Initiatives vs. Activities GoToMeeting June 2010

1. Initiatives vs. Activities GoToMeeting June 2010

2. Why are we focusing on initiatives?

3. Difference between being busy & being productive • Need to be entrepreneurial; not bureaucratic • Aim is quality initiatives that make tangible and meaningful impacts in peoples lives • Difficult to demonstrating value • Government , Volunteers & Stakeholders • Challenge identifying good initiatives to fund • Focus on outcomes; not effort or outputs • Status quo was not workable in the longer term

4. What Does the PBF Criteria Say?

5. CF1-A: Quality of initiatives in annual IBP: • Specific project with clear objectives and measurable results; • incremental to day-to-day activities,(i.e. does not include core activities such as meetings, facilitation etc) • Defined timelines (beginning/ end dates); • will stimulate diversification of communities’ economies, increase competitiveness and prosperity; has linkages and partnerships within the community; is beneficial to the economic development of a community; and leads to sustainable and viable economic activity

6. CF1-A: Five Criteria • Long term benefits/impact to the region – Must demonstrate employment generation & show improvements to regional infrastructure. • Sustainability – Should demonstrate it can generate revenue for future operational and development costs, or the proponent for can sustain it. • Regional Scope – Must be a regionally-based or demonstrate benefits to more than one community.

7. CF1-A: Five Criteria • Linkages to Government priorities – Must enhance community or regional capacity through the development of competitive, productive, strategic sectors; strengthen community infrastructure in rural communities to improve their economic development capability; to enhance communities’ capacity to overcome economic development challenges & take advantage of their strengths, assets and opportunities presented.

8. CF1-A: Five Criteria • Partner Engagement – The board should demonstrate a partnership approach to the development and implement of the initiative. These partnerships should be sustained after the initiative is completed.

9. Defining an Initiative

10. Initiative: A series of related activities directed towards a major tangible output (product / service) intended to contribute to a specified desired future outcome. An initiative must have a well-defined objective, an understood scope, start & end dates, known resource requirements, etc.

11. Activity Initiative Form a regional joint council. The REDB will research governance structures, chair & lead formation of steering committee, develop by-laws, facilitate MOU development, promote regional collaboration, … Meet with municipalities to review ICSPs and discuss opportunities for collaboration - a step in developing an initiative but we cannot know the specific output or outcome

12. Activity Initiative Worker Recruitment project. The REDB will develop a newcomer attraction website with local municipalities, lead formation of “welcoming region” committee, form a business network of seasonal employers to collaborate on worker retention…. Update Regional Labour Market Profile. The REDB will compile relevant information using community accounts and share with area businesses - Specific labour market need not clear

13. Initiative vs. Activity - Ask yourself: • Is it a substantive piece of work? • Can I describe clearly the project scope/ schedule/ budget/ quality standards, how it will be accomplished, what outputs it will produce & what outcomes it will contribute to? • Does it satisfy CF1-A criteria? • Will I be able to point to it as a tangible success story when completed?...would key stakeholders agree?

14. Questions & Discussion