Challenge: In May 2021, the Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College Environmental Institute, in conjunction with the
Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and an array of stakeholders, engaged Northspan to conduct a strategic planning process for a proposed Agriculture Division within the tribal government. The goals of the process were to clarify and/or identify the following:
- Strategic directions for the next five years
- Accomplishments by which the strategic directions are achievable
- Establish a timeline and priorities among the identified strategic actions
Role: The new strategic plan builds on the foundations created in recent years to develop a clear action plan, complete with a timeline, for the creation of the new division. This strategic plan is the culmination of a planning process that began in May 2021 and builds on a previous plan developed in 2017 and updated in 2019. Northspan facilitated the development of a vision statement, a mission statement, and five strategic directions as well as timelines and priorities with the intent of consistent and incremental strengthening of Tribal Food Sovereignty. The process engaged and brought together several dozen stakeholders in a united effort, including Band staff members, Fond du Lac Tribal and Community College, and members of the community and the Fond du Lac Reservation involved in formal or informal agriculture projects.
Results: The completed strategic plan includes a mission statement and five strategic directions which will guide the creation of the Agriculture Division and its work for the next five years with the intent of leading and coordinating the FDL Community’s efforts to rebuild the local food system in order to improve the community’s health and resiliency. The plan developed definitions as well as action steps and identified outcomes for the following five strategic directions:
- Operations
- Production
- Community Engagement
- Processing
- Distribution and Marketing
You can read about the cultural importance of Fond du Lac agricultural practices in this September 2 article from the Duluth News Tribune.
View the full strategic plan plus background information and details on the strategic planning process here: Strategic Plan 2021-2025.
Reference: Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Economic Development Planner Jamie Adams, jamieadams@fdlrez.com, (218) 878-2631.