The New Hampshire Planners Association promotes, assists, and supports the professional planner in the goal of achieving planning excellence to improve the quality of life today and tomorrow in New Hampshire’s communities.

STRATEGIC GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

I. GOAL: INCREASE CREDIBILITY OF PLANNING AMONG COMMUNITY DECISION-MAKERS AND THE PUBLIC

Objective #1: Increase awareness of the value and benefits of planning.

Implementation Plan:

• Encourage planners to bring their expertise and interest in planning to primary and secondary schools utilizing assistance from APA programs.

  Objective #2: Increase the visibility of the Association

  Implementation Plan:

• Issue press releases (including awards and announcements) on a regular basis.
• Identify various media sources that have assisted our outreach efforts and recognize their contributions by bestowing annual Media awards.
• Develop and distribute public service announcements to radio and commercial broadcast television and local cable access stations.
• Provide a welcome wagon for new planners in the state.
• Offer assistance to communities recruiting planners.

II. GOAL: BUILD AND MAINTAIN ALLIANCES WITH RELATED PROFESSIONS AND PLANNING ORGANIZATIONS

Objective #1: Improve outreach.

Implementation Plan:

• Identify related professions and exchange mailing lists (such as engineers, surveyors, natural scientists; and planning organizations such as OSP, NNECAPA, APA, MAP, VPA, PlanNH, Inherit NH, economic development councils), and other allied organizations).
• Establish regular, reciprocal newsletter exchange with related professions and planning organizations.
• Establish and maintain a master calendar of planning events, conferences and workshops in conjunction with the OSP events calendar.
• Maintain a Public Information Officer to serve as an organization spokesperson and point-of-contact for information about NHPA.
• Invite related professionals and planning organizations to attend NHPA conferences.

III. GOAL: PROMOTE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Objective #1: Raise the awareness of technology and resources for planning.

Implementation Plan:

• Develop and provide training sessions and co-sponsor with allied organizations when appropriate.
• Evaluate the use of capital reserves for additional educational opportunities for the membership.
• Identify and utilize resources from APA and NNECAPA.
• Promote the Internet as a planning resource.
• Co-sponsor conferences with the NH Office of State Planning (the annual Spring Planning and Zoning Conference) and the NH Municipal Association (the fall Annual Conference, Law Lecture Series) and others.

  Objective #2: Develop awards and other methods of recognition for outstanding achievement of individual planners.

  Implementation Plan:

• Present awards at the annual meeting.
• Consider changing award program to proactive awards (e.g., Certificates of Recognition) that do not require applications.
• Individual members should work with local media to establish relationships.

  Objective #3: Enhance membership services.

  Implementation Plan:

• Produce and distribute a timely, topical, scintillating (and informative) newsletter.

  Objective #4: Use the website to enhance communication.

  Implementation Plan:

• Put the newsletter online with password for members.
• Distribute Executive Committee Agendas and Minutes to general membership.
• Evaluate the use of NHMA for website management.
• Include links to regional educational institutions, such as UNH, NE College, USM, Plymouth State, etc.
• Place the NHPA Directory online and update the directory to real time.

  Objective #5: Develop a program to hold quarterly forums with affiliate organizations to address topics of interest to multiple professions.

IV. GOAL: PROMOTE PROACTIVE LEGISLATIVE AGENDA

Objective #1: Strengthen legislative efforts.

Implementation Plan:

• Establish and utilize a method (phone, fax, surface mail or E-mail) of quickly alerting members relative to testifying on bills.
• Have Legislative Committee strategize by E-mail, PlanLink or other method with the membership about legislative issues to present and advocate to the NHMA Legislative Policy Committee.

V. GOAL: STRENGTHEN THE ORGANIZATION

Objective #1: Improve the quality of the newsletter.

Implementation Plan:

• Increase the involvement of the editorial board to provide an overall vision for each newsletter (i.e., develop a theme for each issue).

  Objective #2: Increase the membership of the association to 100% of the professional planners in New Hampshire.

  Implementation Plan:

• Encourage membership of planners employed by the regional planning commissions, the Office of State Planning, and other agencies with planning staff.
• Recruit planners in NH by personal contact who are not members.
• Make direct calls to RPC’s regarding organization membership.

Objective #3: Periodic evaluation of the implementation progress of the Strategic Plan.

Implementation Plan:

• Provide an annual progress report to the membership.
• Review bylaws periodically to assure they reflect the goals and operations of the association and revise as needed.
• Annual assessment by the Executive Committee of the implementation progress of the Strategic Plan.