Communicating Vision and Mission

The Community Tool Box at Kansas University defines Vision and Mission statements this way:

"Vision statements are short phrases or sentences that convey your community's hopes for the future.
An organization's mission statement describes what the group is going to do and why it's going to do that. Mission statements are similar to vision statements, in that they, too, look at the big picture. However, they're more concrete, and they are definitely more "action-oriented" than vision statements.
Your vision statement should inspire people to dream; your mission statement should inspire them to action."

A center's vision and mission are going to be key to determining which funding opportunities and partnerships are in scope or likely to produce positive results. So time spent developing these statements is an important investment in stable, long-term growth and success. But just as important, being able to communicate that vision and mission will enable the center to draw in people and resources with similar interests.

Develop an Iterative, Ongoing Process

Create and maintain vision and mission statements through a dynamic process with multiple points for taking in feedback across time.

Solicit and Acknowledge Stakeholder Feedback

Understand who the center's stakeholders are and what they value. Provide avenues for their voices to influence the process of formulating the center's vision and mission.

Tell Your Story

Develop the message, know who the messengers will be, and plan how they will communicate that message.

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