Organization

 ROADMAP

Executive Summary

Bridges Strong is a nonprofit dedicated to providing accessible engineering education to adults (18-50) in underserved communities across the USA and Latin America. By addressing stark STEM education gaps—only 23% of adults aged 25-64 in Latin America and 30% in rural USA hold higher education degrees—we empower individuals to innovate and solve local challenges. Our bilingual, device-agnostic programs, inspired by Khan Academy and Kid Spark Education, leverage online videos, workshops, and partnerships to foster community-driven enterprises. By 2030, we aim to reach 5,000 learners, support 100+ enterprises, and contribute $500,000 to local economies through 50+ projects. As of July 2025, we’ve launched four pilot videos (three English, one Spanish), targeting 500 YouTube and website views by Q4 2025. This roadmap outlines our strategic plan to achieve these goals, seeking $500,000+ annually from businesses, foundations, and private donors to drive impact.

Vision

A world where individuals from all backgrounds access science and engineering knowledge to innovate, solve local problems, and build thriving communities through teamwork, respect, and empowerment.

Mission

To deliver high-quality, accessible engineering education to adults in underserved areas, using videos, lectures, and partnerships to spark creativity, economic opportunities, and collaboration.

Values

  • Equity: Ensuring access for all, regardless of socioeconomic or cultural barriers.

  • Collaboration: Fostering teamwork across communities, educators, and partners.

  • Innovation: Empowering learners to create sustainable, community-driven solutions.

Market Need and Impact

Underserved communities in the USA and Latin America face significant STEM education barriers:

  • Latin America: Only 10-15% of rural adults aged 25-64 have higher education, with 15-20% of degrees in engineering-related fields (UNESCO/OECD, 2020–2022).

  • USA: 30% of rural adults hold higher education degrees, with only ~5% in engineering (NCES, 2021-2022).

Our programs offer bilingual (English/Spanish), device-agnostic content,  promoting diverse role models (e.g., Elena Ochoa, Guillermo Gonzalez Camarena) and aligning with three phases of education:

    1. Capturing the interest of adults with limited engineering knowledge via engaging short-videos connecting real life problems with science and engineering solutions.

    2. Focusing on engineering and its connection to innovation and growth and offer adults low-cost technical certifications

    3. Guide students toward pursuing higher education in this field.

Example impacts include:

  • Rainwater capture projects in rural Mexico, saving 100 households $300/year.

  • Solar lamp projects in rural USA, saving 50 households $200/year.

By closing education gaps, we unlock economic potential, foster enterprises, and drive technological progress.

Goals

Program Objectives

  • Deliver high-quality content through peer-reviewed guidelines, ensuring accuracy and alignment with trade school standards.

  • Develop solution-driven programs (e.g., rainwater systems, solar lamps) via community partnerships.

  • Evaluate programs through surveys for continuous improvement.

Organizational Objectives

  • Streamline volunteer and community participation using agile frameworks and clear processes.

  • Extend reach via social media, university/business partnerships, and in-person demonstrations.

  • Support scalability through repositories (GitHub/GitLab) and metadata.

Scope

Content:

  • Problem-based engineering lectures,

  • AI tools,

  • project management,

  • financial advice.

Platforms:

Squarespace (website publishing), GitHub/GitLab (data repositories), Jira/Trello (project management), Zoom/Teams (collaboration), Speechify/Murf AI, Adobe (audio/video production).

Stakeholders:

Engineering professors, educators, volunteers, video creators, financial institutions, community partners.

Outputs:

Video lectures, documentation, kits, workshops, career/business models.

Languages:

English, Spanish.

Content Mix:

70% educational, 20% informational, 10% promotional.

Strategic Plan

Phase 1: Foundation (2025–2026)

  • Fundraising: (Q4 2025–Q4 2027)

    • $5,000 in 2025 (events in DC/Baltimore, private donors);

    • $600,000 for 2026–2027 (social media, fundraising events).

