YOUR PURPOSE ¥ What does your byway organization want to accomplish? ¥ Do you have vision and mission statements for your byway? ¥ Who can help you achieve your bywayÕs vision? Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations YOUR PURPOSE Photo Caption: What happens, or does not happen, is up to those who get involved. People are an organizationÕs most important asset. Along National Scenic Byways and All-American Roads, local citizens prepare plans, make decisions and implement projects that preserve, enhance and promote the bywaysÕ intrinsic qualities. Here, the Board of the Creole Nature Trail (Louisiana) reviews information on its scenic byway grant projects. Grassroots Organizations: The Heart and Soul of the National Program AmericaÕs Byways represent a rich collection of diverse landscapes, treasured places and unique stories. In many ways, the individual organizations involved with these byways are as varied as the corridors themselves. Some organizations are small, informal citizen groups. Others are large, formal organizations with directors and multiple committees. Some organizations are led by volunteers, while others rely on leadership from a federal agency, a university, a tourism office, or a local government. Some organizations are fairly young, having been recently formed to pursue state or national designation for a byway running through their communities. Others have been involved with scenic byways for over twenty years, participating in state programs that pre-date the National Scenic Byways Program established in 1991. Although they differ in age, size, style and formality, byway organizations share a common passion for the roads that run through the special places they call home. Across the country, these community organizations fuel the National Scenic Byways Program with their commitment, pride and visionary efforts. Clearly, the program started out focusing on roads, and ended up focusing on people. "No dreamer is ever too small; no dream is ever too big." Unknown Growing Strong Roots Purpose Partners Structure Group Dynamics Plan Growing Strong Roots What does an organization need to grow and survive? Successful byways develop strong roots: purpose, partners, structure, group dynamics, and a plan. The purpose, or vision, often leads organizations to seek state and national designation for their byways. The vision may encompass a communityÕs hopes and dreams for economic development, historic preservation, scenic conservation, tourism or other far-sighted aspirations. As part of the nomination for national designation (and some state designations), a byway organization must complete a corridor management plan (CMP) and provide evidence of community support. Although these requirements are meant to ensure successful byways, the reality is that the strength of individual organizations and the completeness of corridor management plans vary from byway to byway. Recruiting volunteers, seeking new partners and defining byway plans becomes an ongoing effort. People within an organization change. The group involved in initial byway planning and designation efforts may be different than the group working to implement the plans. This natural evolution brings opportunities and challenges. The successful organization takes advantage of these changes in Òhuman capitalÓ by building on the new talents, new ideas and new connections that come with new people. Byway partnerships are essential. A successful byway organization realizes that building and maintaining relationships with other organizations, businesses and agencies that share common interests and concerns is an important priority. Partnerships need to be nurtured by sharing goals, information, skills and time. Partners may be more involved or less involved, at different times, depending on the bywayÕs current initiatives and projects. Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations Plans and goals within an organization also change over time. A successful organization is flexible enough to respond to changing needs and opportunities. Plans and goals may need to be adjusted to maximize new funding options, new partnerships, and new community and state initiatives. Byway organizations across the country continually find creative ways to enhance, preserve and promote the special roads and regions they cherish. Throughout this publication, you will find brief case studies that illustrate the broad spectrum of organizational structures found within the National Scenic Byways Program. Look to them for real-world ideas to help you build and sustain your own byway organization.  "It takes a noble man to plant a seed for a tree that will some day give shade to people he may never meet." David Trueblood Photo Caption: Strong roots are vital to healthy treesÑ and healthy organizations. Byways are sustained by their purpose, partners, structure, group dynamics and plans. Here, byway leaders study trail design during an interpretive workshop at Schmeeckle Reserve in Stevens Point, Wisconsin. YOUR PURPOSE: GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATIONS COPY AND DISTRIBUTE Rate Your BywayÕs Keys to Success As research for her book, The Successful Volunteer Organization (1984), Joan Flanagan interviewed founders of hundreds of the best nonprofit organizations in the United States and Canada. She asked them what contributed to their organizationsÕ successes. Their answers indicated ten key factors. How do you rate your organization? Are you prepared to succeed? Rate the following key factors. 