Kicking Off KT’s Next Strategic Framework!

KT is beginning the process of creating a new strategic framework to serve the future of our organization and community.

KT finds itself in the home stretch of our 5 year strategic plan! A plan that so many of our trail users, staff, community members, and especially our landowners were a part of creating. A plan that we believe has been a success! KT has accomplished so much of what was identified by you, our stakeholders. 

We are proud that even in the midst of uncertainty we continued to strive. We experienced incredible and at times, fast paced change; a new Executive Director, access challenges, even a global pandemic. We believe we remained grounded in our strategic plan, yet we had to make drastic shifts to the plan to adapt; we extended it from 3 to 5 years, we wove in diversity, equity and inclusion values, and allowed some targets to become obsolete. We have also done so much more, going above and beyond the action items fixed in our plan, with nowhere to account for them. So this is why KT will not be creating another strategic plan, rather a strategic framework. 

KT needs a planning process that is agile and responsive. It has to account for the challenges and complexity that we will undoubtedly always face. Traditional strategic plans, like our current one, are built as long lists of strategies with an overwhelming amount of objectives and tasks. We feel this type of plan locks KT into a limited view, much like tunnel vision. These strategic plans specify future action, yet the future is unknown. 

Strategic frameworks can be a simpler document with big ideas. It will contain our vision, mission, values, overarching goals and objectives written in a concise, bold way. These are components that define KT and the future we want, while these essential elements stay the same over time. It will be an adaptive plan. On an annual basis we will define, track, and assess projects to coincide with our framework and the reality surrounding us at the time. This allows us to stay true to KT, while being responsive and fluid. Plus we wish to better report out to you for better transparency and to hold us accountable.

KT is thrilled to welcome Wendy Rhein as our Strategic Framework consultant. It is important that KT looks to someone outside our organization to guide us through this process as Board members and staff are most definitely biased. We need a neutral convenor to lead, listen, pull the wisdom from the room, and make sense of it. Wendy will do just that! As she is a nonprofit professional with more than 25 years experience, bringing an extensive skill set crafting strategies aimed at sustainably growing organizations. 

KT launched the strategic framework creation process at our Annual Board of Directors Retreat. Meeting at the new classroom in the DoNorth Co-Work Space and fueled by Freighthouse and Mosaic, our 11 member Board, led by Kimberly Penharlow of Kimberly Penharlow Consulting, connected to build stronger relationships with each other, plus began developing a vision statement for KT. Building off the Board’s past work educating themselves on ‘Power Analysis,’ they reviewed structures of power and even learned about a lens of systematic oppression. The Board dove into “intention vs Impact” and were able to be more aware about how power exists and moves throughout our organization. The Board took part in a further anti-racist and systematic oppression training to continue educating themselves and to encourage KT to shift paradigms and perspectives when creating this next framework. Thank you to our Board of Directors for their time, energy, and thoughtfulness.

Now that the Board of Directors has kicked it off, we have begun looking to our incredible stakeholders; trail enthusiasts, community members and leaders, awesome staff, and absolutely our essential landowners. Our facilitator has been hosting one on one and focus group conversations, gathering feedback and asking questions such as, “What is special about KT? What is something only KT can do? What should KT stop doing? And if you could change something about KT what would it be?” We believe public engagement is a key component to creating this framework as KT serves you, our community, and none of it is possible without our landowners. 

Next steps, based on the stakeholder sessions, a draft framework we will be produced to test against goals by working with the KT team to create completed plans based on the framework. We plan to put this draft out to the public to solicit feedback once again. So stay tuned! 

KT also plans to create a reporting and tracking tool. This tool will allow for quarterly monitoring of projects against the established timelines, budget and goals. This tool will allow the KT Team to quickly and easily assess progress to date and provide data to inform a pivot or shift, making the strategic framework a functional and living tool for all.

We are excited for what’s to come and are grateful to those who have already and soon will participate. Again, it is essential that KT listens and looks to our stakeholders for guidance in order to assure a sustainable and successful future. 

“Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” –Deepak Chopra