MAPPING Process
The Process in Detail
Meet with the local steering committee. These core group members work closely with the mapping staff on logistics.
Kick-Off Session. This first meeting with the entire group of participants sets the stage for the MAPPING program, creates expectations for success, and empowers the participants with the knowledge that this is their process.
Session 1: Where are we now? In this session, participants are familiarized with data on the area and the community's historical timeline. This information and participants' ideas are used to identify what unique assets a community has.
Session 2: Where do we want to be? In this session, participants identify a vision for the future, set the stage for ambititous goals and identify strategies to achieve those goals.
Session 3: How to we get there? In this session, participants vote on their preferred strategies. Drawing on the most popular strategies, projects are prioritized and action teams are formed.
Session 4: Making it happen! In this session, participants celebrate what has been accomplished thus far, plan for the town meeting, and develop an organizational structure to achieve projects in the community.
Town Meeting: The key to success. The goal of this meeting is to maximize the inclusiveness of people in the area and encourage others to get involved by promoting the atitude "our community, our responsibility."
Always continuous support. The IIRA is here to help your community. We have support for business plans, cooperatives, data collection and surveys, economic impact analysis, GIS, health, labor market analysis, marketing surveys, retail trade analysis, sustainable food systems, transit, wind energy and more. If specialists in these areas are not able to help you, they can direct you to people and resources that can.