1. Clear goals. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 2. The will to succeed. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 3. Focus on a limited number of goals. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 4. A plan and timetable to reach goals. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 5. Tangible results. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 6. Exciting programs. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 7. Fun. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 8. Strong board of directors. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 9. Dependable income. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 10. Up-to-date bookkeeping. Weak (Improvement Needed) Fair Strong (No improvement needed) 1 2 3 4 5 Created by AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations Organizational Building Blocks: Are You Ready to Go to Work? Building a strong organization means more than a great leader; more than an active membership; more than a well-written plan; even more than raising lots of money. Strong organizations have all these things and more. They care about their community. They have a spirit of energy and openness. They have the ability to withstand conflictÑboth internal and external. They have the power to endure and the structure to sustain themselves over time.  "Good people in a poorly designed organizational structure fail, while average people in a healthy organization succeed." N. Dean Meyer and Associates Inc. Photo Caption: A butterfly moves through life stages in a relatively short amount of timeÑ from an egg to a caterpillar to a chrysalis to a butterfly. Like all living systems, organizations also go through life cycles.The features of new organizations differ from older (and often larger) organizations. Over time, a simple organization may evolve into a more complex organization. Each stage of development is built on the lessons and successes of whatÕs gone before.This beautiful butterfly was photographed on IowaÕs Loess Hills National Scenic Byway. (Photo: Golden Hills RC&D, Inc.) YOUR PURPOSE: ORGANIZATIONAL BUILDING BLOCKS COPY AND DISTRIBUTE Which Building Blocks Are You Using? Where do you begin? Although every group is different, there are some fundamental building blocks that can provide a strong foundation for your byway organization. The list here can help you identify missing cornerstones. It is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just a place to get started. Vision and Mission Statements ¥ Goals and objectives Membership ¥ Method for tracking membership ¥ Recruitment procedures ¥ Strategies for gaining broad representation ¥ Orientation process ¥ Method for nurturing and recognizing volunteers Leadership ¥ Designated leaders or officers ¥ Identified key contacts (official byway leader, byway marketing contact and byway organization) ¥ Method for orienting leaders, board members and committee chairs ¥ Job descriptions for leadership positions ¥ Succession plans to identify and groom new leaders Communication Procedures with: ¥ Byway organization ¥ Elected officials ¥ Volunteers ¥ Key constituents ¥ Staff (if applicable) ¥ Other stakeholders ¥ Public ¥ Tourism contacts ¥ State scenic byway coordinator ¥ Media ¥ State/federal transportation offices Process for Public Input ¥ Ongoing efforts to encourage public dialog, interaction and participation ¥ Open communication with byway supporters and opponents ¥ Inclusivity Created by AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center COPY AND DISTRIBUTE Which Building Blocks Are You Using? (continued) Partnerships ¥ Strategies for partnering/coordinating with local, state and federal agencies and organizations Bylaws ¥ Clearly defined rules and responsibilities for organization and members Strategic Planning ¥ Planning session to evaluate goals, objectives and work plan Written Plans ¥ Corridor management plan ¥ An implementation plan with responsibilities and timelines detailed ¥ Specific plans as needed (strategic plan, interpretive plan, marketing plan, long-term financial plan) Record Keeping Systems ¥ Minutes ¥ Financial documentation ¥ Grants and contracts ¥ Mail lists ¥ Implementation plans and their status Meeting Procedures and Guidelines ¥ Meeting schedules and notification ¥ Effective meeting tools (ground rules, agendas and facilitation skills) ¥ Decision-making process ¥ Documentation Finances ¥ Fiscal agent ¥ System for securing funds and raising required matching funds ¥ Method for neutral fiscal review on a regular basis Liability Coverage/Plan for ¥ Financial management ¥ Actions taken by the board or its representatives Created by AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center YOUR PURPOSE: FLORID A SCENIC HIGHWAYS (FLORIDA) CASE STUDY: Florida Scenic Highways Program Florida Scenic Highways Program: Dedicated to Building Strong Byway Organizations To become a state scenic byway in Florida, you need to build up your organizational muscles. The state has designed a stringent designation process that serves as strength training for the Corridor Advocacy Groups (CAGs). CAGs or CME (Corridor Management Entity) are FloridaÕs terms for local byway organizations. ThereÕs a lot of hard work required to become part of the Florida Scenic Highways Program, but the end result has been extensive community support, new partnerships, effective byway organizations and one of the countryÕs strongest programs. