What is the Strategic Plan?
The VA AWWA Strategic Plan serves as the Section's roadmap to the future. The plan provides the Section's vision and mission statements and identifies specific goals and objectives to get us there. All members of VA AWWA should be familiar with the plan. In particular, Section leaders such as board members and committee chairs should routinely use the strategic plan to help develop activities and to assist in making leadership decisions and directions. All activities undertaken by VA AWWA should support the Strategic Plan. In turn, the plan should reflect the current direction of the section and should address the needs of the members and the greater waterworks community that we serve.

The Strategic Planning Committee has developed this plan as a dynamic tool, continually changing, and improving, to reflect the changing landscape of the drinking water industry and the changing needs of VA AWWA members. It is developed with a five year planning horizon and is formally updated every three years. Comments and suggestions for improving the plan are always welcome and should be directed to the current chair of the Strategic Planning Committee.

Who is responsible for implementing the Strategic Plan?
The plan is available on the website for review by every VA AWWA member. The following individuals are responsible for reviewing, understanding, and implementing the plan.

• VA AWWA Board of Trustees
• Committee Chairs and their committees, Newsletter Editor, and Website Editor
• Section Training Coordinator
• Section Administrative Secretary

It is the responsibility of every committee to review the approved Strategic Plan and develop strategies towards attaining the goals and objectives in the Section Strategic Plan.

Which objectives should each committee address?
Committees should review the entire plan and identify any goal and objective that their committee can support. There are some logical "fits", but there are many goals and objectives that can be effectively met through different strategies carried out by different committees.

Why are strategies already listed under some of the objectives?
Example strategies are provided in the plan and reflect some ideas developed by the Strategic Planning Committee. These recommendations, which appear in italics, are not requirements; they should be considered by the committee/group but should not limit creativity. Revise them if you can improve upon them, or develop new strategies consistent with the objectives.

What are each committee's specific responsibilities?
Annually, develop written specific, measurable objectives, strategies, programs, assignments, and target completion dates. Tie each to Strategic Plan goals and objectives. The section annual budget is based on the strategic plan and your budget will be based on your planned implementation of these strategies. The Board develops an annual written plan and budget for actions based on the strategic plan and the specific strategies identified by committees, paid staff, and the Board. This annual operating plan sets forth programs, services, and activities and includes target dates and responsibility assignments.

Who will review implementation of the Plan?
The Strategic Planning Committee reviews progress made in achieving the plan's goals and objectives generally every 3 years. Any significant changes or developments in the waterworks community are addressed in the plan as needed. The VA AWWA Board reviews Committee progress toward achievement of goals annually at the Annual Meeting, when Committees and staff must submit annual progress reports and budget summaries.

[ Strategic Plan Outline >> ]