Questions and Answers regarding the SFCA Strategic Planning Process
Outcomes and products we want from the planning process
-To develop a strategic plan thatfulfils the National Endowment for the Arts requirements and set a course for the state arts agency.
-For all staff, board, and accountability partners to have a clear understanding of what we are supposed to do and how we are supposed to do it.
-To develop a plan that is visionary yet attainable.
What do we want to learn from this process?
-Are our programs threatened?
-Where the SFCA can go/is going in the future.
-What other state arts agencies are doing that works, and how we can implement those ideas
-How to best evaluate ourselves and make improvements
What are the most important questions we want to answer?
-Are our programs viable, and if so, what makes them viable?
-Are we applying funding to the highest priority/effective programs?
-What do our communities want and how can we partner with them?
What features of our current plan and other plans do we like and dislike?
-Participation was outside our core (like), yet inside the core did not (dislike).
-What are opportunities for improvement?
What have we accomplished? That we value most? That we want to build on?
Going forward, what do we recognize as (a) strengths and (b) opportunities for improvement?
-We need to ensureour programs are relevant and maximally effective for the resources we have/can acquire
-Chapter 9 should be reviewed
-All programs and decisions should align with our values and strategic priorities.
What are the most important trends affecting our organization? Internal/external threats.
What factual information do we need to gather?
- About our constituents
- About our organization
- About organizations like us
- About our environment
How will the planning process increase our value to constituents and perhaps gain new constituents?
-Open public meetings that are advertised and promoted
-Use technology to increase access
-Develop a plan with and for constituents. Ask for a wide range of input.
-Built-in mechanisms for expansion
Questions to address in proposal
How can our most important authorities, supporters, and partners be engaged in the planning process in order to facilitate their buy-ins to the plan goals and resource requirements?
What Strategic alliances might we want to establish or enhance over the life of this plan?
Non-art entities
Rural/underserved communities
Government
Legislature
Military
Tourism
Private industry
Small businesses
Cultural groups
Arts entities
Young people
Senior citizens
Propose how this planning process will facilitate strategic alliances and other relationships that we want to establish or enhance over the life of this plan?
Propose how this planning process will further our marketing and development goals?
What documents/products would help us to communicate and manage our plan?
What planning activities can best produce the outcomes and products we want, given the resources we have for the process?
How can the planning process be structured to unite our board, staff, project partners, supporters, constituents and underserved communities in support of the agenda that results as our plan?
In preparing for this process, how do we educate stakeholder and constituent groups about our current program?