IPS Strategic Plan

Committee Chair: TBD

Share our story to build trust, gain support, and attract investment.

1. The Secret Is Out Initiative: Conduct a baseline survey to measure Tennesseans’ awareness of IPS and its agency services among key customer and stakeholder groups and repeat the survey in 2030 to demonstrate significant growth in recognition.
   • Target Goal: By 2030, survey results will confirm that stakeholder awareness of IPS and its services has more than doubled compared to the 2026 baseline.
     
     
     
2. Faces of Public Service Campaign: Launch an ongoing campaign that highlights authentic testimonials from citizens, partners and employees to showcase life-changing outcomes and inspire broader community support.
   • Target Goal: By 2030, collect and publish at least 35 new testimonials across digital, print and video platforms, with annual campaign engagement (views, shares or attendance) increasing by 15% each year.
     
     
     
3. Ambassador Training for Staff: Equip employees to connect their daily work to the 2030 vision, making every IPS employee and advisory council member an actively engaged brand ambassador.
   • Target Goal: 100% full-time staff will have successfully completed the training by no later than 2027.

Committee Chair: TBD

Invest in our employees and the communities we serve.

1. IPS Leadership Lab: Provide every employee with training in innovation, collaboration and revenue growth skills, tying professional development directly to the organizational goal of doubling impact for the institute by the end of 2030.
   • Target Goal: 100% of IPS employees complete the Leadership Lab curriculum by 2028, with at least 80% demonstrating applied innovation, collaboration or revenue-growth contributions that directly support doubling the institute’s impact by the end of 2030.
     
     
     
2. Next Generation Partnerships: By 2030, double the number of active partnerships with various UT System entities, corporations, industry leaders, government agencies, associations and nonprofits to expand funding streams and amplify positive community outcomes.
   • Target Goal: Increase active partnerships by 100% from the 2025 baseline by 2030, with at least 50% of new partnerships generating either new funding streams or measurable improvements in community outcomes.
     
     
     
3. Double Rural Access by 2030: Expand access by doubling participation from rural and underserved communities by 2030 through intentional outreach, dedicated scholarships and expanded digital programming.
   • Target Goal: By 2030, increase enrollment and engagement of rural and underserved participants by 100% over the 2025 baseline.

Committee Chair: TBD 

Expand reach, relevance, and measurable outcomes.

1. The Complexity Compass: Helping leaders navigate uncharted, complex territory. Partner with stakeholders through regional community advisory circles and design-thinking sessions. Focus will be placed on priority areas identified by stakeholders and other subject matter experts in the areas of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and succession planning, ensuring future IPS training is relevant, practical, holistic and impactful by sharing best practices and expertise.
   • Target Goal: By 2030, establish active community advisory circles in all three grand divisions of Tennessee, launching a minimum of nine new training programs—three in each priority area—that directly reflect stakeholder input and collaborative expertise.
     
     
     
2. Community Impact (Engagement) Index & Impact95: Collaborate with nationally-renowned subject matter experts in identifying and developing a customized community impact index to be used by the institute. This index score would implement a real-time measurement system that demonstrates program reach and results, increasing transparency, accountability and engagement.
   • Target Goal: Measure would be finalized by 2028, and scoreboard would be available to the public by 2029.
     
     Once the index instrument has been implemented, IPS would then develop and launch an IPS-wide collaborative award program that reaches all 95 Tennessee counties by 2030, designed to strengthen local capacity, engagement and drive measurable statewide progress. The initiative will serve as a catalyst for doubling the institute’s economic impact across the state.
     • Target Goal: By 2030, IPS will have achieved active participation in all 95 counties, with evaluation data confirming that the program has contributed to doubling IPS’s overall economic impact from its 2025 baseline.