenue diversification that solidifies our financial health.

Key projects identified • Major funders developed • Visibility for project impact and funder recognition

3Strategy

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Solidify our financial health

Objectives4.1 We will generate a net positive margin of $1 million every year.

Outcome: Our financial health is secure. Financial discipline across the organization • Budget process refined for flexibility and accuracy • Product and service

pricing model ensures fair market fees and margin

4.2 We will address facility needs in Ohio and New Jersey that serve our long-term opportunities and growth.

Outcome: Analyzing our projected growth and long-term needs in these locations, we will implement cost-effective solutions for facilities that best serve our operations and impact.

New Jersey lease expiration March 2023 • Ohio lease expiration April 2023

4.3 We will build our cash and investment reserves.

Outcome: Our cash and investment reserves enable us to weather business fluctuations, and invest in infrastructure, new products and services.

Cash reserve goals and management • Short-term and long-term goals for investment funds

4Strategy

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Strengthen our culture and our people

Objectives5.1 We will shape and shift our culture, and expand on our culture strengths.

Outcome: Our positive culture drives us to achieve our 2023 strategies and goal, and Eversight is certified as a Great Place To Work®.

Defined purpose, philosophy and priorities • Internal and external alignment with our core culture • Great workplace culture • High levels of employee engagement and performance • Communications that drive connection and success • High-performing employees retained • Skilled candidates attracted to Eversight

5.2 We will transform learning and development through a cloud-based learning management system.

Outcome: Training for new hires, clinical staff, leadership and all staff is efficiently and effectively delivered and measured—saving time and supporting highly skilled leaders and employees.

Continuous innovation through continuous learning • Tailored learning • Resources that close skill gaps, upskill and reskill staff and build a talent pipeline • Positive, cost-effective, simplified and flexible training and development

5.3 We will further develop our leadership effectiveness.

Outcome: We have achieved higher levels of performance, positive employee experience and a ready leadership bench for succession.

Enhanced leadership competencies • Empowering others to achieve individual, departmental and organizational goals

5.4 We will strengthen our clinical operations management team to improve accountability, and increase employee engagement and job satisfaction.

Outcome: We have improved on established metrics for customer service, interdepartmental service and staff satisfaction.

Customer service, quality and accountability for managers and supervisors • Improved communications • Mentoring and succession planning • Change management • Data to drive customer service initiatives

5.5 We will design and deploy new technical training programs for clinical operations.

Outcome: We have advanced performance standards, more effectively prepared staff for complex clinical functions, and improved employee understanding and the training experience.

Donor Eligibility, Recovery, Laboratory, Designated Trainer, cross-training and job shadowing programs • Interdepartmental learning opportunities • MAC-led learning opportunities reinforce engagement and customer service/quality mindset

5Strategy

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Broaden our global impact

Objectives6.1 We will leverage our Korea operations to increase tissue placements and our mission impact in East Asia.

Outcome: We will increase tissue placements by 15 percent in East Asia and integrate our Korea operations as part of the nation’s cornea recovery system, in partnership with the Korean government and other stakeholders.

Evaluate potential EK services • Partner with Korean Cornea Society • Reform regulations and remove barriers to effective eye banking • Charitable cornea tissue program for underserved patients

6.2 We will craft a business plan to develop Eversight International as a financially sustainable, fully functional non-government organization (NGO) for global eye health.

Outcome: We are prepared to implement our comprehensive business plan by 2023. Board development • Philanthropic funding • Plans for technology and service delivery • Peer-reviewed studies on corneal

blindness as a global public health concern

6.3 We will implement regional plans for eye bank development in the Middle East and East Asia to address major opportunities and need for mission impact.

Outcome: Our projects are fully planned and funded, and implementation is underway by 2023. Philanthropic funding for Phase 2 of Pakistan eye banking development • Development for projects in United Arab Emirates

(UAE), Egypt and Palestine

6.4 We will provide high-value training for international surgeons and eye bank partners that builds capacity in the regions we serve.

Outcome: Eversight has provided 10 significant training programs that measurably generated participant satisfaction, increased tissue placements, positive impact and visibility.

Surgical and eye bank training for select international visitors in Ann Arbor • EK wet lab in Korea

6.5 We will implement a mission trip strategy that maximizes humanitarian impact and support for our work.

Outcome: Providing our tissue and services for mission trips has generated measurable good will, visibility and philanthropic funding to support Eversight’s global development and outreach.

Strategy and offerings • Benchmarks for marketing exposure and philanthropic funding

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Create a 10-year roadmap for our future

Objectives7.1 We will develop a well-informed, agile direction for Eversight’s development through the year 2033.

Outcome: We have a clear plan for how Eversight must transform over the next 10 years toward our vision of a world without blindness.

Long-term trends and assumptions • SOAR and gap analyses • New business model • Outcome measures • Staffing and resources • Framework for regular evaluation

7Strategy

Corneal surgeons are more challenged than ever. Optimizing patient outcomes. Satisfying high patient expectations. Managing business pressures on practice. They expect more of the eye banks that serve them.

The United States’ need for transplantable cornea tissue has flattened. That need may even decline in years ahead, with the advent of new surgical techniques such as Descemet stripping only. Meanwhile, global need for cornea tissue and transplantation remains tremendous and unmet.

Technology’s ever-accelerating pace demands new services, innovation and agility—requiring capital and human investment that in turn demands efficiency and financial discipline.

We deeply considered these trends and assumptions that will drive our impact through 2023. We recognize that some of our planning assumptions are exactly that—assumptions. We recognize the need for data and further analysis to validate our thinking about how eye banking will continue to evolve, and what surgeons, patients and the world will need from us in 2023 and beyond.

Assuming technology and trends will only continue to rapidly accelerate: We expect to operate in a very different environment in ten years. We expect to serve in different ways and in more ways that will achieve our vision for a world without blindness.

What does that look like? What validates the direction we plan to take? What changes must we undertake now to ensure our viability in 2033?

Answering these questions is the focus of the final strategy of Eversight’s 2023 Strategic Plan. This work will take time, and the time to begin is now.

Our missionWe restore sight and prevent blindness through the healing power of donation,

transplantation and research.

Our visionA world without blindness.

eversightvision.org