  • Volunteer Recruitment: (Q4 2025–Q1 2026)

    • 2 engineering students,

    • 5 interns

    • marketing

    • two university professors,

Funding 2025

  • Program Development: (Q4 2025-Q4 2026)

    • Launch five pilot videos (e.g., origami in biomedical engineering) by Q4 2025;

    • Identify two community-driven programs (Q2–Q4 2026).

  • Community Engagement:

    • Online lectures (Q3 2026).

Administration:

    • Tools:

      • Adopt Jira for organization (Q4 2025); secure two university MOUs (Q1 2026).

    • Contingency:

      • Use free Trello if $10,000 not raised by (Q4 2025); leverage internships if volunteer recruitment lags, reduce number of lectures if $300,000 not raised by (Q2 2026).

Phase 4: Scale (2028)

  • Workshops: Launch interactive prototype sessions with local partners; evaluate via on-site feedback (Q1 2028).

  • Expansion: Adapt programs for Brazil and Peru based on demand (Q2 2028).

Phase 5: Global Outreach (2028+)

  • Research global needs (e.g., Africa); seek international funding (Q3 2028).

Phase 2–3: Growth (2027)

  • Recruitment: Build full volunteer pool and staff (3 FTE by Q1 2027).

  • Program Development: Create five workshop templates (e.g., rainwater systems, solar lamps); develop curricula and certifications (Q4 2027).

  • Partnerships: Collaborate with financial institutions for trade training and project management (Q3 2027).

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

  • 2025: 500 YouTube/website views; $5,000 raised; five pilot videos launched.

  • 2026: 200 subscribers; two community programs identified; 1,000 X/Instagram followers, $300,000 raised.

  • 2027: 50 workshop participants; five certified curricula.

  • 2028: 10 community projects launched; 80% donor satisfaction; 90% subscriber satisfaction.

Fundraising and Revenue Strategy

  • 2025–2026: Events (20%), social media fundraisers (20%), business partnerships (20%), private donors (40%).

  • 2027+: Foundation contributions (40%), business partnerships (20%), social media (20%), certifications (20%).

  • Target: $500,000+/year by 2027 for operations, staffing, and scholarships.

  • Donor Benefits: Naming opportunities, impact reports, exclusive briefings, and alignment with CSR goals.

Resource Requirements

  • Staffing:

    • CEO (0.5 FTE in 2025, 1 FTE in 2026+);

    • volunteers (1 FTE in 2026, 2 FTE in 2027+); staff (3 FTE by 2027).

  • Scholarships:

    • $20,000 for 20 students in 2027.

  • Infrastructure:

    • Squarespace ($1,000/year),

    • AI tools (e.g., Grok, ElevenLabs; $1,000/year),

    • Zoom/X/Instagram/YouTube for outreach ($300/year).

SWOT Analysis

  • Strengths: Expert board, university collaborations, bilingual content, volunteer opportunities.

  • Weaknesses: Limited initial funding, volunteer recruitment challenges.

  • Opportunities: Resume-building for students, partnerships with businesses/universities, larger pool engineering students in the future.

  • Threats: Limited internet access in rural areas; mitigated by device-agnostic content and offline workshops.

Communication Plan

  • Website: Publish roadmap on bridges-strong.org.

  • Social Media: Bimonthly X posts; 1,000 followers by Q4 2026.

  • Newsletters: Quarterly updates on accomplishments, goals, and roadblocks.

  • Donor Engagement: Biannual Zoom town halls, exclusive briefings, and site visits.

Metrics:

  • 80% donor satisfaction, 90% subscriber satisfaction via surveys.

Risks and Mitigations

Timeline and Milestones

  • Q3–Q4 2025: Launch five pilot videos; raise $10,000; recruit initial volunteers.

  • Q1–Q3 2026: Identify communities; develop two programs; reach 200 subscribers, secure $300,000.

  • 2027: Launch workshops; certify curricula; secure $500,000.

  • 2028: Implement 10 community projects; expand to Brazil/Peru.