Sustaining a NORC Program

Strategic planning guides the evolution of a NORC program and is essential to its future.

As a community evolves, a dynamic NORC program evolves with it to respond to changing needs. A regularly updated strategic plan helps to guide that process by spelling out where the program is going, and why, over a period of about three years. A multi-year plan also orients partners to the mission and activities of the program.

• Motivate participation and commitment from partners.
• Facilitate the prediction of future funding requirements.
• Allow partners to plan for the program’s needs, either in their own budgets or by participating in long-range efforts to secure stable support.
• Provide a roadmap that helps the program establish priorities and develop work plans with staff.
• Include milestones that guide operations.