The Model
Getting Started
The community and ISU Extension must understand the
program purpose, steps, and timeline, and commit the needed resources
to complete the process. A working group of approximately 45
people representing all perspectives and interests in the community will
be formed.
The community will:
form an initiating group (5 to 10 people) who will recruit
a working group (approximately 45 people)
secure financial and time commitments
help the working group members get to know each other,
understand the program, and design a structure for their tasks
create a means for ongoing communication with the
larger community (e.g., regular newspaper feature, special
newsletter) to share information as the program progresses
inventory similar community planning and training
programs conducted in recent years
identify skill building and training needs and schedule into
the process
ISU Extension to Communities will:
form an ISU Extension facilitation team (community
development specialist and county extension education director)
explain program, time frame and expected commitments
facilitate formation of initiating group and working group
explain community capitals, asset-based development,
and elements of successful collaboration
Preliminary Visions
Collect information on residents' desires for the future of the
community and identify similarities and differences among the ideas.
Determine issues of most importance to the community.
The community will:
gather broad-based input from the community
delegate short-term projects to implement (if appropriate)
communicate the preliminary visions with the
larger community
ISU Extension to Communities will:
provide techniques for this process
facilitate the visioning process
summarize issues and opportunities for your
community's future
Community Profiles
A "reality check" of current situation to identify community
assets available for development. Conduct a self-study using the
framework of community capital. Participants learn how to access, analyze,
and apply data and information.
The community will:
identify indicators of community capital to examine and
collect data in smaller study teams
summarize and present findings to other study teams
synthesize findings from all study teams (what does it
all mean?)
disseminate highlights via communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
explain framework of community capital
assist groups in data collection, analysis and presentation
facilitate analysis and synthesis of data (what does it all mean?)
Community Capitals
Framework for Community Profiles
Community Capital is the collection of assets a community
can use in the development process. There are five different kinds
of community capital:
Human capital: skills, talents, health, and vitality of people
Social capital: organizations, associations,
relationships, and level of trust among people, spirit of volunteerism
Environmental capital: physical features of the
landscape, soil productivity, raw resources, mountains, and rivers
Constructed physical capital: developed by human
art, skill or effort, e.g., facilities, equipment, roads,
buildings, works of art, manufactured products
Financial capital: monetary resources
Each of the five types of capital can be used to create other
things of value to us, things that improve our quality of life.
Research suggests that the most critical capital is social capital. Without
it, none of the others can be developed and mobilized to
improve community quality of life.
Alternative Scenarios
Explore a variety of directions and "what if " scenarios for
future development (e.g., what if data trends continue? what if we
implement certain strategies?). Determine the feasibility and desirability of
options.
The community will:
articulate alternative scenarios and examine them for
feasibility and desirability
visit "peer cities" to learn about development options
disseminate findings via the communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
develop and facilitate scenario building process
identify "peer cities" to learn about development options
Community Vision
After examining community assets, alternate scenarios, and
possible strategies, your community will define its future direction.
The community will:
develop a single, shared community vision based on the
information gathered in previous steps
build community-wide consensus for the vision
identify measurable benchmarks for monitoring progress
disseminate the vision via the communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
develop techniques for and facilitate this process
Strategic Plan
Identify short and long-term strategies, prioritize strategies, and
assess feasibility, realistic timeline for implementation.
The community will:
create plan
assess feasibility of identified strategies
prioritize strategies
set up process to monitor progress
disseminate plan via communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
facilitate the planning process
provide technical assistance on some strategies and projects
broker with other institutions for technical assistance on
some strategies and projects
Action
Projects and strategies that move your community toward its desired future.
The community will:
expand citizen involvement (implementation occurs through subcommittees)
work on projects
report on progress via communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
provide technical assistance on some strategy/projects (including data and
information)
broker with other institutions for technical assistance on some strategy/projects
help community learn to be good consumer of technical assistance/consulting
Benchmarking
Ongoing evaluation of both process of program and progress toward goals.
The community will:
select benchmark indicators for action plan
participate in periodic evaluation
plan public "celebration" of progress and success
report on progress via communications network
ISU Extension to Communities will:
develop suggested benchmark indicators for action plan
train benchmarking subgroup members in their task
return to community every six months to participate in evaluation
facilitate plan modifications
Building Communities for
Tomorrow
