Strategic Plan for 2022

Vision
As a volunteer-led community ally, Irvington Development Organization (IDO) helps our neighborhood identify, lead, and promote commercial initiatives while encouraging and supporting both new and existing businesses within Irvington. IDO strives to promote, strengthen, and protect the interests of the business community. Through hands-on, collaborative partnerships with fellow not-for-profits in our neighborhood, IDO works to promote the historic integrity, innovative vision, and economic developmental opportunities of our community.

Values
Principles and beliefs that help us pursue our vision:

Transparency and Integrity in our goals and methods
Financially sustainable
Community-led/working on community priorities by partnering with other Irvington organizations
Innovative partner – model for other organizations, attractive to potential board members
Diverse in support and makeup – inclusive

Methods
Actions and steps help get the job done:

Revise our budget and define key financial liabilities
Review Committee Structure – assess committees needed to accomplish goals
Recruit volunteers, board members and donors
Promote the business district:
- Work closely with realtors, the city, and other partners to identify locations for economic development (e.g., new businesses, enhancing existing businesses); 6-18 months out – establish ourselves as the go-to resource for entities looking to add or expand businesses on the east side
- Appoint a board member as a commercial real-estate liaison from IDO to assist prospective Irvington businesses
Encourage public art/public spaces – partner with appropriate groups to enable artists programs to implement
Economic Improvement District (EID) – take a supporting role by serving on EID committees
Collaborate with other Irvington organizations and clarify our unique goals
- Attend other meetings and provide regular reports to prevent conflicting initiatives
Partner with the City / County, local economic development entities, and other neighborhoods
- Collaborate with Blake Johnson and other government representatives with invitations to a Board meeting.
- Approach City/Councilor Larrison to offer support and help the city’s efforts at investment in Irvington Plaza and economic designation by the Council
Identify private and public funding sources that align with IDO objectives
- Apply for grants available to designated economic districts
- Look at Transit-oriented development grants as the Blue Line moves forward
Build a stronger relationship with IBA (Irvington Business Association)
- Invite IBA chair to a meeting to assess needs and better partnership model
- Look at better supporting one website for all of Irvington
Investigate what’s needed to create a Quality of Life plan
Explore possibilities to get Irvington designated as a cultural district

Obstacles
Things that block our progress, get in our way, or make it difficult to accomplish what we’ve outlined:

Lack of organization internal to IDO and membership loss due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Confusion or negative perception in the community about IDO
Conflicts with other Irvington organization goals
Volunteer-led organization/lack of paid staff
Lack of active participants/lack of appropriate experience on board

Measures
Measurable results we aim to achieve; make the measures SMART:

Annual satisfaction/feedback survey
1. Awareness of IDO
2. Satisfied with what they know about?
3. What should we do that’s new/different?
4. Reference Indy Downtown survey
Fundraising/safety net of defined amount
Board slots consistently filled/inquiries to serve on board (how many seats filled vs. empty)
New economic development investment in the neighborhood (boundaries need to be defined) on an annual basis
Number of volunteers/Sub-committees are all reactivated and meeting regularly
IDO rep on each EID committee
DiscoverIrvington (or equivalently-named website) is updated and active