Gahanna, OH 
Strategic Plan Engagement

The City of Gahanna, prior to this plan, lacked a cohesive, community-driven planning document; in 2016, the City and Planning NEXT began a process to develop a new strategic plan that was rooted in and focused on achieving measurable results for the community. The overall planning process was kicked off with a robust set of ten public engagement events. An Outreach Team comprised of several community leaders and volunteers was also developed to help spread the word about this exciting opportunity and personally invite the public to get involved.

Engaged All Ages

During the six-month planning process, Planning NEXT helped to facilitate these ten public meetings to learn about what matters most to the Gahanna community. The meetings were attended by all ages and types of individuals who cared about the future of Gahanna. Between these meetings and an online forum, over 900 ideas from nearly 300 participants were gathered. After nine workshops were conducted, Gahanna-Lincoln High School staff requested the planning team to conduct another workshop. The school’s 25 student council members were able to then contribute. Planning NEXT’s engagement process also represented a rallying in the community that has carried past the strategic plan process.

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Strong Project Branding

The increased community participation was partially due to the Plan’s branding. Planning NEXT created the GoForward Gahanna brand which attracted more community members to the project and has continued to stick. The GoForward Gahanna brand is still being used in the community today.

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Tags

Project Type: strategic plan engagement
Community Type: city
Client: City of Gahanna
Services: branding, public engagement, social media and online engagement