As in any community-building effort, the entire community must be involved from day one in the development of a strategic plan. Decisions must be data driven, so information must be collected from both internal and external sources before the plan can be developed.

The plan must include:

-Accountability, or who is to be responsible for what tasks

-A timeline for implementation and completion

-Budget and resource identification

A matrix or activity grid can help in laying out all the components for examination. Many drafts will be needed, as each a series of reviews will bring about refinements. At a designated time when all are comfortable with the plan or can live with its actions, it should be presented to the governing body for approval. Once approved, implementation can begin.