Foundational Areas of Focus
In order to achieve the overarching priority of improved
community prosperity before 2030, Polk County will have:
EDUCATION GOVERNMENT
A world-class, fully integrated education A comprehensive system of government that is
system that supports the needs of a vibrant, effective, efficient, diverse and responsive to the
progressive community. basic needs of its citizens.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT QUALITY OF LIFE
An economic development environment A quality of life that encourages dive rse
that attracts quality businesses with higher backgrounds to live in harmony while developing
paying jobs, improves productivity and retains physically, spiritually, mentally and culturally
educated young people. within a healthy and safe environment.
result in systemic change. INFRASTRUCTURE CIVIC ENGAGEMENT
This countywide collaborative process provides the following Growth management and infrastructure that Private sector leadership that drives the
advantages: protects the environment, enhances quality partnership with government and citizens to
of life, supports education and economic ensure that Polk County is a premiere place to
• development and is economically sustainable. live, learn, work and play.
PROCESS & TECHNOLOGY
As facilitators of a countywide collaboration among schools,
non-profits, businesses, and the public sector, Polk Vision
offers a framework for achieving sustained improvement.
The work is dynamic and requires continuous learning
and adaptive solutions in addressing a range of complex
issues. Polk Vision refers to this as our LEAD process: Learn
all we can about an issue, Engage community partners
knowledgeable and passionate about the issue, Align
resources to address the issue and Develop plans that will
Greater returns on investment – By working together
toward common goals, resources are leveraged,
duplication is avoided, and efficiency is greatly increased.
•
Higher quality services – Utilizing expertise from multiple
organizations guarantees a broader perspective and a
•
Long-Term Outcomes
wiser approach. Each Alignment Team creates a Tactical Plan that begins with one or more of the Long-Term Outcomes listed
Enhanced capacity – A collective effort enhances the outcomes and design tactics that best align community resources.
impact of each organization while generating a much
greater overall outcome.
Polk Vision’s membership in the Alignment USA network has
provided us with a technology tool to power our principles,
below. The Teams work backwards from the selected long-term outcome(s) creating mid and short term
This process ensures that multiple approaches are considered. For example, the Infrastructure Team
links their work on sidewalk mapping with Healthy Communities and High School Graduation Rates —
demonstrating the importance of collective impact when addressing complex issues.
structure and process. This online portal allows our LEAD
Team members, community partners and staff to collaborate,
measure and report progress, capture information and
warehouse our collective work.
INCREASE
HIGH SCHOOL
GRADUATION
RATE
7
INCREASE
COLLEGE
& CAREER
READINESS
HEALTHY
COMMUNITIES
COMMUNITY
PROSPERITY
ENGAGED
CITIZENS
8