A Municipal Guide to Community Resource …

1 A Municipal Guide toCommunity Resource InventoryDevelopmentIdentifying Community Assets and ResourcesCreated for Saskatchewan municipalitiesDeveloped bytheMunicipal Capacity Development partnership between:Executive SummaryDeveloping a Community Resource inventory (CRI)is an exercise for individualcommunities and intermunicipal groups to engage in as a component of strategiccommunity planning. The process ofdeveloping a Community Resource inventoryassistsmunicipalities in identifying and highlighting the unique and significant characteristics oftheir communities and the surrounding Community Resource inventory ,when developed in conjunction with an intermunicipal working group, compliments acommunity action plan by outlining current resources and future needs.

2 The purpose ofthe Municipal Capacity Development Program (MCDP) sMunicipal Guide toCommunityResource inventory Developmentis to highlight the benefits ofdeveloping a CRIas wellas provide a comprehensive Resource . The Guide highlights the process ofcreating a CRIas it relates to individual Community and regional planning in Saskatchewan and bridgesadditional MCDP resources, offering examples, ideas, and survey Guide provides simple, easy-to-follow steps explaining: Whata Community Resource Inventoryis, including the process and itscomponents; Its practical applications and relationship to your Community s vision and goals,both present and future.

3 How to prepare your Community for asset mapping, including budgeting andresearch methods; and Specific asset inventories with helpful resources, survey templates and worksheetsfor enhanced OverviewThe process ofdeveloping a Community Resource Inventoryis outlined in this simple,user-friendly modality, providing information for municipalities to engage in the assetmapping process from planning to completion. It includes the following information: Introduction toa Community Resource Inventoryas a CommunityDevelopment Tool Preparing to Conducta Community Resource inventory Highlighting Particular Asset Inventories ApplyingtheCommunity Resource inventory User Resources, Worksheets and Survey TemplatesIntroduction toa Community Resource Inventoryas a Community Development ToolThe Guide introducesa Community Resource Inventoryand its practical applications,includingeconomic development, grants and funding.

4 Community self-reliance andMunicipal Capacity Development Program Municipal Guide toCommunity Resource inventory Development(April 2011)3quality of life, partnerships, accounting, and Community and sustainability planning. Itdiscusses the benefits, providing a big picture perspective, and connecting the processofdeveloping a CRIwith regional planning and resources within the toConduct a Community Resource InventoryEstablishing the initial steps in preparing to conduct a communityresource inventory ;this Guide outlines five considerations on the road to readiness.

5 These include: Defining the desired outcome(s) of thecommunity Resource inventoryexercise; Determining the focus using a needs-based or Resource -based approach; Budget preparation as key to the success of the process; Emphasizing public transparency and the importance of engaging thecommunity as a whole; and Deciding whichresourceinventories complement the Community s overall ParticularResourceInventoriesThe Guide outlines fiveresourceinventories including statistics, humanresources, localinstitutions, physical infrastructure and land assets, and culturalresources.

6 TheStatistical Inventoryincludes social, economic, and geographical data. Usually thisinformation has already been compiled by government agencies, universities, ororganizations and is publicly accessible. Taking aHumanResourceInventoryinvolvesgathering information of the experience, skills, and involvement of Community residentsin a focused survey or a comprehensive individual survey. ALocal Institution Inventorycompiles information pertaining to economic, educational, political and religiousorganizations.

7 ThePhysical Infrastructure and Land Assets Inventoryfocuses on naturalresources and manmade structures such astransportation systems, utilities andcommunity facilities, housing, and land availability and resources. TheCultural Inventoryaccounts for Community heritage, sports, art and history, representing the uniquecharacter of the Applicationsof theCommunity Resource InventoryCommunities can apply the completedCRIfor future growth and development as a toolfor strategic or Community planning, recognizing needs for new organizations, programsand projects, or as a promotional tool to draw new residents, tourism, and Resources.

8 Worksheets & Survey TemplatesThe Guide s appendices provide additional supporting documents such as a budgetingworksheet, survey templates, and other useful resources. Throughout the Guide , tips onpotential sources of information such as government agencies, non-governmentalorganizations, and other publicly accessible information are Capacity Development Program Municipal Guide toCommunity Resource inventory Development(April 2011)4 ConclusionA Community Resource Inventoryis one aspect of capacity building and communitysustainability and one step on the road to establishing an official Community Guide toCommunity Resource inventory Developmentprovides the user aneasy, step-by-step process to successfully create and apply a CommunityResourceInventoryfor future development.

9 Inherent in the Guide are the underlying tenets of:1)Identifying a Community s current resources and considering present andfuture needs;2)Engaging Community members in cooperative efforts to strengthen currentresources and build strongersocial, geographic and economic networks;3)Applying thecommunity Resource inventoryexercise for strategic planningand further growth and development;4)Recognizingcommunity Resource inventory developmentwithin the largerpicture of capacity building hope that the full-length document serves as a useful Resource for engagingSaskatchewan communities in thecommunity Resource inventoryprocess, contributingto individual and regional strategic planning Capacity Development Program Municipal Guide toCommunity Resource inventory Development(April 2011)5 Table of ContentsExecutive Community Resource inventory ?

10 Applications of the CommunityResource Community Resource inventory : The Big to Your Your Your your Institution Infrastructure and Land Asset and Community Use and and Heritage It All YourResources: FutureCommunity Resource the Municipal Capacity Development A:CommunityResource InventoryProject Planning B:Project Budget Planning D:Local Institution documentwas created for the purpose of educating andassisting Saskatchewan intermunicipal working groups. Itisnotintended for profit.