Herculean Effort
RESILIENCE is a word you hear a lot these days. It's right up there with EXPERIENCE when it comes to buzzwords. I suppose one could argue that resilience is the ultimate experience.
In any event, I wonder how many folks are familiar with the Resilient Atlanta Plan that was developed in 2017. This 78-page document was the result of a Herculean effort led by Stephanie Stuckey, who was Atlanta's Chief Resilience Officer at the time.
Having spent several decades doing this type of work, I can honestly say that this project was (is) a paragon of strategic planning.
In case you are new to ATL or just missed it back in 2017, Atlanta was the part of the 100 Resilient Cities initiative, which was led by The Rockefeller Foundation. In fact, ATL was the 100th city to be included in the list. That may not impress those who have become accustomed to winning national or world championships, but if you look at the other 99 cities, you can't help but appreciate the significance of this achievement. It was (is) a big deal.
Connecting Atlanta’s Past, Present & Future
Resilient Atlanta is a report about the PAST, PRESENT and FUTURE of Atlanta, with particular emphasis on the future. It is a strategic plan in the literal sense of the word, and one that everyone (especially public and private sector decision-makers) should read at least once. In the comments below, you will find several images from the report.
The planning framework, which is brilliant and can serve as a model for organizations of all types and sizes, was developed by the Rockefeller Foundation (see image below and pages 30-31 of the report).
Stuckey and her team defined the specific initiatives under the twelve dimensions of the framework. I got to see some of their work first-hand while it was being performed, which is why I call it a Herculean effort.
One of the sections that jumped out for me appears on Pages 16-19 of the report. Here, you will find a list of eighteen (18) strategic plans dating back to 2007 that have been developed by various organizations, including the ARC, the CoA and others (see image in comments below). I have heard people say that government agencies are especially adept at planning. They also spend a ton of money on planning. There is a thriving consulting industry that produces these types of documents.
One cannot help but wonder what's become of all this planning work. That is, how many of the recommendations have been implemented? How do the proposed implementation timeframes compare with actual ones?
I am posing these questions in hopes that some intrepid reporters will take this on as a project; as a public service initiative, of sorts.
It would be fascinating to see this type of analysis. It might also be incredibly valuable for those who are responsible for making long-range and capital-intensive decisions. This might also be indispensable to those who are creating new strategic plans as we speak.
About the 100 Resilient Cities Project
(100RC) helps cities around the world become more resilient to the physical, social, and economic challenges that are a growing part of the 21st century. 100RC provides this assistance through: funding for a Chief Resilience Officer in each member city who will lead the resilience efforts; resources for drafting a resilience strategy; access to private sector, public sector, academic, and non-governmental (NGO) resilience tools; and membership in a global network of peer cities to share best practices and challenges.
Atlanta joined the 100RC network as part of the third wave of cities selected in 2016, and through its participation, is committed to demonstrating global leadership in resilience and taking advantage of membership resources and opportunities.
Explore More
Resilient Atlanta Strategic Plan (2017)
100 Resilient Cities — Rockefeller Foundation
Mayor’s Office of Sustainability and Resilience — City of Atlanta
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