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) state scenic byway coordinator heads up the state program, which began from a solid grassroots foundation. In addition, eight district state scenic highways coordinators offer assistance to local communities interested in achieving designation for a local corridor. Photo Caption: Florida has created a state scenic byway program that builds strong local organizations. A challenging three-phase designation process guarantees that Corridor Advocacy Groups (CAG) are organized to maintain momentum, foster community support and develop the documentation to support the highway corridorÕs designation as a Florida Scenic Highway. There is an active ÒCAGÓ at work along the A1A Scenic and Historic Coastal Highway on FloridaÔs eastern ocean coast.The byway program serves as a connecting thread to link organizations with common purposes and intent. For example, the A1A byway has brought new attention to efforts to revive and renovate Marineland (left), the worldÕs first oceanarium. Established in 1938, the park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Case Study continued on next page Case Study continued on next page CASE STUDY: Florida Scenic Highways Program Three Designation Phases State designation in Florida is a step-by-step process divided into three phases. The State has developed a detailed Program Manual to guide candidates through the process. The challenging program guarantees that the CAGs are organized to maintain momentum, foster community support and develop the documentation supporting the highway corridorÕs designation as a Florida Scenic Highway. 1. Eligibility In the Eligibility Phase, applicants form a Corridor Advocacy Group (CAG) to submit a letter of intent and complete an Eligibility Application. The Florida Department of Transportation uses the information in this package to determine if the corridor will likely meet the designation requirements. The documentation details the merits of the intrinsic resources, the corridor vision and community support. In this initial phase, the byway organization takes a good look at the corridor, including land use, transportation issues, community redevelopment policies, growth management policies, lighting and more. Members begin to build a rich database of information about their byway. 2. Designation After becoming eligible, the CAG begins the Designation Phase by preparing a corridor management plan (CMP). Data collected in the Eligibility Phase serves as the base for a plan that specifies the operational procedures, protection techniques and standards and regulations by which the corridor will be managed and enhanced. The byway organization works hard to outline its goals, objectives and action items. If the CMP satisfies all program process requirements, state designation is granted. Susan King, FDOT, former byway leader for the Tamiami Trail Scenic Highway (a National Scenic Byway), sees the planning process as a way to bring groups with related interests together. ÒWe realized there were lots of agencies with their own plans, such as the Army Corps of Engineers and the National Park Service. Our CMP tried to encompass the other plans. It also provided an opportunity for all of us to work together on common goals.Ó Case Study continued on next page YOUR PURPOSE: FLORIDA SCENIC HIGHWAYS (FLORIDA) 3. Implementation Finally, the protection, promotion, enhancement and management techniques outlined in the CMP are put into action during the Implementation Phase. The byway organizations continue to monitor and evaluate the corridor, produce annual reports and update their CMPs, too. Folks involved with Florida byways talk about the value of the state process. ÒThe scenic byways program has empowered our community. The program is a lot more than a means to an end. The byway has become a connecting link, an integrator, for the whole area. We were working on something that hadnÕt been done before. Once we identified our goals, we sought out people and organizations that were interested in the same things as us. The efforts started to snowball,Ó said one participant. Buddy Cunill, FDOT, praises the work of the local byway organizations. ÒThe mission of the program is well understood and accepted. It shows through the energy and enthusiasm of the corridor representatives. The program is being implemented by the local organizations themselves, as was the intent!Ó The mission of the Florida Scenic Highways Program is to preserve, maintain, protect and enhance the intrinsic resources of corridors through a sustainable balance of conservation and land use. Through community-based consensus and partnerships, the program will promote economic prosperity and broaden the travelerÕs overall recreational and educational experience.  "Byway organizations are the heart and soul of our program. The programÕs success depends on the groups along the corridor. If the groups along the corridor are not successful, the program will not be successful." Buddy Cunill, Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations YOUR PURPOSE: CHEROKEE FOOTHILLS (SOUTH CAROLINA) CASE STUDY: Cherokee Foothills Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (South Carolina): Renewing a Byway Organization How do you keep your corridor management plan (CMP) alive? For many byway groups, national designation provides a clear goal attainable by following specific steps. But what happens after the corridor receives designation as a National Scenic Byway or All-American Road? Hopefully, a well-deserved celebration is followed by the question, ÒWhat next?