Challenge: After completion of the 2021 Westshore Alliance biennial study of Westshore Residents and Workers, the organization’s board of directors engaged HCP Associates to gather feedback from members and stakeholders to determine where the organization should go in the next 10 years and how it can influence improvements in the Westshore area. The Westshore Alliance faced the challenge of leadership transition and required a clear roadmap for its future development and the organization and its evolving role in the community.

Solution: HCP Associates consulted with new leadership and stakeholders and developed a comprehensive strategic planning process that included a mixture of qualitative and quantitative research methods to create a comprehensive strategic plan. The research conducted in prior years and feedback obtained from the study were also used to clarify and confirm the priorities within the strategic plan for the Westshore Alliance.

The Westshore Alliance is a member-based organization comprised of business and community leaders. It was founded in 1983 to promote, shape future growth, and foster the prosperity of the rapidly growing Westshore Business District. The organization works with public partners to advocate for and improve the district and also enhances relationships with local government entities to increase the prominence of the Westshore area in the eyes of local government leadership.

The strategic plan includes two main categories: strategies for furthering the development of the Westshore District and strategies for growing the Westshore Alliance to serve that objective. The plan includes specific objectives, timelines, and key performance indicators that would be used to assess their success.

With this plan, the Westshore Alliance will increase engagement among members, committees, external stakeholders, and the local community, which will help to achieve their mission of continuing the Westshore District’s transformation into a thriving community for residents and businesses.