Strategic Planning: A Status Update and Call to Action

October 27, 2022

Dear Precious Sangha,

The Strategic Planning Input Team has evolved since our last update.

After delivering our report on the input submitted by the community, Jennifer Chang joined the Team and we undertook the search for an appropriate strategic planning consultant. We interviewed representatives from three consulting firms and screened several more, and we ultimately selected Christine Rontal of Solid Ground Consulting to shepherd us through the strategic planning process. Since then, we provided background information about KCC to Christine and met with her several times to learn about her process, a prospective timeline, and what steps we must take to embark on this process.

Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee

Our next step – and surely one of the last for the Team – will be to form a Strategic Planning Coordinating Committee. Members of this committee will support the consultant and the KCC Board through the following:

  • Providing community cultural insight to the consultant
  • Providing input into the design, organization and implementation of community engagement events
  • Potentially attending engagement events
  • Ensuring community perspectives are reflected in the proposed foundations of the draft plan
  • Leading the Board’s strategic plan review and adoption process, including review by the sangha

Christine will conduct interviews and community engagement sessions with sangha members in early 2023, and will then develop and present recommendations for KCC’s strategic plan. Committee members will be responsible for ensuring that her recommendations accurately reflect the community’s perspectives.

The Committee will neither formulate the plan, nor be the entity to adopt the plan.

Recruiting Coordinating Committee Members from the Sangha

We seek broad representation on the Coordinating Committee from a small number of volunteers: long-term and new members from different demographic backgrounds ranging widely in involvement within KCC operations and governance. Good listening skills and sufficient time availability are required.

Time Commitment

  • Meet twice a month for one hour to oversee progress and provide direction (exact details to be agreed upon by the committee upon formation).
  • Review draft materials prior to meetings.
  • Initial meeting will hopefully occur in early December.
  • If available, attend and/or actively support community engagement sessions with consultant.
  • Committee duration is expected to be six months.

Qualifications

The KCC Board is committed to implementing an inclusive planning process. Prospective committee members should be skilled listeners who can objectively represent diverse viewpoints that may differ from their own so that a diversity of perspectives are reflected in the resulting plan.

Contact KCC Board Member Jennifer Chang (cpjchang2000@gmail.com) by November 14, 2022 to express your interest in participating on the Coordinating Committee.

We look forward to convening with the sangha for engagement sessions in the coming months!

Sincerely,
KCC Strategic Planning Input Team
Jennifer Chang, Ryan Fitz, John Jennings, Linda Besant, Linda Grove