Ó The Òwhat nextÓ can sometimes be difficult to sort out. National designation is a significant accomplishment, but it actually represents just the starting point for realizing a bywayÕs goals, such as preservation, protection and economic development of the corridor. The implementation of the CMP generally requires community involvement, cooperation of various government entities and responsive two-way communication with local communities. In short, it requires organization and commitment. The First 25 Years A state scenic highway for more than 25 years, the Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway is a 112-mile route through five upstate South Carolina counties. In 1995, in response to regional requests, the Appalachian Council of Governments (ACOG) evaluated the need for, and benefits of, developing a corridor management plan for the byway. A five- county advisory committee was formed that included residents of the corridor area, planners, developers and representatives from local counties, tourism and industry. Photo Caption: Implementing a corridor management plan can be difficult without a central organization to lead and monitor progress.The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (South Carolina) is working to renew a shared mission, shore-up its organization framework and increase community participation. Case Study continued on next page Implementing a corridor management plan can be difficult without a central organization to lead and monitor progress.The Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway (South Carolina) is working to renew a shared mission, shore-up its organization framework and increase community participation. Case Study continued on next page Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations The culmination of the four-year planning effort by the advisory committee (with staff support from ACOG) was the highwayÕs designation as a National Scenic Byway in 1998. Although there had been some local efforts to implement the CMP, progress had stalled without a central organization to lead and monitor progress. Like other byways that have received national designation, Cherokee Foothills decided it was ready to move forward. Organizing Begins To get the ball rolling, Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway held an organizational meeting in July 2000, with assistance from the AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center. The one-day meeting brought byway stakeholders together to talk about creating a formal byway organization. Area residents from a five-county region, land and business owners, local government, conservation groups and the state Department of Transportation were invited to: 1. Develop a shared mission for the byway organization. 2. Determine a suitable organizational structure. 3. Identify desired membership and levels of participation. 4. Create an action plan for the organization. Clarifying Values and Mission Like other byways, Cherokee Foothills began with one group who created the corridor management plan, but now had another group ready to implement it. Only a few of the meeting participants had been on the original CMP advisory committee. Participants needed time to become better acquainted and to discuss their hopes and expectations. Beginning with a shared sense of the value of the byway was important for the success of the day and the future organization. Taking time to share values and interests allows a community to develop strong bonds and a high level of trust among individuals. Defining the Organization The group also spent time reviewing various organizational structures that might meet their needs. Because byways are so diverse, each must find the structure that serves that particular group best. Some organizations are large and well defined, while others are smaller and more loosely structured. Some are made up almost exclusively of public servants, while others are citizen groups with links to the government bodies that have jurisdiction along the byway. After carefully considering all of the organization types, the Cherokee Foothills group favored formation of a nonprofit corporation with a board made up of residents from each of the five counties along the byway corridor. The meeting stressed the importance of community involvement and inclusion. Meeting participants worked through an exercise that helped them identify the various byway stakeholders. Realizing itÕs impossible to involve all stakeholders as board members, the facilitators presented a range of formal and informal ways that individuals and groups (businesses, local governments, interest groups, etc.) might be involved in the byway organization. Once the group determined the type and desired membership of the organization, they began the process of outlining the steps necessary to bring the organization into existence. They generated an action plan that identified three areas: 1. What needs to be done. 2. Who will do it. 3. When it will be done. The group noted that the action plan would continually change along the way to meet new issues and opportunities. One enthusiastic participant remarked, ÒThe meeting was just what we needed to bring people together. We now have a strong start toward forming a byway organization. IÕm excited about the momentum that was built in this first meeting.