PHILLIPS CONSERVATION DISTRICT – STRATEGIC PLAN. 2024-2028

APPROVED BY THE BOARD ON MAY 14, 2024

VISION/PURPOSE

We envision our community working together to protect and ensure clean and abundant water, healthy and productive soil, and a strong and vibrant agricultural community.

MISSION

Our mission is to be a community resource and support voluntary land and water conservation through the sharing and implementation of farming, ranching and conservation practices, producer and community education, strategic collaborations, and supporting agriculture-related public policies. 

VALUES

Phillips Conservation District believes that our success relies on operating with integrity. The following identify essential core values. 

• Respect. We respect each other’s opinions, knowledge, and time and treat everyone the way we would like to be treated.
• Teamwork.  We believe collaboration and working together is essential to our ability to positively impact the future of soil and water health. 
• Willingness to Change.  We appreciate the past as we look forward to the future by listening with an open-mind and putting aside pre-conceived notions and opinions.
• Engagement.  We believe our strength comes from individual and community involvement, participation, and follow through on our commitments.
• Transparent Communications. We encourage open, honest, and straightforward sharing of knowledge, information, experience, and viewpoints in order to create a broader pool of knowledge for decision-making. 

STRATEGIC VISION FOR 2029

In five-years Phillips Conservation Districts’ vision is to have increased its impact on water and soil health in Phillips County.  We have accomplished this by:

• Building a Strong and Cohesive Team. Build a strong and cohesive team of supervisors, staff, and volunteers that provides manpower, engagement, knowledge, and skills. 
• Delivering Quality and Collaborative Programming and Educational Opportunities.  Support and enhance local agricultural success through collaborative delivery, expansion, and implementation of quality programming and educational opportunities to producers, youth, and our community.
• Creating Organizational Consistency and Sustainability. Ingrain organizational consistency, accountability, and sustainability through infrastructure development and effective and transparent financial management.
• Expanding our Reach and Impact through Strong and Strategic Partnerships. Foster strategic partnerships, collaborations, and support between Phillips Conservation District (PCD) and key government agencies, nonprofit organizations, the public, and our community.
• Educating Public Representatives and Influencing Public Policy Nurture relationships and educate local legislators on conservation issues and solutions faced by districts throughout Montana.

PRIORITY #1. BUILD A STRONG AND COHESIVE TEAM

Strategy 1 – Supervisor Board. Ensure legal compliance, fiduciary responsibility, leadership, and succession through an active, engaged, and knowledgeable board of supervisors. 

Strategy 2 – Staffing. Build capacity to deliver expanded programming and projects, through strategic hiring, partnerships, and contract labor, and increase our ability to attract and retain competent staff and support effectiveness and employee well-being. 

Strategy 3 – Volunteers. Expand capacity by engaging our community in meaningful, helpful, and thoughtful volunteer tasks.

PRIORITY #2. DELIVER QUALITY COLLABORATIVE PROGRAMMING AND EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

Strategy 1 – Producer Programs and Education. Improve sustainable agricultural operations with timely and convenient access to information, education, and technical support.

Strategy 2 – Tools and Capital Resources.  Support organizational sustainability, conservation, and proven agricultural practices by providing access to needed machinery, equipment, and capital resources.

Strategy 3 – Youth Programs and Education. Encourage generational environmental stewardship by planning, coordinating, collaborating and/or hosting educational opportunities for the youth in our community.

Strategy 4 – Community Program.  Increase community understanding of and participation in conservation and environmental stewardship through programs and projects.

PRIORITY #3. CREATE AND DOCUMENT ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES AND SYSTEMS

Strategy 1 – Infrastructure. Review, update and/ordevelop, and document internal structures (policies and procedures) for conservation district sustainability, consistency of operations, and growth.

Strategy 2 – Financial Management. Strengthen our financial recordkeeping, separation of duties, oversight, budgeting, and management reporting systems.

Strategy 3 – Fund Development. Support expanded programming and staffing by diversifying funding sources.

PRIORITY #4. FOSTER STRONG STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND RELATIONSHIPS

Strategy 1 – Government Agency Relationships.  Strengthen relationships with partner state and federal agencies to increase understanding, collaboration, and to better support each other’s work.

Strategy 2 – Conservation Districts and Non-Profit Organizations. Identify and cultivate working relationships with local conservation districts and nonprofit organizations to mutually expand and enhance work.

PRIORITY #5. COMMUNICATIONS

Strategy 1 – Website. Position PCD website to be the “go-to source” for reliable conservation information with easy navigation, appealing layout and graphics, and up-to-date and relevant information.

Strategy 2 – Social Media. Incorporate the use of various social media platforms to keep the community informed on ag-related activities, achievements, and trending topics.

Strategy 3 – Community Awareness. Increase community understanding of Phillips CD impact on our local environment and economy.

PRIORITY #6. EDUCATE REPRESENTATIVES AND INFLUENCE PUBLIC POLICY

Strategy 1 – Networking. Proactively build relationships and educate public officials on current and emerging conservation issues and opportunities.

Strategy 2 – Testify and Advocate. Be prepared to quickly respond to bills with expert testimony during a legislative session.