Case Study on City of Cheney

In 2011, the City of Cheney Parks and Recreation Department wanted to take their community-wide coalition building activities to the next level. Weighing national interest in working in this small college city, they selected Adam Fletcher through a competitive bidding process to develop the Let’s Move, Cheney Five-Year Strategic Plan.

Challenge

Faced with an epidemic of childhood obesity in their city, Cheney leaders gathered together to address the issue through a community-wide initiative focused on transforming systems, cultures, and attitudes towards health and wellness in the city. However, after a year of working together, diverse perspectives revealed the need for an outside facilitator who could establish middle ground and build consensus on moving forward.

Solutions

Focusing on creating a comprehensive long-range plan, Adam’s contract included creating a performance measurement tool, a community engagement plan, an action plan, a fundraising plan, an annual evaluation plan, and a sustainability plan as part of the effort. He conducted almost 100 key informant interviews; facilitated group feedback sessions; and devised the final copy for the plan. Additionally, Adam also facilitated a community-wide meeting with more than 70 participants to deliver the plan.