Ó  TIP! Get Started in the Right Direction Capturing your groupÕs hopes and dreams in the form of a vision or mission statement is hard work.The experience of the Cherokee Foothills group offers a tip to help you get started. As a first step, everyone took a few minutes to write down what they personally valued about the Cherokee Foothills corridor.The group then started to create a mission statement to focus the work of the future organization. Participants made lists of words they felt described the mission of the new organization.Then, small groups compared individual lists and generated a group list of not more than ten words.These words were posted on the wall and sorted into themes by the entire group.The result was a draft mission statement that began to set a course that everyone could support. YOUR PURPOSE:CHARTING YOUR COURSE FOR SUCCESS Charting Your Course for Success Vision and Mission Statements Start the Plan TIP! The vision is about the dream. The mission is about making the dream come true. Photo Caption: A vision statement provides direction and inspiration.The vision of the National Scenic Byways Program is ÒTo create a distinctive collection of American roads, their stories and treasured places.Ó One of the gems in the collection is the Selma to Montgomery March Byway in Alabama. This trail marks an event that changed the course of American historyÑthe 1965 civil rights march from Selma to Montgomery, led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Brown Chapel was the starting point for the march. Long-distance trips usually start with general directions, a good roadmap and an informative guidebook. The journey of implementing a byway initiative in your community also begins with similar aids. Your best guides can be a well-crafted vision, mission and corridor management plan. These documents will serve as both a compass to point you in the right direction and a roadmap to show you how to get there. Who Should Participate? Envisioning the future of your byway and community can be a powerful experience. Creating vision and mission statements, based on shared values and future hopes, can serve as a catalyst for change and commitment. Active community participation is key to success. The process should strive to capture diverse viewpoints and wide representation of community interests. Be sure to involve a broad spectrum of citizensÑsenior citizens, business representatives, youth, educators, landowners, partner agencies, politicians, community advocates, and byway stakeholders. Successful visioning processes give people many opportunities to participate, either directlyÑin workshops and town meetingsÑor indirectlyÑthrough mail-in surveys and interactive Web sites. "A vision is like a lighthouse, which illuminates rather than limits, giving direction rather than destination." James J. Mapes Foresight First Photo Caption: A vision lights the way. The 1894 Haceta Lighthouse is the brightest light on the Oregon coast and the Pacific Coast Scenic Byway. From 205 feet above the ocean, its beams reach 21 miles out to sea. YOUR PURPOSE: CHARTING YOUR COURSE FOR SUCCESS A vision statement describes your destinationÑwhere you are headed. A mission statement provides a framework for reaching your desired destinationÑ how you will get where you want to go. What Is a Vision Statement? Every journey has a destination. The vision statement captures the destination of your planning and implementation process, and provides your byway stakeholders with an inspiring glimpse of where you are trying to lead them. To motivate others to follow you on this journey, the vision statement must be clear and compelling, creative yet realistic, and, most important, connected to the desired future for the community. Good Vision Statements: ¥ Are inspiring, compelling and bold, raising our expectations and our actions to a higher purpose. ¥ Embody our values and give us courage to express those values to our communities. ¥ Use vivid language, word pictures, and metaphors to communicate enthusiasm and excitement. ¥ Reflect the unique and special character of the byway. ¥ Verbalize the highest aspirations of a byway organization. ¥ Conjure up a similar picture for each member of the group of the destination of the groupÕs work together. ¥ Come from the heart. ¥ Describe a desired future. What Is a Mission Statement? An organization should have a mission statement, as well as a vision statement. It provides broad direction as to how the organization will fulfill its vision. It does not include specific actions or activities. These will be outlined in the goals and objectives. To serve as an accurate roadmap for realizing your bywayÕs vision, the mission should state your groupÕs unique role in reaching the vision. A clear mission provides a way to determine and evaluate if a potential initiative falls within the role of the organization. Good Mission Statements: ¥ Outline what must happen to realize your vision. ¥ Describe what your byway is trying to accomplish and for whom. ¥ Inspire people to join you. ¥ Highlight a groupÕs unique strength. ¥ Outline the groupÕs role in realizing the vision. ¥ Serve as a yardstick against which you can measure new ideas and proposals. ¥ Are accessible and understandable to all your stakeholders. A clearly articulated vision and mission are essential for building strong, positive partnerships, developing community support, and giving an organization a strategic direction and purpose. TIP! Try Sharing Mission Statements Are you looking for a way to build stronger bonds with partner organizations? Try using mission statements. Ask your organizational partners