Proposed 2026-27 Strategic Plan

Annual Members Meeting | Sept. 16, 2025

NEW MISSION & VISION STATEMENTS

Earlier this year, the APA Florida Executive Committee updated the Chapter’s Mission and Vision statements that now guide our daily work, reinforcing our dedication to helping members grow, lead, and contribute meaningfully to Florida’s future.

Grounded in time-honored principles and a commitment to the common good, our organization’s renewed direction reflects a thoughtful and disciplined approach to leadership, service, and stewardship.

This Strategic Plan reflects this new focus and vision.

Purpose

We exist to champion a stronger tomorrow, together.

This purpose affirms a shared responsibility to build a better future not through fleeting trends or individual ambition, but through collective resolve, mutual respect, and a long-term vision for the state’s economic and societal well-being. It underscores the belief that strength is found in unity and that progress must be both principled and inclusive.

Values

• Advocacy: Defending and promoting what’s important. A principled stand for what matters guided by facts, experience, and the public interest.

• Expertise: Advancing skills for improved outcomes. A commitment to lifelong learning and professional excellence as the foundation for wise action.

• Ethics: Upholding professional principles and conduct. Integrity, accountability, and respect for the rule of law are non-negotiable standards.

• Collaboration: Uniting for a shared benefit. Working across differences to achieve common goals, grounded in mutual respect and civic duty.

• Leadership: Inspiring meaningful progress. Leading not for recognition, but for results measured by the lasting impact on people and communities.

Vision

We see a Florida where our communities, economies, and environments all thrive.

This vision reflects a balanced and sustainable outlook one that appreciates the interconnectedness of people, prosperity, and natural heritage. It calls for a Florida where families flourish, businesses grow responsibly, and the environment is preserved for future generations. It is a vision rooted in stewardship, civic responsibility, and prudent planning.

Mission

We are the leading voice for Florida’s future.

This mission statement positions the Chapter as a trusted and influential advocate for the long-term interests of the state. It speaks to a leadership role one that is earned through credibility, expertise, and a commitment to ethical conduct. As the leading voice, the organization seeks to inform, guide, and inspire sound decision-making at every level of society.

TEAMS

Establish implementation teams responsible for executing the Strategic Plan. Each team will be assigned specific deliverables and deadlines and will provide quarterly status updates to the chapter office to ensure accountability and progress tracking.

Planning + Design

Research best practices for Team Alignment survey designed to focus on and cohesive experience, satisfaction, ness.

Create a scoring rubric for the Team Alignment survey to ensure consistent evaluation.

Design the Team Alignment survey based on rubric and research.

Design the Satisfaction & Effectiveness survey using insights from research.

Deliverables & Responsibilities

Create a deliverables spreadsheet to track all tasks and outputs.

Assign deadlines and responsible individuals for each deliverable.

Implementation

Distribute the Team Alignment survey to relevant participants.

Distribute the Satisfaction & Effectiveness survey to gather feedback.

Monitor the deliverables matrix to ensure progress and accountability. Tally and analyze survey results, then distribute findings to stakeholders. Follow up on deliverables to review accomplishments and identify gaps. Monitoring & Evaluation

BRAND

Implement the new chapter core tenets, including its mission and vision statements. By modernizing and streamlining these values, leadership can maintain a clear focus on the priorities that matter most to our members and the broader Florida planning community.

Foundation

Define brand identity: Cultivate the new mission, values, voice, and visual style to guide all communications. Build online presence: Create or refine your website, social media profiles, and other digital touchpoints.

Outreach & Engagement

Market external content: Share valuable content (blogs, videos, newsletters) to attract and educate the APA Florida audience.

Engage APA Florida network: Connect with existing contacts, respond to comments, and participate in relevant conversations.

Growth & Visibility

Pitch media outlets: Share our story with journalists and bloggers to gain earned media coverage.

Build a community: Foster a loyal audience through forums, groups, or exclusive content.

