Nebraska: New Strategic Plan Developed via "Adaptive Strategy"

In our increasingly fluid world, where information is abundant and communication instantaneous, the traditional model of strategic planning may no longer be the best fit for groups that want to maximize their constituent responsiveness. To that end, the Nebraska Arts Council(NAC) adopted the theory of “adaptive strategy” when developing its 2017-19 Strategic Plan. Inspired by a Stanford Social Innovation Review article, NAC implemented an iterative planning process based on a set of cascading questions reflecting six program priorities, its mission statement and its core beliefs. In employing these interrelated questions—about what was learned, what needs to be done, what the desired results are, and how to monitor and evaluate progress toward them—NAC created a continuous feedback loop that informed each step of its planning. In this way, NAC cross-pollinated what it learned with what it sought from its constituent engagement activities, which included a citizen survey, a survey of elected officials, two statewide conferences and a series of public listening forums around the state. The result of this self-reflective planning approach is a short-term strategic plan that will afford NAC staff and council members the flexibility they need to best serve Nebraskans. For more information, contact NAC Director of Programs Marty Skomal.