to bring a copy of their mission statements to the next stakeholdersÕ meeting. Ask each partner to read his or her mission statement and discuss how it fits with the bywayÕs vision and mission statement.This is a great way to identify overlapping interests, spark new areas of collaboration and reinforce organizational relationships. One byway reported very positive results when partners such as the USDA Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, State Department of Transportation and local communities spent time sharing their respective mission statements. People started to realize that they could each achieve their individual organizationÕs missions more effectively by working together. ItÕs a simple exercise that can have powerful results. YOUR PURPOSE: CHARTING YOUR COURSE FOR SUCCESS "Mission, values, and vision are the glue that holds an organization together. They describe what youÕre trying to do, how you want to go about it, and where youÕre headed. Knowing these things helps to keep your organization on track. It gives you a yardstick you can always use to measure your present performance and plans against your aspirations. Ó Don Adams, Institute for Cultural Democracy TIP! Create a Community Vision Gregg Foster, Institute of the North Coast, offered these tips for successfully creating a community vision: 1. Be proactive. DonÕt wait for external prodding. Ask yourselves,ÒWhat do we want our community to be?Ó 2. Be inclusive.The public will always be involved in community decision-making. Use a planning process that is open early to all of those who affect or are affected by the outcome of the process. 3.Take time to do it right. Nothing stifles creativity and motivation faster than rushing a group of people through a process. 4. Measure progress. One of the more important pieces of planning is accurately measuring your success. Evaluation of programs frequently focuses on ÒprocessÓ measurements, rather than ÒoutcomeÓ measurements. 5. Remember it canÕt be done alone. It is true that a single individual or organization can provide the leadership needed to inspire a broad-based community vision. Ultimately, it takes the commitment of the entire community to ensure success. A community vision must reflect the communityÕs interest and have the commitment of its citizens to achieve it. COPY AND DISTRIBUTE Questions to Ask When Creating Your BywayÕs Vision and Mission These seven questions can help you get started in creating vision and mission statements for your byway. Ask each individual to write down ideas and then share them with the group. 1. Why have you chosen to live here? 2. Why have you chosen to join this group? 3. What are the things you value about your byway? 4. What is unique about this place? 5. Where do you want to be in five to ten years? 6. What ÒthemeÓ consistently runs through your byway, like a thread of gold? 7. What do you want to leave for others after youÕre gone? Created by AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center Achieving Buy-in for Your Vision and Mission Develop enthusiasm and support for your vision and mission by using the following strategies: ¥ Share the vision and mission with your bywayÕs stakeholders. Use any and all means of internal and external communications to get the word out. Find ways to publicize your vision and mission statements. ¥ Make the communication process interactive: listen to responses, and be prepared to modify the vision and mission statements if needed. ¥ Get the endorsement of key people who have influence in your community and along your byway. ¥ Bring the vision and mission to life by sharing stories, hosting tours, planning special events, and sharing the byway resources with community members. ¥ Keep the vision and mission statements in mind as the byway planning journey continues. ¥ Celebrate your success! ItÕs hard work to find just the right words that will articulate your bywayÕs vision and mission. Take time to celebrate your accomplishment. Photo Caption: How can you communicate your vision? Sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words! Byway leaders from FloridaÕs Indian River Lagoon Scenic Highway show this architectural rendering to help prospective donors quickly Òcatch the visionÓ of their project. So far, the group has raised over a million dollars for this multi-purpose educational center and visitor facility. Photos, drawings, and models can be effective communication tools. YOUR PURPOSE: CHARTING YOUR COURSE FOR SUCCESS Photo Caption: A corridor management plan (CMP) addresses the long-term objectives and management of a byway. It ensures that the vision, mission and goals of the byway are met and sustained. Getting on the Road The Òbig pictureÓ is now finished. Or is it? Your vision and mission statements will serve as a framework for your byway goals. Your next challenge is to translate your dreams into specific plans that will mark your progress along the road to implement your bywayÕs vision and mission. A corridor management plan will naturally flow from questions that start to form as you define your vision and mission. What are our bywayÕs resources and intrinsic qualities? How will we maintain and enhance the intrinsic qualities? Who will be responsible for implementing our vision and mission? How will we explain and interpret our bywayÕs significance to visitors? Answers to these questions, and more, will become the foundation of your corridor management plan. With your vision and mission in hand, you are ready to start down the road to implementing a successful byway program.  