JCDA Hires Firm to Facilitate Strategic Planning

January 27, 2020

The Jefferson County Development Authority (JCDA) has hired Capacity Partners to facilitate thedevelopment of a new strategic plan that will guide JCDA leaders in setting the direction of the organization and economic well-being of Jefferson County and its residents.

Capacity Partners, based in Bethesda, Md., provides customized services in strategic planning, board development, management consulting, and fundraising. The company has extensive experience workingwith nonprofit, business, and government organizations.

"The new JCDA board is eager to rethink and reboot our approaches for bringing jobs to Jefferson County and our residents. We are looking forward to working with Capacity Partners to establish a clear plan to strengthen our economy in a manner that honors our many community goals and unique, regional assets," stated Michelle Sudduth and Julia Yuhasz, co-chairs of the JCDA Strategic Plan Committee. "It is our belief that retaining Capacity Partners, as well as engaging a national firm for the JCDA executive director search, are both essential steps in the efforts to move forward as a new Board."

"We are honored to be selected to facilitate JCDA's strategic planning process," said Mary Robinson, president and founder of Capacity Partners. "The thoughtfulness and rigor of the selection process impressed us greatly. We share JCDA's commitment to an inclusive process that strengthens the economy on behalf of all its citizens."

Team members from Capacity Partners will kick off the strategic planning process in late January. To begin, Capacity Partners will compile and analyze demographic and economic data for Jefferson County and the surrounding region and review JCDA's contractual obligations, program offerings, and partnerships. After this data collection and situational analysis phase, the JCDA's strengths and weaknesses will be examined. Interviews, small group discussions, and surveys with community stakeholders will occur to assess county development needs and opportunities.

The JCDA strategic planning process will include significant outreach and engagement with opportunities for residents, businesses, and community organizations to provide input and suggestions, Yuhasz said. "We are encouraged by the participation that has happened thus far in the executive director search process and are looking forward to more discussions through the strategic planning phases with the larger community," she said.

Goals and strategies will be developed to determine a strategic direction for the JCDA. After presentation and approval of a strategic plan, the implementation phase will occur which will involve an action plan with objectives and specific criteria for performance measurement. The entire strategic planning process is expected to take approximately 7-8 months.