1. Building a vision for tomorrow from the grassroots
Lori Garkovich
University of Kentucky
May, 2004

2. A community vision Builds on the assets of the community
Engages the creative energies of the community
Reflects the interests, dreams and concerns of all community members
Establishes the basis for making critical public choices

3. community visioning process
A grassroots
community visioning process

4. The community work group
Composed of 10 – 15 community representatives who coordinate the process
Build support for the effort through their network of contacts
Disseminate the results and often initiate follow-up action

5. The community work group
Builds a comprehensive list of civic organizations, clubs, associations, volunteer fire departments, etc.
Solicits participating groups to send volunteer to serve as facilitator
Arranges training times for facilitators
Develops promotional materials and media contacts

6. Community facilitators
Drawn from community organizations, neighborhoods and general volunteers
Agree to attend a 2 hour training and conduct at least one forum
Training covers:
Purpose of visioning process
Reporting the results
Overview of guiding questions
Guidelines for moderators
Suggestions for dealing with difficult situations
Role playing

7. The stimulus questions
Heritage
What aspects of life in Our County do you cherish and feel should be protected or preserved for future generations?
Change
If you could change just one thing right now to make Our County a better place to live and work for you and your family, what would you change?
Vision
Imagine Our County as you would like it to be in 20 years. What would be different to make it a better place to live and work?
Action
What do we need to start doing now so that we can get to your vision of what you want Our County to be like in 20 years?

8. A community summit
One day meeting of representatives of public and social services agencies and other key organizations
50 – 75 participants
Typically the first time all these representatives have sat around the same table to assess the state of the community

9. A community summit
Identify desirable qualities and characteristics of the community
Note key challenges facing the community
Identify barriers to efficient and comprehensive delivery of public services
Create a vision for the future
Identify strategies for action to overcome barriers, address key challenges and move toward the vision

10. Role of Extension County office State specialist
Hosts meetings of working group
Assists in training of facilitators
Coordinates scheduling of general community discussion groups
Jump starts the dissemination process
State specialist
Conducts facilitator training
Summarizes and evaluates results
Prepares materials for dissemination
Executive summary with action recommendations
Tri-fold brochure
Power point and overheads

11. Outcomes of Grassroots Process
11 counties have completed the grassroots process
Over 5,000 participants who’ve spent at a minimum one hour talking about the future of their communities
Over 350 persons trained as facilitators and a proportion continue to act as facilitators for groups in their communities
Use of results by community organizations in their work plans

12. Outcomes of Grassroots Process
The Jessamine County Visioning process received the 2001 KY Chamber of Commerce Innovation Award
Pulaski County Visioning basis for joint city/county planning for economic development, public housing, a shared park

13. Outcomes of Grassroots Process
Johnson County Visioning led to:
Establishment of Woodworkers of Kentucky, a collaborative of wood craftspersons
Establishment of a county recycling center
Opening of a youth center
Creation of a business incubator in a closed school building

14. Outcomes of Grassroots Process
In 2 counties, results represented citizen input to revision of the land use plan
In 3 counties, results provided evidence that the public desired land use planning
In 3 counties, candidates for public office used the results to shape their platforms
In 8 counties, Extension used results to develop programs and plans of work

15. Outcomes of Summits In Carter County In Garrard County
2 regional hospitals partner for county’s first urgent treatment center
Cooperative planning among 5 independent water districts
Downtown beautification project
In Garrard County
Support for adoption of land use planning
Formation of recreation task force to find propoerty for a community park

16. Outcomes of Summits In Greenup County: In Lewis County:
First meetin of city officials from the 8 incorporated town in the county
Cooperation with regional industrial park
In Lewis County:
A resulting coalition built a skate park
Establishment of a Tourism Commission
In Pendleton County:
Employment agreement between solid waste hauler needing CLD drivers and regional vo-tech school offering CLD training

17. General Outcomes Affirmation of valued characteristics of community
Clarification of vision for the future
Identification of strategic actions for local government and civic organizations
Empowerment of participants through skill development and accomplishment of shared goal

18. Give us a clear vision, that we may know where to stand and what to stand for Peter Marshal
To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.
Anatole France
Destiny is not matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.
William Jennings Bryan