Making the Grassroots Grow: Building and Maintaining Effective Byway Organizations COPY AND DISTRIBUTE Test Your Vision Statement If you wonder if your statement is a mission statement or a vision statement, consider the following questions. If the answer to these questions is yes, you have a strategic vision. 1. Did you arrive at it through reflecting about your particular community, its potentials, its strengths and weaknesses, and what it can become? Yes No 2. Is your statement distinctive from those of many other communities (or organizations)? Yes No 3. Does it include the various parts of your communityÑ economic, social, educational, etc.Ñand describe what will take place in the future and with whom?Yes No 4. Does it transport you into the future and describe a desired destination? Yes No 5. Is it specific enough to provide direction for decision making and lead you to particular strategies? Yes No 6. Does the statement avoid generalities that lead it to try to become all things to all people? (A classic example: A friendly town with good people, good schools and beautiful scenery.) Yes No 7. Does it stir your blood, engage your spirit, and motivate you to join with others to take action? Yes No 8. When you show it to someone who lives elsewhere, do they get excited and talk about wanting to move to your community? Yes No Credit: Harnessing The Power of Vision:Ten Steps to Creating a Strategic Vision and Action Plan for your Community, Mark Peterson,Cooperative Extension Service,University of Arkansas,Little Rock,Arkansas. YOUR PURPOSE: CHARTING YOUR COURSE FOR SUCCESS Sample Vision and Mission Statements: How Byways See Their Futures Native American Scenic Byway in South Dakota (NSB) Excerpt from Vision Statement Our vision is a simple one, for the traveler to see the land, feel its spirit, and respect our beliefs, our way of life and our land. Nebo Loop Scenic Byway in Utah (NSB) Byway Theme Reverence, Respect, Renewal. The spectacular scenery, the complete array of recreational activities and Native American history along the byway stir feelings of reverence for the land, respect for the resources, and a sense of personal and ecological renewal. Outback Scenic Byway in Oregon (NSB) Excerpts from the BywayÕs Vision Statement The Outback Scenic Byway provides visitors with a memorable experience based on appreciation of the rural life style, the natural and cultural history and the Great Basin landscapes. The byway will become the preferred route for travel between Portland and RenoÉ Visitors will return and will recommend the byway to friends because it has not become over-developed and they have enjoyed the outback hospitality and the room to roam. Coal Heritage Trail in West Virginia (NSB) Mission Statement The Coal Heritage Trail will be a model of preservation, sensitive development, and heritage interpretation for the people of West Virginia and tourists. NSB= National Scenic Byway AAR= All-American Road Lakes to Locks Passage in New York (AAR) Mission Statement Through partnership of public, private and nonprofit organizations, the scenic, historic, natural, cultural, recreational, and working landscapes of Lakes to Locks Passage are managed in balance with economic development and tourism. Note: In 2002, three separate byway organizations combined to form the Lakes to Locks Passage Partnership. North Shore Scenic Drive in Minnesota (AAR) Mission Statement The mission of the Lake Superior All-American Road Planning Council is to cooperatively enhance the economic benefit of travel along Lake SuperiorÕs North Shore and improve the quality of the route while preserving its cultural, social and natural integrity. Photo Caption: Mission Statement: Woodward Avenue will be a premier business, cultural, recreational and educational location in the metro area.The 27-mile corridor will be easily traversed via dependable, state-of-the-art public transportation. Surrounded by vibrant neighborhoods,Woodward Avenue will be a vital corridor where people identify with its history and want to maintain its importance into the future. Woodward Avenue will symbolize a partnership among business owners, property owners, institutions and local governments. (Woodward Avenue is an urban byway located in Detroit, Michigan.) COPY AND DISTRIBUTE YOUR PURPOSE: SUGGESTED ACTIONS Suggested Actions: ¥ Draft a vision statement for your byway. ¥ Draft a mission statement for your byway. ¥ Collect and review sample vision and mission statements from other byways, organizations and communities. ¥ Assess which building blocks your organization is currently using (see pages 8 and 9). List building blocks you would like to use in the future. ¥ Discuss ways to achieve buy-in from your partners for your vision and mission. ¥ Find other organizations whose missions are similar to yours. Encourage partnership opportunities. ¥ Complete the worksheet on page 6 to assess your bywayÕs readiness for success. Created by AmericaÕs Byways Resource Center COPY AND DISTRIBUTE References: The Successful Volunteer Organization Joan Flanagan, Contemporary Books, Chicago. 1984. Harnessing the Power of Vision: Ten Steps to Creating a Strategic Vision and Action Plan for Your Community Mark Peterson, University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, Little Rock, AR, 1995. Creating a Community Vision and Making it Happen Gregg Foster, Institute of the North Coast, a program of the Humboldt Area Foundation, Bayside, CA. Notes: