VISIONING PROJECT ACHIEVES 98 PERCENT OF GOAL

The visioning project for the Topeka and Shawnee County area has more than 98 percent of the funds identified for the project.  According to Roger Viola, Topeka Community Foundation president, more than $647,000 toward the three-year goal of $655,000, has been raised. 

The funding partners met today to hear project updates and determine the process for hiring a project facilitator.  More than 20 partners represent private businesses, governmental entities, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and individuals from a cross-section of the community. 

“The next step will be to invite prospective facilitators to the community for interviews with funding representatives,” Viola said.  “After a facilitator is hired, local staffing and a name for the project will be determined.” 

“We anticipate interviewing facilitators in December and beginning the visioning process in early 2008,” Viola said. 

The community-wide visioning project will involve citizens from throughout the City of Topeka and Shawnee County.  Citizens will have the opportunity to identify major goals for the community and ultimately develop strategic alliances to address implementation of the goals. 

Visioning processes can help communities identify, recruit and keep people with diverse perspectives at the table to address community concerns and goals.

 “This isn’t a project that will result in a report on a shelf,” Viola said.  “Implementation is as big a part of this project as the process itself.  Stable three-year funding will allow our community to focus on implementation and give us the opportunity to makes changes based on benchmarks and the goals identified through the visioning process.”

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