Strategic Planning Process

In February of 2014, the SRCD Governing Council (GC) launched its newest strategic planning process to create a framework for action for the future. This process built upon, and benefited from, the success of the Society’s prior strategic plan, approved in 2005. As in the production of the 2005 plan, the formulation of the current plan was facilitated by engaging consultant Elaine Kuttner and her colleagues from Cambridge Concord Associates (CCA) to work with GC and executive staff (listed in the Appendix) in developing the new plan.

The planning process began by examining materials and records of the prior strategic planning effort, gathering input from a range of voices both inside and outside of the organization, and assembling current organizational data. Opinions were collected by CCA-led phone interviews with current and former SRCD officers, members of GC, and staff; and by SRCD-distributed surveys that were sent to SRCD members, past members, non-member Biennial Meeting attendees, committee chairs, and RFP (small grant program) grantees. In addition, GC members personally contacted colleagues outside the organization for their perspectives on the Society and the field.

Three in-person strategic planning meetings of GC were held under the leadership of CCA to discuss collected data and to generate and evaluate ideas that emerged. At the first meeting in May of 2014, held as an extension of the regular Spring GC meeting in Philadelphia, Council members assessed progress on the previous strategic plan, examined the current state of the Society, and analyzed the Society’s external environment for potential challenges and opportunities. This work set the stage for the second planning meeting, held in September 2014 in San Antonio as a dedicated strategic planning retreat. At that meeting, Council members reevaluated the Society’s mission and developed an initial set of goals intended to move this mission forward in the coming years. The third meeting was held in December 2014 in San Diego as an extension of a regularly scheduled GC meeting. GC members refined the strategic goals and attendant strategies, and discussed how the Society’s organizational and governance structures might be adapted to align with the new plan.

A draft of the proposed SRCD strategic goals as developed by GC, with consultation and guidance from CCA, reflected input provided by GC, staff, a sample of members, SRCD committee chairs, and other stakeholders. In January and February, 2015, the core of the strategic plan (background, discussion of mission, and identified goals) was shared with SRCD members on this website, and members were invited to provide comments by responding to a short set of questions. The Strategic Planning Committee summarized feedback and shared it with GC prior to the March 2015 GC meeting. At the GC meeting immediately preceding the 2015 Biennial, GC made revisions based on members’ responses, approved the plan, and presented it to members at the Biennial business meeting. GC has approved the final plan and it will serve for the next decade as the organizing structure for formulating, adopting, and monitoring specific strategies designed to move toward the identified goals.

List of Governing Council Participants in
Strategic Planning Process, 2014-2015 Governing Council