Adopted by the ECGA Board of Trustees on December 11, 1999

Vision of the East Coast Greenway Trail Network

The East Coast Greenway Trail Network ("the Greenway") is a multi-user trail network connecting urban centers along the East Coast of the United States from Canada to Key West. This spine route consists of a series of locally owned and managed trails, linked to form a continuous greenway, easily identified by the public through signage, maps, and user guides. The Greenway will be primarily an off-road route serving cyclists, hikers, and other non-motorized users for recreation and transportation, and will enhance communities by promoting tourism, strengthening local economies, and improving public health and the environment.

Mission of the East Coast Greenway Alliance

The East Coast Greenway Alliance ("the Alliance") exists to promote the establishment and stewardship of the Greenway, and its safe use and enjoyment by the general public. This mission will be accomplished through the collaborative efforts of the Alliance, the State Committees, and all of the local, state, and national organizations and governmental agencies involved in planning, building, and maintaining the Greenway.

The Plan

This Long Range Strategic Plan (the Plan) anticipates development of the entire Greenway as an 80% off-road route by 2010, and sets specific goals and objectives for developing the Greenway for the three year period to include 2002. The Plan has three primary purposes:-To clarify the focus of the Alliance, and in particular to distinguish and clarify the primary responsibilities of the Alliance and the State committees;-To clarify the Alliance's priorities, both with respect to longer term goals and more immediate objectives; specific programmatic priorities for each year will be determined by the Board annually; and-To emphasize procedures, that this Plan is an organic document that will be reviewed and revised periodically. It requires an on-going role of staff and key Alliance committees in developing and recommending to the Board revised objectives for timely inclusion in the Plan, and annual workplans for its implementation.

Primary Roles

The national office of the Alliance, on the one hand, and the State Committees, on the other hand, will pursue their joint mission in different ways. These primary roles set out the fundamental differences in the responsibilities of the two levels of the Alliance to achievement of that mission.

I - The primary roles of the national office of the Alliance are to:

Raise sufficient funds to support the organization at an effective level and to provide a basic level of resources to State Committees.

Otherwise encourage, guide and support the work of the State Committees in developing and managing the Greenway.

Undertake promotional activities to increase awareness of the Greenway and to encourage its use as it is developed.

Assure the Greenway's character, identity, and consistency as a national transportation, recreation, and tourism route.

II - The primary role of the State Committees is to foster the development and management of the Greenway, working with the Alliance and appropriate state and local entities and individuals.



Goals for the Alliance

Goal #1: Develop and strengthen the Alliance

Objective 1-1: Raise sufficient funds annually to strengthen the Alliance's national office and to assure the effectiveness of the State Committees.

Clarify on-going Board committee responsibility for working with staff to recommend overall fundraising goals and strategies, a responsibility now expected to be vested in a new Development Committee.

Develop a five year fundraising plan for the Alliance during FY2000.

Clarify on-going Board committee responsibility for working with staff to recommend to Board optimal staff configurations, consistent with given levels of funding, now expected to be a function of the Personnel/Finance Committee.

Develop a five year staffing plan for the Alliance during FY2000.

Objective 1-2: Establish a system of annual budget and work plans to implement the goals and objectives set out in this Plan.

For decision at the Board of Trustees meeting in September of each year, the Executive Director, in consultation with appropriate Board Committees, shall propose top priority programmatic objectives for the succeeding year.

At the Annual Meeting in September of each year, the Executive Director shall report to the Alliance members on progress in achieving the top priority objectives for that year.

For decision at the Board of Trustees meeting in December, the Executive Director, in conjunction with the Personnel/Finance Committee and the Executive Committee, shall propose a budget and a work plan for the succeeding year consistent with the five year funding and staffing plans and based on achieving the primary objectives decided in September.

Objective 1-3: Increase efficiency and effectiveness of Board and committee structure and procedures.

Expand Board and add members from each state.

Clarify on-going Board committee responsibility for regularly reviewing Board and committee structures and procedures, and recommending improvements thereto, expected to be a function of the Executive Committee.

Goal #2 Support State Committees

Objective 2-1: Build State Committee organizational capacity in all three regions.
Objective 2-2: Assure functioning Regional Committees in all three regions, with Regional Coordinators in each. It is the primary responsibility of the Regional Committees and coordinators to assist State Committees in their work.
Objective 2-3: Provide a baseline of necessary support for each State Committee consistent with Alliance budget realities.
Objective 2-4: Establish mechanism for providing technical assistance to State Committees.
Objective 2-5: Adopt a policy on State Committees.

Goal #3 Enhance public visibility of Alliance and the Greenway

Objective 3-1: Stage appropriate events to publicize the Greenway.
Objective 3-2: Issue annual SOTR.
Objective 3-3: Establish other appropriate Greenway promotional and marketing programs consistent with funding levels.
Objective 3-4: Develop a marketing plan for the Alliance during FY2000.

Goal #4: Assure the Greenway's character and consistency

Objective 4-1: Achieve defined and functioning designation criteria and procedures issued in handbook format.
Objective 4-2: Develop and adopt a uniform signage policy, and assure that all designated trails are signed in accordance therewith.
Objective 4-3: Assure printing and distribution of consistent maps of approved routes in each state.

Goals for State Committees

Goal #1: Develop the Greenway Objectives for developing the Greenway with respect to five benchmarks of progress are set out in the attached matrix.

Goal #2: Build a strong State Committee

Objective 2-1: Ensure broad representation on State Committees.
Objective 2-2: Develop procedures for responsible reporting and record keeping.
Objective 2-3: Build database of, and strong relations with, other Greenway stakeholders in state.

Goal #3: Support the Alliance

Objective 3-1: Nominate State Trustee for election to Alliance board
Objective 3-2: Increase ECGA membership within state
Objective 3-3: Participate in ECGA Regional Committee meetings