Strategic Planning

Are we engaged in this process? Why Are we engaged in this process? A short-term strategy toward a long-term goal Approved for a 5-year period from 2015-2019 We need a new strategy starting in 2020

Who Is working on this? Strategic Directions Committee of the ATC Board Dan Howe – Committee Chair Colin Beasley – ATC Board Norm Findley – ATC Board Shalin Desai – ATC Board Tom Gregg – ATC Board Greg Winchester – ATC Board Vice-Chair Suzanne Dixon / Laura Belleville – ATC Staff Kristen Murphy – NextGen Council Cosmo Catalano – Stewardship Council Trudy Phillips – Stewardship Council

When Will this work be done? August 2018 – ATC Board explores long-term vision November 2018 – Board and Council review long-term outlook / evaluate results of current plan Winter 2018-2019 – ATC staff develops broad goal areas for 2020 and beyond Spring 2019 / Summer – Map strategies to goal areas - stakeholder review– refine plan Fall 2019 – revise and review by Board and Council November 2019 – Approve new Strategic Direction

What Do we need from you? TODAY - Your thinking on the “A Look Into The Future” document SPRING / SUMMER – review and comment on what the staff and committee produce

A Look Into The Future The population will be older, more culturally and ethnically diverse Young people will be tech-savvy, multi-lingual and impatient The income gap AND the giving gap will widen – more funding will come from the mega-wealthy Affinity groups will be more important, memberships less important

A Look Into The Future 141 million people will live within a 4-hour drive of the Trail Urban growth will put pressure on open space in the Northeast and Central states Most of the population growth will be in the South People will have more leisure time and will want to spend more of it outdoors

A Look Into The Future There will be more “rookies” on the Trail More people will be seeking “supported” experiences on and around the Trail Geo-tourism will become more critical to the economic survival of communities near the Trail There will be more international visitors to the Trail

A Look Into The Future Retail will be more immediate, more universally available, more tech-centered Technology will change faster, be smaller, more powerful, more linked with our own biology People will seek escape from tech but will still be electronically connected while on the Trail Non-Profits will play an increasing role in open space and recreation management

The Trail What will it be like in 20 years? What do we want it to represent in 20 years?

The ATC What will it be like in 20 years? How do we see it evolving to meet different times?

Working Draft mission/vision The Mission of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy: "To protect, maintain, and promote the Appalachian Trail." The Vision of the Appalachian Trail Conservancy: “To be the world's preeminent trail conservancy, built upon a unique public-private partnership that ensures the perpetual existence, and openness to all, of the longest continuous open space in the eastern United States.”

QUESTIONS What do you think ATC’s biggest opportunities and challenges are? What are the most pressing issues that ATC needs to address in the next 3 years to strategically move towards our vision? Recognizing that the Cooperative Management System and the need for committed volunteers is core to ATC’s mission success, what strategies are important to sustain this system in the next 3 years?