Capacity Building

Community Assessment

KCP&L serves the development interests of a large number of small to mid-sized communities. Many of these communities are in need of assistance to better focus their economic development programs.

This program provides an objective, third-party analysis of the current community economic development effort.  This analysis will provide an organizational and operational assessment, which can assist KCP&L and the local economic development organization in determining the nature and extent of its economic development role and focus for a specific community. The assessment will include: 

Organizational Analysis Considerations

• History of the group/organization, including staffing or operational changes
• Current organizational operating procedures, including representation from appropriate stakeholders
• Roles of board of directors, volunteer base, partners, taskforces and stakeholders efforts with economic development program
• Board of directors and volunteer training evaluation
• Review methods and extent of communications with stakeholders
• Funding sources, approaches and history

Operational Analysis Considerations

• Determine the primary focus of the current economic development program - where are they spending their time and who is doing what?
• Evaluate information-gathering and data-interpretation abilities in the program
• Review existing or desired marketing targets to determine relevance/opportunity
• Evaluate recent wins and losses to determine key issues for both
• Include a self evaluation of the program by leaders and influencers - conducted by phone, e-mail and in person

Outcomes

• A fact-based, objective summary of the current organizational and operational situation in a community
• Recommendations for community and KCP&L action, based on the findings from the analysis

Process

• Discussions with KCP&L representatives to gain information concerning the history and current situation in the community
• Review of existing secondary research and Internet data concerning the community
• Discussions with community development stakeholders and leaders
• Preparation and presentation of assessment analysis report for KCP&L and determination of next steps

APPLICATION