Staying mission focused in an uncertain environment

   For many people and organizations, there is a lot of current concern about the funding climate at the federal level. There are a lot of partnerships and agreements with the federal government for construction, business, non-profits, schools, and more, so they can focus on things our local communities need to stay prosperous and vibrant. With the current freeze on funding and the dissolution of certain positions and programs, it can be hard to know if our community organizations will still be able to work in the coming days, months, and years. So how do we move forward instead of standing still?

   One of the best lessons I have learned in my time with economic development is to stay mission-focused. Look to the core beliefs of what you and your organization/business are geared to do. While some of that mission may depend on having funding from the federal government to move forward, there are numerous ways to stay nimble and active, even in uncertain times. Now would be a good time to go through a planning discussion within your organization. Has your organization overextended into areas that were not initially planned? Has mission creep impacted what you are doing and should you go back to the basics? Or should you review your mission to see what you should be doing rather than what you thought you should be doing?

   Change can be hard for people and organizations, especially when hit from out of the blue with a new way of doing business. But this can be a good thing. Sudden changes can force people to take a good look at the way they do business and see if there are ways to be more efficient and more effective. At Jones County Economic Development, we work hard to stay strategic in our thinking and do some form of planning and review every year, with a comprehensive review every five years. Will the current funding climate impact the work we do? Probably. At the very least, we will have some short-term ramifications and possibly some long-term ones. But the best we can do is focus on what drives us as an organization and stay focused on the end goals and our mission. And the more we can all work together on this, we can weather these changes and others. As always, our first responsibility is to our communities and that is the epitome of our mission.

   Always remember that JCED is here as a resource to your business and that we always try to help our businesses and communities grow and prosper. Anytime you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by contacting me at director@jonescountydevelopment.com.