This community-engaged project is in partnership with the USU Swaner Preserve & EcoCenter to define achievable, community-centered strategic goals. In collaboration with USU facilitators, Swaner’s staff and board members, and local community stakeholders, the project includes an iterative process of data collection and feedback loops to identify the organization’s strengths and challenges, establish key priorities for the next three to five years, and develop a work plan guided by community voices. This project also seeks to explore how organizations like Swaner can integrate community voices into decision-making, ensuring goal are grounded in their mission as well as the needs of the community.
Lead Researcher: Dr. LuEttaMae (Lu) Lawrence
lu.lawrence@usu.edu
Phase 1: Internal Assessment & Priority Setting
- Data collection with staff
- Staff retreat to discuss findings and determine priorities for ongoing work
- Board presentation for feedback and refining priorities
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Outputs included:
- A summary of Swaner’s strengths and challenges
- A list of strategic priorities
- Recommendations for engaging the community in the next phase
Phase 2: Community Assessment & Planning
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Data collection activities in 2025:
- Focus groups and interviews
- Community survey
- Public open house for feedback
- Joint staff and board retreat
- Data will be analyzed and findings will be shared through regular reports to a board-level planning committee that includes staff and community representatives.