Take a look at the support offered to planners, and you will find a wealth of networks and information advancing the planning profession – from Smart Growth America to complete streets. Trade organizations spread information on emerging tools and techniques and connect people of similar fields. However, take a closer look, and you’ll find that resources for state-level planning are paltry at best.
The NCSP provides a network that facilitates the discussion of best practices at the state level
While distinct state planning departments or offices exist only in a handful of states, almost all states have planners working in housing, environment and transportation agencies or capital budget management and economic development. Those planners would benefit from more information about efficient coordination among state agencies, strategies to direct technical assistance and grant resources to diverse local governments and more.
A National Network for State Planners
To address this lack of professional support targeted to state-level planners, the Regional and Intergovernmental Planning Division of the American Planning Association (APA) launched the National Collaborative of State Planners. The first step was to see if others agreed with our premise that state level planning was important and we needed an arena to collaborate and share best practices. Our kick-off survey to some 300 state planners garnered a surprisingly high response rate and validated our assertion.
With that positive response, the Collaborative developed a webpage emphasizing stories from around the country where state planning has been particularly effective. The Collaborative aims to develop a strong network for information-sharing.
The survey also asked about areas where planners are seeking continuing education. Issues of climate change were consistently mentioned and, more specifically, how state-level planning and policies can be most effective in developing climate change resiliency and adaptation strategies.
Climate Change Webinar
Responding to the overwhelming interest in climate change, the Collaborative has organized its free webinar. On Friday, April 11, the Collaborative hosts Is Your State Resilient? Planning for Climate Change, which focuses on plans, policies and laws that address the impacts of climate change on the state level. Presenters include Michael McCormick, senior planner and adviser, California Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, Zoë Johnson, program manager for climate change planning and policy with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, and Julie Dennis, community program manager, Florida Department of Economic Opportunity’s Division of Community Development.
The Collaborative also will host a facilitated discussion at the APA National Conference in Atlanta, Join the conversation in person on Sunday, April 27 from 1-2:15 p.m.
The National Collaborative of State Planners will continue to host more free webinars and utilize its website to share best practices and connect people. We encourage all planners tovisit the website, submit best practices and suggest webinar topics.
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