Appendix D

SWOT Analysis—Three Examples

Gratiot County, Michigan

Gratiot County’s strategic plan lists the potential trends (SWOT) and the issues that result. The issues then form the basis for the county’s goals statements.

Potential Trends

• Completion of U.S. 27 between St. John’s and Ithaca as a limited access highway, creating development pressure in the county
• Competition from neighboring counties, regional economic development agencies, and the Internet for business
• Increasing community awareness about workforce issues related to substance abuse, quality, and dependability
• Competing and contemporary urban centers for residents and workers
• Lack of adequate broadband communications infrastructure, putting rural areas at an expanding disadvantage
• Access to education and training more critical to future employment
• Growing importance of the healthcare industry to the county and state
• Decreasing public funds for recreation systems and opportunities
• Demise or consolidation of locally owned agricultural markets and infrastructure is driving a movement to larger producers with on-farm storage and transportation
• September 11 refocus of government resources to homeland security.

Issues

Key issues in the county were identified and formed the basis for the development of the strategic plan.

• Economic Development Maintaining the economic vitality of the county in the midst of a changing business base
• Education Ensuring all citizens are given appropriate educational opportunities to ensure a good quality of life
• Environmental There are several areas in the county in need of environmental remediation
• Land Use Development pressure from U.S. 27 and neighboring counties will continue to present challenges for the county
• Quality of Life Changes in the community and the economy require new diligence in maintaining a basic quality of life for all citizens
• Recreation A lack of variety of recreational choices in the county affects the quality of life and the ability of businesses to attract new talent to the area
• Transportation Gaps remain in transportation systems that support the needs of residents as well as commercial and industrial sectors of the county
• Youth Creating employment, recreational, and educational opportunities for youth in Gratiot County that will enhance the quality of life for them and fellow citizens.

Willcox, Arizona

Another instructive example of both format and content comes from the strategic plan for Willcox, Arizona. This can be found on the city’s Web page, www.willcoxcity.org/. The following is excerpted from the section on economic opportunity.

Promote Economic Opportunity

Willcox has experienced a less-than-average employment and population growth rate in the 1990s. Although the city’s population grew 19.4% during the ten-year period, the average growth rate for the state was 42%. The city was fortunate to attract a truck travel center and a small discount retail outlet during this period. A number of small tourism-related businesses specializing in niche markets were also launched. Most recently, Willcox has witnessed expansions in the local telephone cooperative industry, as well as in the governmental segment of employment.

Developing a strategy for economic development is essential for economic success and prosperity of the community. Most forecasts and trends point to modest growth beyond the year 2005. At the same time, other indicators suggest the need to position the community for sudden and impulsive growth due to the following issues.

Job growth is expected outside of the incorporated city limits. The Bowie Power Station received approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission to site a power generation plant in Bowie. This project will bring as many as 400 construction jobs and approximately 40 full-time positions to northern Cochise County. Eurofresh, Inc., has also announced expansion of their greenhouse operations. Both of these businesses are located outside of the incorporated city limits. However, Willcox is the closest incorporated city and will provide the majority of services and programs to the employees of these industries.

The demographics and family income levels of the community are changing. Surveys conducted during the 2000 census indicate that the Hispanic population is now 49% of the city. Additionally, the results indicate a growing number of household incomes within the city are below the median income levels.

The unemployment rate of the community has averaged 4.5 % to 5%. The existing workforce lacks the required skills for the information technology and manufacturing industries. Additionally, there is limited access to training within the community. Finally, should the labor force require expansion, the lack of adequate and affordable housing has been identified as a weakness in the Willcox Housing Strategy and the Willcox General Plan.

Franklin County and Columbus, Ohio

The following example is taken from the consolidated plan for housing and community development issues for the jurisdictions of the city of Columbus and Franklin County in Ohio. Its SWOT is specific to these issues. This list of obstacles (threats) is preceded by the following statement: “The housing and community development needs assessment (environmental scan) that is a part of the Consolidated Plan provides a basis for identifying obstacles to meeting underserved needs in the community.”

People

• Growing gap between rich and poor
• Multiple obstacles and barriers facing people in poverty
• Personal and social problems taken to the workplace
• More single-parent households
• Aging population
• Increased immigrant population
• General public not aware of housing and community development needs

Economy

• Economic opportunity moving to the suburbs
• Minimum-wage and low-wage service- and retail-sector job growth
• Lending institution mergers and acquisitions
• Loss of minority business set-asides
• Turnover and job retention problems
• Growth and the strong economy mask poverty problems

Housing

• Tight rental housing market
• Job/housing location mismatch
• Loss of public and private subsidized units
• NIMBY increasing
• Developers facing more codes and restrictions from the multiplicity of local governments

Services

• Welfare reform dictates human service delivery
• Declining quality of public schools
• Needs for transportation and childcare exceed available services

Resources

• Lack of adequate financial resources and competition for scarce resources
• Changes in federal programs and policies and uncertainty about the future of the programs and funding upon which the plan is built
• Competition for scarce resources between low-income areas and new fast-growth areas
• Duplication and inadequate collaboration among programs, projects, and service providers
• Federal regulations that limit flexibility in use of funds and increase project costs.