Strategic planning provides communities with a systematic and disciplined way of setting goals and objectives and determining how they can be accomplished given the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats posed by a changing economy and the community's given resources. A comprehensive strategic plan that is representative of diverse perspectives is a helpful resource when charting the future of communities throughout Mississippi. Strategic planning is a cyclical process that requires monitoring, modifying, and periodic updating.

Community leaders and elected officials are instructed on organizing effective citizen groups to collect, compile, and analyze community data. This provides a base of information from which major issue areas can be identified and task forces can be formed. A vision and/or mission statement guides the efforts of the various task forces, which are responsible for developing, reporting, implementing, and evaluating a plan of action.

The process involves:

• Focusing on local resources that proactively address future needs and change
• Looking inward at the community’s hopes and dreams while considering the impact of the external environment
• Offering diverse and widespread involvement and empowerment of residents
• Adopting a process that is quickly evaluated and revised should circumstances warrant necessary change
• Being action-oriented in the present while planning for the future

Contact Al Myles for more information on strategic planning and assistance.