APA-IL Implements its Strategic Plan
Every three years, APA-IL's Executive Committee creates a plan for the Chapter with input from Chapter members and program attendees. The APA-IL is currently implementing the Chapter's 2018-2020 Strategic Plan. Like you, we don't want our plans to sit on a shelf and collect dust so we are excited to report on several actions that have come out of the Plan.
The plan includes six major goal areas: partnerships, programs, communication, conference, membership, and governance. These goal areas have specific action items that are assigned to members of the Executive Committee and are prioritized from year to year.
In terms of partnerships, APA-IL has made a major effort to hold more, frequent events with allied organizations that share the Chapter's values and goals. We have also offered more opportunities for cross-organization learning at our State Conference and through programming with the APA-CMS and APA-ISS sections.
Membership has been a major focus of the Chapter as part of this Strategic Plan. Since the program started on January 1, 2019, APA-IL's new Chapter-Only Membership program has proven itself to be a great option for non-traditional planners, allied professionals, engaged citizens, and anyone that wants to stay up-to-date on the latest planning issues in Illinois. We are proud to welcome 33 new chapter-only members into our association!
Another major effort over the last year has been a focus on the governance of the Chapter. APA-IL has taken a hard look at its committee structure, bylaws, and fiscal policies to ensure that the Chapter is responding to the needs of our members and using resources efficiently. The Chapter has adopted a rigorous Fiscal Policy and is finishing up work on changes to the Chapter’s bylaws and committee structure.
In the months to come, APA-IL will continue our existing efforts and address plan recommendations regarding programs, communication, and the State Conference. For example, as part of the strategy for the 2019 State Conference we want to ensure that we continue to offer diverse programming, provide skill-building sessions, and broaden APA-IL's state-wide influence.
We look forward to making progress on these initiatives and will continue to keep you up to date on our efforts.
(photo by Stephanie Brown, AICP)