NCLM's Vision 2030

In 2016, NCLM finalized a comprehensive strategic plan: Vision 2030, a forward-looking framework that has established key guidelines for what North Carolina municipalities should look like a decade from now.

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Its conclusions were not arrived at lightly. With support from the UNC School of Government, this years-long process involved extensive information gathering, a forecasting of trends, and a statewide tour meant to solicit feedback from key stakeholders. What resulted is a set of six operating principles that, together, paint the picture of a best-in-class city.

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By 2030, our goal is that…

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1. Municipal governments exercise greater control over their revenues, structures, and functions.
    

2. Municipalities demonstrate the value they add to the community’s quality of life.
    

3. Technology is widely used for service delivery, citizen engagement, and economic development.
    

4. Municipalities widely practice productive partnerships with counties, other governments, and the private sector. Urban and rural municipalities routinely work together for economic success.
    

5. Municipalities are able to quickly adapt to cultural and demographic changes in their communities.

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As we rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic, our hope is that North Carolina’s cities and towns not just recover, but thrive. Vision 2030 provides a framework to do just that.