Strategic Planning and Direction

Responsive Management assists with strategic planning and direction by working with agencies and organizations to collect new data regarding their future priorities. Large-scale plans outlining agency/organization vision and direction identify areas for investments in funding, staffing, and other resources; as such, these plans must rest on a solid foundation of fact through scientific and systematic data collection. Strategic planning and direction entails the identification and evaluation of long-term objectives, priorities, and programmatic efforts. This approach typically encompasses multifaceted data collection not only with the public and core constituents but also with agency/organization personnel, external stakeholders, policy-makers, and other relevant parties.

Responsive Management’s strategic planning and direction experience includes major studies for the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. Recent examples of our strategic planning and direction studies include the following:

Forging the Future of Wyoming’s Wildlife—Human Dimensions Research Results in Support of the Wyoming Game and Fish Department’s 2018-2023 Strategic Plan: This project entailed major surveys of Wyoming residents and recreationists, nonresident hunters and anglers, and Department employees; focus groups and public meetings with residents across Wyoming; and an extensive series of planning meetings with Department leadership. Responsive Management also coordinated an interactive online public input forum to solicit additional feedback from Wyoming residents. Responsive Management’s research findings, along with the Department’s own biological and ecological data, will guide the work of the agency and help to establish management priorities heading into the future. Responsive Management’s research also identified key issues, necessary resources, and important management challenges that lie ahead.
Strategic Direction for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission (AGFC): This project involved a step-by-step interactive planning process to take into account the opinions and attitudes of all internal and external AGFC constituents. Specifically, the purpose of this planning process was to provide the AGFC a comprehensive overview of public, stakeholder, and employee input regarding the Commission’s strategic goal and long-term objectives, priorities and programmatic efforts, and challenges and recommendations for future direction. The strategic planning process included focus groups with internal and external constituents; a survey to employees, agency stakeholders, and Arkansas residents and sportsmen; full analysis of findings; a final report of research; and the development of a comprehensive strategic plan for the AGFC.
Survey for the Strategic Direction of Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Division of Fish and Wildlife: The purpose of this study was to help the DNREC identify and quantitatively assess the public’s and DNREC staff and stakeholders’ opinions on and attitudes toward the strategic direction of the Department; explore the DNREC core mission, vision, and guiding principles; identify the future needs and expectations of its constituents; and establish long-term goals and objectives to assist in overall strategic planning for the Department. For this project, Responsive Management completed a telephone survey of employees, stakeholders, and Delaware residents.
The Attitudes of the General Public, Stakeholders, and Employees Regarding the Strategic Direction of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR): This study was conducted for the GDNR to obtain direct public, stakeholder, and employee input regarding the future of the GDNR, its strategic goals and desired long-term outcomes and objectives, and the challenges that the GDNR will face in attempting to achieve its strategic goals. The study also assessed the level of support among the general population, stakeholders, and employees for the strategic direction of the GDNR. The study entailed a multi-modal survey of the general population in Georgia, GDNR stakeholders, and GDNR employees.
Direction for the Decade—The Attitudes of Georgia Residents, Wildlife Resources Division Staff, and Conservation Organizations Regarding the Future of the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD): This study included a survey of Georgia residents, Georgia Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) staff, and conservation organizations to assess the challenges that the WRD will face in the next decade and help formulate strategies to meet those challenges. The study was used to assist the WRD in setting program priorities for the decade as part of the WRD’s “Direction for the Decade” project.
Texas Parks and Wildlife for the 21st Century: This project was completed to help the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) document the attitudes of the Texas public, constituents, and stakeholder groups toward resource protection; the management of the State’s natural and cultural resources and outdoor recreation; and attitudes toward TPWD program priorities and the public’s willingness to pay for those programs. The project featured a multi-modal, large scale assessment of various stakeholder and constituent groups.
House Bill 38 and Future Directions for the Department of Game and Inland Fisheries—Results of Constituent and Staff Studies and Recommendations for Future Action: House Bill 38 (HB 38) provides the Department with significant funding based on wildlife-associated recreation other than hunting, fishing or boating. The Department’s leaders recognized that a comprehensive plan, based on input from all constituents, was needed as a result of the funds provided by HB 38. Consequently, the Department (with approval from the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries) contracted with Virginia Tech, Responsive Management and Dr. Brett Wright to survey all major internal and external constituent groups, including anglers, boaters, hunters, landowners, wildlife enthusiasts, and the general population, to determine their priorities for the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. The study was used to guide allocation of funding from Virginia State HB 38.
Stakeholders’ Opinions on and Attitudes Toward the Longleaf Alliance and Its Strategic Direction: This study was conducted for The Longleaf Alliance (LLA) to assist the LLA in updating its strategic plan in accordance with the priorities that have been set by the Alliance. The study consisted of a web-based survey of LLA supporters and stakeholders.
An Evaluation of the NOAA Coastal Services Center Coastal Resource Management Surveys: This project involved a comprehensive evaluation of the Coastal Services Center’s coastal resource management survey. The study involved a review of the survey’s purpose, the survey development process, the questions used to assess customer’s needs and capabilities, the mechanism used to report the results internally and externally, as well as how the survey findings are incorporated into the Center’s strategic planning and program development.