Business Planning for the Partnership

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Business Planning for the Partnership

• Why Prepare a Business Plan?
• One Plan for the Partnership
• Locally Led Conservation and Your Business Plan
• Crunch Time -- Writing the Plan
• Implementing the Plan

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Why Prepare a Business Plan?

• County budget requests
• Project communication
• Legislative contacts

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The foundation for business planning must be done
at the grassroots level.
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What benefits and results can we expect from
effective planning and accountability?
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There is a critical need for better planning and
accountability. What factors cause us to plan
more effectively and be more accountable - what
are the driving forces?
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One Partnership Business Plan

• District
• Soil Conservation Commission
• Natural Resources Conservation Service

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One Plan for the Partnership

• Districts legal requirements can be met

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One Plan for the Partnership

• Districts legal requirements can be met
• Schedule can coincide with district/state needs

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One Plan for the Partnership

• Districts legal requirements can be met
• Schedule can coincide with district/state needs
• Seamless delivery system

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One Plan for the Partnership

• Districts legal requirements can be met
• Schedule can coincide with district/state needs
• Seamless delivery system
• All parties credited for their joint efforts

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Getting the Public Involved
Locally Led Conservation and the Business Plan
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Natural resources exist at the local
level.People at the local level in turn impact
those resources.Therefore...
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Local people need to...

• Determine their resource conditions, concerns,
  and opportunities
• Determine the environment they want to live in
• Develop options

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Local people also need to...

• Decide on a course of action, who is going to do
  what and when
• Seek assistance and funding
• Pursue their course of action
• Monitor their efforts and make adjustments

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The Bottom Line is...

• If the local people dont do it,
• its not going to get done!

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Public Meeting Agenda

• History of the District

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Public Meeting Agenda

• History of the District
• Success Stories from within the District

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Public Meeting Agenda

• History of the District
• Success Stories from within the District
• Maps of Resource Concerns

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Public Meeting Agenda

• History of the District
• Success Stories from within the District
• Maps of Resource Concerns
• Trends in land use and condition of the resources

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Public Meeting Agenda

• History of the District
• Success Stories from within the District
• Maps of Resource Concerns
• Trends in land use and condition of the resources
• Public input to what issues they see as most
  critical to the district

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Crunch Time -- Writing the Plan
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Business Planning Steps

• 1. Obtain Public Participation
• 2. Assess Conservation Needs
• 3. Identify Resource Priorities
• 4. Set Goals

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• 5. Identify Programs and Funding Sources
• 6. Develop a Local Business Plan
• 7. Implement the Plan
• 8. Measure Progress

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The Components of a Local Business Plan
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Business Plan Key Elements

• Critical Natural Resource Issues
• Geographic Areas of Concern
• Performance Goals
• Objectives
• Action Items

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Business Plan Key Elements

• Starting and Ending Dates
• Responsible Persons
• Progress
• Local, State, or National Initiative
• Comments

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Objectives, Goals, and Action Items

• The Objective is to Win The Game.
• The Goals are what you score towards winning the
  game.
• The Action Items are the plays you make to score
  a goal.

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Objectives

• Your vision of what your district could look like
• The desired condition of your district
• The IDEAL state of the resources in your district
  

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Example Objectives

• Maintain and Enhance Cropland Productivity
• Protect Farmland from Conversion to
  Non-agricultural Uses
• Protect Water Resources from Agricultural
  Non-point Sources of Impairment
• Deliver High Quality Services to the Public

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Goals

• Performance Goals should be specific -- Acres
  improved, personnel achievements, systems
  installed.
• Performance Goals can be tied to individuals or
  the group, to separate agencies or the entire
  partnership

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Goals

• All of the parties will then have a clear picture
  of what needs to be accomplished.

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Action Items

• An Action Verb
• A Timeframe
• A Responsible Person
• Action Items may call for a complete work plan
  for a project

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Test Your Action Items

• C-lear
• C-oncise
• S-pecific
• M-easurable
• A-ttainable
• R-elevant
• T-rackable

The CC-Smart Test
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Goal Statements and Action Items Help Achieve the
Objective

• Objective Maintain and enhance cropland
  productivity
• Goal Write conservation plans on 15,000 acres of
  dry cropland per year
• Action Item Develop conservation plan guidance
  documents for dry cropland.

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Goal Statements and Action Items Help Achieve the
Objective

• Objective Maintain and enhance cropland
  productivity
• Goal Hold a direct seeding tour in Fish Creek
  watershed
• Action Item A complete plan of work is provided
  in attachment B.

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Goal Statements and Action Items Help Achieve the
Objective

• Objective Deliver quality services to the public
• Goal Six conservation articles in the local
  newspaper
• Action Item Contact editor in February, May, and
  August with ideas and local success stories.

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Goal Statements and Action Items Help Achieve the
Objective

• Objective Deliver quality services to the public
• Goal Increase in poster contest contestants by
  20
• Action Item Contact four schools with
  promotional material in October.

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Implementing the Plan

• Set Priorities
• For Customer Service
• For Resource Issues
• Recognize the Limitations
• Staff
• Time

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Implementing the Plan

• Use your resources effectively
• Make the Most of your Meetings
• Combine funding with partners to achieve common
  goals
• Locate and use volunteers

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Implementing the Plan

• Review and Adjust your plan
• Recognize that even the best-laid plans will meet
  with obstacles
• a new crisis will occur
• disasters will befall us
• agency priorities will change

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The End

• For more information or additional training on
  business plan writing, contact your division
  Capacity Building representative.