Strategic and Economic Development Planning (Item # Strategic Planning)

STRATEGIC AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING: A How-To Manual For Local Government; 1993-1997. Price: $29.00. Manual in 3-Ring Binder.

This how-to and self-help manual was developed by Institute staff, strategic planners, and economic development specialists following a nationwide review of selected programs and materials. The manual details three alternative approaches to strategic planning, one of which is specifically oriented towards economic development. This was the base model we used in our contract with ICMA to develop their new training package on strategic planning for local economic development.

The manual not only explains the who, what, when, where, why and how of local government strategic and/or economic development planning, but also includes all the sample processes, policies, procedures, forms, checklists, etc. required to implement and maintain a successful, cost-effective program. The material is also well suited for communities who wish to use it for a strategic visioning or planning project.

Principal Benefits:

- A clear vision of what strategic planning is, "looks like", and can do
- Saves lots of staff and committee work; less reinventing of the wheel
- More successful strategic planning processes and outcomes
- Enhanced tax base and improved community services
- Increased quality of community life

Contents:

The Introduction includes an orientation on public sector strategic and economic development planning, and material on the fundamental principles of strategic planning.

Traditional Strategic Planning Model section includes material on getting organized, developing mission and goals, external and internal analysis, environmental scans and resource audits, developing objectives and strategic actions, developing action plans, implementation, monitoring and updating.

Visionary Strategic Planning Model section includes elements of the traditional model, but is more oriented towards "beginning with the end in mind", consensus visioning, strategic action development strategic action assessment, and strategic implementation.

Economic Development Planning Model section includes elements of the traditional strategic planning moel, but is oriented toward economic development. Units include starting with the economic base, analyzing current economic development efforts, identifying SWOT's (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats), inventorying
programs and projects, setting priorities, strategic action ranking, project/pogram analysis, and strategic action implementation. Includes a number of suggested model forms for use.

Appendices include a reading list and bibiography, sources of data for use in environomental scanning and resource auditing, and a variety of used forms and checklists, such as community checklist, industrial site data forms, industrial building data forms, merchant survey, commercial district land use survey, confidential business survey, and commericial area consumer survey.

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Last modified on Friday, January 14, 2000