[This is Part A of Section 3 in the original 161 page document “1000Communities2” (see p. 5-6)]

A.  What are Community Visioning Initiatives?

1.  Well organized efforts to identify problems and brainstorm solutions are a universally recognized approach to problem solving which is commonly used in family, community, business, and government settings in every part of the world.

2.  In its most basic format, a Community Visioning Initiative (CVI) is simply a more comprehensive variation of the above mentioned approach to problem solving.

3.  Community Visioning Initiatives (CVIs) are especially useful as a means of increasing or maximizing citizen participation in the planning phase of community revitalization efforts.

4.  In 1984, the non-profit organization Chattanooga Venture [Chattanooga, Tennessee (USA)] organized a Community Visioning Initiative that attracted more than 1,700 participants, and produced 40 community goals—which resulted in the implementation of 223 projects and programs, the creation of 1,300 permanent jobs, and a total financial investment of 793 million dollars.¹

5.  Community Visioning Initiatives (CVIs) can be described as a series of community meetings designed to facilitate the process of brainstorming ideas, organizing the ideas into goals, prioritizing the goals, and identifying doable steps.

6.  Many CVIs have followed a model which has three basic steps, and which requires 3 to 6 months to complete (this is a variation of the “Oregon Model”²):

                a)  Where are we now?  (or What are we now?)

                                An assessment which incorporates:

                                                Community Values

                                                Strengths and Weaknesses

                                                Most Difficult Challenges

                                                Most Valuable Resources

                b)  Where do we want to go?  (or What do we want to be?)

                                Brainstorming and strategic planning sessions which involve:

                                                Brainstorming Positive or Desirable Community Improvements

                                                Developing these Ideas into Practical Goals

                                                Prioritizing the Goals

                c)  How can we get there?

                                Brainstorming and/or focus group sessions which answer the questions:

                                                What action plans will help us achieve our goals?

                                                Who will implement the action plans?

                                                How will they be implemented?  (With what funding?)

                                                How will we know if our efforts are achieving the desired

                                                                results?

7.  Many CVIs require steering committees, preliminary surveys or assessments, workshops, task forces, collaboration between many organizations, government agencies, businesses, and educational institutions—and seek to build up consensus in the community for specific goals and action plans by encouraging a high level of participation by all residents.

8.  This “1000Communities²” proposal incorporates input from many different fields of activity, and emphasizes a time-intensive approach to Community Visioning, which may take up to 1^1/2 years (18 months) to complete.  (For more details, see Section 6 “A 15 Step Outline for a ‘1000Communities ²’ Version of a Community Visioning Initiative”)