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It also includes conducting performance management, identifying benchmark communities, selecting measures, and preparing for ad hoc requests.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},240477,1791733782,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,87,92,97,102,107,112,117,122],{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":85,"slug":86},90,"presentations",{"id":88,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":93,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":94,"show_sort_weight":95,"slug":96},14,"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":98,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":99,"show_sort_weight":100,"slug":101},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":103,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":104,"show_sort_weight":105,"slug":106},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":108,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":109,"show_sort_weight":110,"slug":111},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":113,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":114,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,"Letters",30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":55,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":135,"language":136,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":137,"faqs":138,"seo_title":139,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":140,"read_time":103},687207024478,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_a8503ba1806abce46bf441b54a3ca4cd","STRATEGIC PLANNING IN SMALL COMMUNITIES  \nA MANAGER’S MANUAL  \nSeptember 2022  \nSTEPHANIE DEAN DAVIS, Ph. D.  \nSTEPHANIE DEAN DAVIS, PH.D., is a collegiate assistant professor and the program director for the Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia.  \nPrior to her position with Virginia Tech, Davis served in local government for 20 years as a budget and management analyst; finance, human resources, and information technology director; and as vice president/consultant for a national consulting firm. Her research interests include public sector budgeting, regional collaboration, and inter-local relations.  \nDavis [holds a Ph.D. in](holds a Ph.D. in) public policy and administration, a master of public administration, and a bachelor of science in economics. She serves on the Commission on Local Government for the state of the Virginia, the GFOA Budgeting for 2020 and Beyond Task Force, and GFOA’s Educational Advisory Committee.  \nConnect with Stephanie:  \n[sddavis@vt.edu](sddavis@vt.edu)  \nABOUT THE AUTHOR  \nThis report was completed as part of ICMA’s Local Government Research Fellowship program. ICMA Research Fellows are practitioners and academics that conduct action-oriented research addressing important trends, drivers, and issues facing local governments. Their work advances ICMA’s strategic priority to provide thought leadership and resources that support members and other local government stakeholders in creating and sustaining thriving communities throughout the world.  \n2 STRATEGIC PLANNING IN SMALL COMMUNITIES: A MANAGER’S MANUAL  \nTable of Contents  \n4 Foreword  \n5 Introduction  \n5 Report Organization  \n5 Overview of the Research Report and Process  \n7 Why Do Strategic Planning?  \n7 As an Accountability Tool  \n7 As a Prioritization Tool  \n8 As a Communication Tool  \n8 Organizational Capacity Challenges In Small Communities  \n8 Financial Capacity  \n9 Administrative Capacity  \n9 Leadership Capacity  \n11 Strategic Planning inAction  \n11 Initial Steps for Developing the Strategic Plan  \n11 Developing Leadership Support  \n12 Establishing a Strategic Planning Committee  \n13 Determining the Level of Community Engagement  \n14 Determining Preferences for Facilitation  \n14 Considering the Costs and Funding Available  \n15 Conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges (SWOC) Analysis  \n16 Planning for the Logistics  \n17 Structuring the Retreat  \n18 Developing the Strategic Plan  \n18 Developing the Mission  \n18 Developing the Vision  \n18 Establishing Values  \n19 Developing Goals  \n20 Developing Strategies  \n22 We Have a Strategic Plan, Now What?  \n22 Adopting the Strategic Plan  \n23 Reporting on Progress  \n24 Linking to the Budget  \n24 Updating the Strategic Plan  \n26 Conducting Performance Management  \n26 What is Performance Management?  \n26 Identify Benchmark Communities  \n27 Identify Common Questions  \n27 Prepare for Ad Hoc Requests  \n27 Consider What Types of Measures to Use  \n28 Case Studies/Best Practices  \n28 Mariposa County, California  \n29 Town of Vinton, Virginia  \n30 City of Stevenson, Washington  \n31 Village of Lindenhurst, Illinois  \n32 Town of Rolesville, North Carolina  \n34 Appendix A: Full Survey Results  \n45 References  \n46 Photo Credits  \nSTRATEGIC PLANNING IN SMALL COMMUNITIES: A MANAGER’S MANUAL 3  \n4  \nForeword  \nL  \nike everything else in the time of the pandemic, strategic planning has become more difficult. Between the intensely partisan and divisive  \npolitics of 2020 and the complete uncertainty of budget numbers, thinking about mission statements or visionary goals seems superfluous to many elected officials and nonsensical to others. Elected officials find themselves inundated at public hearings by residents demanding answers to national COVID policies, when the virus will be stopped, or when they can go back to their regular life. Residents want to debate the merits of critical race theory and how to address an individual’s preferre","cbCaicnVbDY3IAsH","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaicnVbDY3IAsH","pdf",3532503,47,"English","# Foreword\n# Introduction\n## Report Organization\n## Overview of the Research Report and Process\n# Why Do Strategic Planning?\n## As an Accountability Tool\n## As a Prioritization Tool\n## As a Communication Tool\n# Organizational Capacity Challenges In Small Communities\n## Financial Capacity\n## Administrative Capacity\n## Leadership Capacity\n# Strategic Planning in Action\n## Initial Steps for Developing the Strategic Plan\n## Developing Leadership Support\n## Establishing a Strategic Planning Committee\n## Determining the Level of Community Engagement\n## Determining Preferences for Facilitation\n## Considering the Costs and Funding Available\n## Conducting a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Challenges (SWOC) Analysis\n## Planning for the Logistics\n## Structuring the Retreat\n## Developing the Strategic Plan\n## We Have a Strategic Plan, Now What?\n## Adopting the Strategic Plan\n## Reporting on Progress\n## Linking to the Budget\n## Updating the Strategic Plan\n## Conducting Performance Management\n## What is Performance Management?\n## Identify Benchmark Communities\n## Identify Common Questions\n## Prepare for Ad Hoc Requests\n## Consider What Types of Measures to Use\n## Case Studies/Best Practices\n## Appendix A: Full Survey Results\n# References\n# Photo Credits","[{\"question\":\"Why is strategic planning difficult for small communities during disruptive periods, and what value does it still provide?\",\"answer\":\"The manual argues that uncertainty and divisive pressures can make mission statements and long-term goals seem irrelevant. Strategic planning, linked to the local budget process, helps leaders share facts, establish goals, and set priorities so communities can focus on what is right and possible.\"},{\"question\":\"How do financial, administrative, and leadership capacity challenges affect strategic planning?\",\"answer\":\"The report highlights that small communities often face limitations in financial, administrative, and leadership capacity. These constraints shape how leaders develop plans, build support, and choose engagement and facilitation approaches.\"},{\"question\":\"What are the core steps after creating a strategic plan?\",\"answer\":\"After developing the plan, the manual covers adoption, reporting on progress, linking the plan to the budget, and updating the plan over time. It also includes conducting performance management, identifying benchmark communities, selecting measures, and preparing for ad hoc requests.\"}]","Strategic Planning in Small Communities - A Manager’s Manual | PDF",1789161890]