In early 2023, the Zionsville Parks Foundation engaged FRMWRK to develop their first organizational strategic plan with the hope that the resulting plan would provide the young Foundation with a clear and actionable roadmap for how to sustainably grow the organization’s capacity and maximize its impact in the community.

Community-wide parks foundations are one of the most important pillars of funding within a municipal parks system, as they alone often serve as the bridge between private resources and the greater public interest of parks and public spaces.  Our experience working for both municipal parks departments and 501(c)(3) NGO’s informed our approach to this process and underscored its importance. 

A clear and actionable strategic plan is essential for any organization, as it serves as the framework for all decisions made in pursuit of realizing the mission and vision. 

The 2023 Zionsville Parks Foundation Strategic Plan sought to provide the Foundation with clarity on both short-term and long-range priorities, pairing both with actionable recommendations.  Critically, this plan also sought to clearly articulate the role that the Foundation will play within the community when compared to that of the local municipal parks department.