Why Strategic Planning Matters for Rural Communities

By Jeff Hofaker, PCDC Executive Director

We have discussed both community and economic development basics in the last few articles. Our discussion today will cover planning, specifically strategic planning.  

In a few, unique locations across the country, growth seems to occur almost naturally without any formal planning. These growth areas are typically known as “boom towns” because of specific geographic locations, like “Sunbelt” communities or areas with a strong base of diversified businesses that somewhat ‘magnify’ the effect of workforce/family growth by having multiple larger-scale primary businesses that increase the need for secondary businesses to support the citizens/workforce growth of the community.

However, creating a diversified and stable economy and the consistent improvement of the local standard of living generally occur through a well-directed and citizen-involved planning process. Phelps County is blessed to have organizations and citizens who are progressive planners. Unfortunately, in many rural communities, long-term planning is not always a priority. Too often, strategic planning is talked about and, when acted on, eventually stalls or proves flawed for a variety of reasons. It all comes down to taking appropriate actions to get the movement flowing forward, which must include:

1. Proper community and organizational involvement (broader involvement is best),
2. External guidance (usually a professional group to moderate group sessions working with local leaders), working with internal support (staff and volunteers),
3. The right purpose for community needs (leadership may want a study performed to create an “active” roadmap to improve and provide betterment for the community), and
4. Consistent follow-through (a deliberate intention for group(s) to follow through on action points to a project’s completion).

Dwight D. Eisenhower stated, “Plans are nothing, planning is everything.” His intention behind the quote was: The ‘process’ of creating, designing a direction, and having action with leadership involvement is imperative to the plan’s success. “The planning” is important, not just the plan itself.    

Every community is different, and its overall planning should be unique to coincide with its resources, business needs, foundational culture and a specific vision that organizations and civic leaders seek to provide for a community’s future growth.  

A design for a local strategic plan should be one-of-a-kind and responsive to the local situation of various current ‘needs’ and future ‘wants’ of the community. A community/business becomes innovative and proactive through keeping its positive culture, yet embracing change. Pursuing change can be difficult and usually creates some conflict. These conflicts can be internal or external. However, through civil and honest communication, any such conflicts due to change bring about a stronger community/business.  

It is natural for people to resist change, but the economic well-being of a community is dependent upon constant adaptation (innovation) to changing conditions. The easiest and least controversial course of action for a community is usually to do “nothing,” but unfortunately, that decision to “do nothing” leads to a declining community and economy. It has been stated, “Not to decide is a decision in itself.”  

To this day, I remember my basketball coach telling our team that “If you fail to plan, you had better plan to fail!” This is a statement that holds true in all areas of life, including that of growing a business and a community.  

The reality for a community is that it cannot possibly tackle everything at once in making improvements for its goals; so strategic planning must be part of the game plan. Effective community strategic planning helps establish “desired goals and needs” to achieve a “better tomorrow.” It is critical to focus resources on issues and goals that are deemed most important to attain that “better tomorrow” instead of hopelessly dealing with every concern to satisfy everyone’s wants “now.”

Prioritization for a plan must occur after ideas are collected from business and community leadership groups. The word ‘strategic’ (in planning) focuses the point of the prioritization for a community plan, but it does not exclude the great ideas brought up during discussion, whose timing may not yet be right to implement.  

I am reminded of a quote from Thomas Jefferson suggesting that long-term planning encourages forward-thinking and vision: “I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past.”  

PCDC, working with multiple leadership groups several years ago, created an active strategic plan to plot a path for economic and community development in Phelps County. Its focus has been to ‘Grow Opportunities” within Phelps County to encourage a healthy and vibrant economy. One part of Growing Opportunities has been the creation of the GO! Programs. Because of the LB840 funds supported by local sales tax collection, PCDC has been able to assist and encourage business and community development activities. We will discuss these individual programs and future planning activities for updating the current strategic plan in upcoming article(s).  

It has been enlightening to hear ideas and thoughts from discussions with business, non-profit, civic, and government leaders across Phelps County, so we can make improvements to the current plan.  Remember, ideas and discussion lead to planning, which can be a roadmap for a “better tomorrow.”