Optimization

Measure and optimize: Track performance metrics and refine strategies based on data insights.

MEMBERSHIP

Develop targeted strategies to retain existing members and attract new ones, with a focus on students, retirees, and non-AICP professionals. By showcasing the chapter’s value and tailoring outreach to specific audiences, we can strengthen engagement, support professional growth, and expand our membership base.

Member Retention

• Identify retirement-related non-renewals: Develop a method to flag members who do not renew due to retirement.

• Determine reasons for non-renewal: Collect and analyze feedback to understand why members choose not to renew.

• Establish a data collection method for non-renewals: Create a consistent process for gathering and tracking non-renewal data.

Student Growth

• Create outreach program and packages.

• Design materials and initiatives to attract and retain student members.

Non-AICP

• Identify and implement offerings that address the professional interests of non-AICP individuals, with the goal of broadening participation and strengthening the organization’s reach.

• Continue delivering exceptional professional development opportunities that serve members, non-members, thought leaders, residents, and anyone seeking to understand the core principles of planning.

COALITION BUILDING

Identify community partners and allied professional organizations to build a strategic coalition aimed at influencing thought leaders and state legislators. Through these partnerships, we will educate our members, amplify our collective voice, and promote the value of planning alongside fellow stakeholders in Florida’s communities.

Leadership & Structure

• Define roles, responsibilities, and expectations for leadership positions.

• Identify subject-matter experts to fill knowledge gaps.

• Appoint and onboard individuals to lead each section.

Network Building

• Begin developing a statewide/section contact list.

• Start compiling contacts relevant to each section.

• Expand and refine the list as new contacts are identified.

Partnership Framework

• Draft MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) templates.

• Create a foundational agreement outlining coalition roles and commitments.

Engagement & Activation

• Outline strategies for ongoing communication and collaboration.

• Begin formal engagement and relationship-building efforts.

• Organize events to activate and connect coalition members.

Evaluation & Success Metrics

• Define measurable indicators of coalition effectiveness.

• Validate metrics with stakeholders and begin tracking progress.

FINANCIAL

Implement a standardized and transparent financial reporting system to support accurate forecasting and strengthen chapter governance. Establish a dedicated Finance and Fundraising Team to develop strategies for achieving fiscal goals and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

Oversight & Reporting

• Continue tracking and reporting percentage spent per line item versus budgeted amounts.

• Review past data to identify patterns and inform future planning.

Governance & Goal Setting

• Train a dedicated team to oversee financial health and fundraising strategy.

• Define clear, measurable objectives for budgeting and fundraising.

Strategic Planning & Fundraising

• Create projections based on different funding and expense assumptions.

• Align outreach efforts with financial goals to drive targeted fundraising.

OPERATIONS

Strengthen engagement and operational effectiveness at the state and local level to support thriving sections and enhance member value.

• Foster meaningful engagement with members and communities through our Sections.

• Conduct a SWOT-style analysis to assess each Section’s needs, ensuring effective support and robust leadership succession planning. Sections

Advocacy

• Develop and promote a Legislative Program that is responsive to emerging issues and grounded in sound planning principles and practices.

• Establish Legislative Liaisons to serve as the Chapter’s primary policy leaders who will collaborate with our lobbyist to ensure the Chapter’s priorities are effectively represented in Tallahassee.

• Maintain a strong and professional policy presence to position APA Florida as the leading authority on planning and growth management in the state.

• Keep members informed of legislative developments and actively solicit their input in shaping and executing the Legislative Program.

Chapter Office

• Execute current programming activities and create new professional development opportunities that provide clear and measurable value to members.

• Establish a robust framework for seamless leadership succession within the APA Florida Executive Committee.

• Strengthen the capacity of volunteer leaders through targeted support, training, and development opportunities.

• Provide consistent and strategic support to each section to ensure alignment with chapter goals and initiatives.