“Working Together to Ensure a Thriving Community”

What is Vision 2020? A community-wide initiative to imagine and describe the community we aspire to become by the year 2020 “Working Together to Ensure a Thriving Community” Goal: Create a unified and shared vision for our community, one that will encourage collaboration in the planning and use of public and private resources.

City/County Population Growth = MSA Diversity in Schools, New Facilities Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance RMH –$150M New Campus New Technology Park -SRI CADRE JMU – Centennial Strategic Plan ($100M capital investments; expanded enrollment) Impetus for Vision2020

Vision The Process: June 2009 – 1 st Vision2020 Summit -Inform: overview of where we are now, 2020 demographics -Reflect: community leaders identified areas of need/focus/priorities Feb 2010 – Chamber Survey & Feedback - descriptions, vision, obstacles April 2010 – 2 nd Community Leaders Session - drafted vision statement & four cornerstones October 2010 – 3 rd Community Leaders Session - developed strategies and action steps

Survey Says: 5 Words to Describe Harrisonburg & Rockingham County

The Vision: A community of unparalleled quality of life, where natural beauty, friendly interdependent relationships and diverse cultural, economic and educational opportunities exist.

The Cornerstones: 1 – Comprehensive Community Plan 2 – Business Vitality & Entrepreneurship 3 – World Class Education & Workforce 4 – Community Leadership Development

Comprehensive Community Plan: Goal: Creating a shared and unified vision, using public and private resources in a collaborative manner to serve as a core value of this vision.

Business Vitality & Entrepreneurship: Goal: Sustaining a business environment that supports entrepreneurship, and enables business growth.

World Class Education & Workforce: Goal: Supporting a system of life-long learning, from pre-K through post-graduate education, which provides for a world class workforce and an educated population.

Community Leadership Development: Goal: Encouraging excellence in the development of community leadership through mentorships with an emphasis on community involvement, ethics, and philanthropy

Recent Updates: December - CEO Roundtable meeting (topics: Vision2020, collaboration, workforce development) January - Workforce Development Resource Guide being developed by the HRCC for area businesses (based on Vision2020 and CEO identified needs) January – “Developing a Community Brand and Marketing Strategy for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Metropolitan Area” initiated as a joint venture by Harrisonburg and Rockingham County February - SVP Workforce and Education Committee reconvened to discuss collaboration and workforce strategies March – BRCC hosting Business and Industry Summit called to identify area businesses’ employee skill needs and shortages and discuss education and training provider solutions

The Next Steps: Government Officials, Town Councils, Boards: Inform and advise Request support of Vision 2020 tenets Pledge of collaboration and future participation Formation of Vision2020 Steering Committee Steward 4 cornerstones Hold community accountable

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