NDOR Abbreviated Business-Strategic Plan 2023.docx

Section 1 NDOR Abbreviated Business Plan Abbreviations: NDOR = Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation OREC = Outdoor Recreation DCNR = Department of Conservation & Natural Resources

Mission:

To advance and promote sustainable, world-class outdoor recreation opportunities throughout Nevada.

Vision: To improve quality of life for Nevada residents through the vast outdoor recreation opportunities of the Silver State. The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation (NDOR) promotes economic vitality, public health, education, sustainability, and tourism through our collaborative contributions to Nevada’s outdoor recreation ecosystem.

NDOR’s current state in the industry is that we are small but gaining momentum in both brand awareness and Division recognition nationwide. Our strength is acting as the liaison between people, projects, and funding; fostering innovative connections to improve equal and sustainable access to the outdoors. Our small team can support greater engagement in outdoor recreation (OREC) for locals and visitors while cultivating economic vitality for the entire state.

Target Market:

~ OREC providers and end users which include but are not limited to:

· Nevada Residents (including but not limited to cities, counties, and other municipalities)

· Youth, school districts, youth organizations

· National and international outdoor enthusiasts

· Underprivileged communities with limited access to travel to or enjoy outdoor recreation.

· Current and new OREC business

· Chambers of Commerce, Visitor’s Authorities, county administrators and staff

· Federal and state land management agencies

Team/Operating Plan:

Build an atmosphere that inspires creative individual and team project management strategies, while supporting professional development that encourages each teammate’s passion for outdoor recreation. Seek to attract and retain the most knowledgeable and qualified staff in the industry. Create an environment that cultivates trust, participation, input, and transparency amongst the NDOR team.

Job descriptions include but are not limited to:

Administrator:

· Direct and supervise all administrative, fiscal, budget, and technical activities of NDOR and all programs administered by NDOR.

· Coordinate with the Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the Office of Economic Development concerning the promotion and growth of any businesses and opportunities related to OREC.

· Advocate for and coordinate outdoor recreation policy, management, and promotion among state and federal agencies and local government entities in Nevada.

· Submit a biennial report to the Director of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) on the work of NDOR, with recommendations.

· Adopt regulations for carrying out the provisions governing NDOR.

· Advocate on behalf of Nevada for federal funding, including without limitation, any funding opportunities available through the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

· Coordinate with the DCNR and any other organization, association, group, or other entity concerned with matters of conservation and natural resources regarding conservations implementation or interpretations of policies regarding natural resources.

Deputy Administrator:

· Under the general directions of the Administrator of NDOR

· Performs the duties of the Administrator of NDOR in the absence of the administrator, or as requested

· Plan, organize, and manage assigned sections of NDOR

· Establish priorities, plan, and develop goals, objectives, and short- and long-range plans for NDOR

· Provide day-to-day assistance related to projects, programs, budgeting, accounting, policy development and interpretation, public relations, promotional activities, and agreements

· Supervise and evaluate the performance of assigned personnel, develop work performance standards, assign, delegate, and review work, manage personnel related issues, such as recruitment, assignment, training, and discipline in accordance with applicable laws and established policies

· Serve on committees and represent NDOR at meetings, conferences, boards, commissions, business groups, civic organizations, local government agencies, and other groups

Program Officer:

· Develop, implement, and manage the Nevada Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure (NORI) grant program.

· Managing assigned Division programs, communications, and in-person outreach and engagement.

· Coordination of statewide trail-based recreation efforts including the coordination among various departments, agencies, and organizations.

· Leading efforts to develop a statewide trails database and aligned trails plan.

· Management of the Nevada Starry Sky Designation program.

· Supporting outdoor recreation-related community and economic development strategies.

· Marketing and promoting Nevada’s vast recreational opportunities.

· Advocating for recreation policies and management.

· Developing, applying for, and administering outdoor recreation-related grants and philanthropic opportunities.

· Serve on trail recreation related committees, workgroups, and boards as necessary

Grants & Projects Analyst (Education Lead):

· Develop, implement, and manage the Nevada Outdoor Education and Recreation (NOER) Grant program.

· Coordinate, facilitate, and promote outdoor education opportunities within statewide public-school systems, including in school districts and with the Nevada Department of Education.

· Provide technical assistance and support to other outdoor education stakeholders, including non-profit organizations, municipalities, counties, tribal governments, and other community-based organizations in planning, piloting, and implementing outdoor education and recreation for youth, for NOER grant awarded projects and beyond.

· Support other projects, programs, and divisions as needed.

· Create a monthly communication opportunity (this could be our newsletter) with county chambers, visitor’s authorities, commissioners, mayors, school districts, and local OREC business on events and updates for our Division.

· Evaluate monthly market and technology trends to incorporate into our media, events, and projects.

· Market our NDOR Slogan to highlight Outdoor Recreation and all that it encompasses in the state of Nevada. “Play the Nevada Way”

GIS Analyst 2:

· Priority GIS Data Management Tasks: Maintain State-wide trail databases of motorized and non-motorized trails and points of interest data. Perform GIS data management, script refinement, and cartographic trail map development. Work with public, private, federal, local, and other partners for statewide coordination concerning the trail database to keep trail data current. This includes the implementation of a bi-annual trail data gathering schedule and procedure via survey.

· Maintain a list of active land and trail managers across the state of Nevada including other GIS personnel and recreation specialists in association with NRS 407A.570(h)

· Provide interagency coordination and actively network with Federal, State, and other agencies on a regular basis

· Program Marketing, Website Oversight, and Public Outreach: Oversee the marketing of Nevada Trail Finder (NVTF) to increase awareness of this resource. This includes preparing printed materials and presenting NVTF to clubs and organizations throughout Nevada.

· Creation of trail postings to facilitate the expansion of trail content within NVTF. Development of high-quality postings involving significant GIS data development work in addition to CMS set-up, writing trail and trail access descriptions, research for accuracy, and finding/uploading photographs.

· Assisting other departments within DCNR with UAV work including flying the UAV in the field and processing UAV data as it coordinates with conservation efforts and outdoor recreation and/or mapping

Budget: Our current budget for NDOR and staff is $614,000 with fiscal year 2024-2025 at $597,570. This includes a designated budget for the NOER grant program manager of $18, 131 specifically, and a designated one-time amount for the creation and initial maintenance of an NDOR website for $27,450. Other one time grant operating expenses include State Tourism Block/EDA Grant funding of $975,000, Trail Finder website funding from RTP and Nevada OHV program grants of $50,000 each, and the Boulder City Dark Sky EDA grant program funded at $1,927,800.

Fundraising/Sponsorships/Donations: The Outdoor recreation industry is essentially a construction, manufacturing, and retail component to both the US and State GDP’s. The OREC Industry builds opportunities, the equipment to play, and the services to enjoy them. NDOR does not receive income and only receives an annual budget determined by the legislature, therefore, funds to share with communities, stakeholders, and recreation users will come from alternate sources, donations, and grants. We will begin a campaign effort to raise funds to supplement our current state budget of approximately $600,000. These funds will be used to offer grants throughout the state for OREC projects outside the scope of the NOER grant and one time EDA funding.

Communication:

· Utilize social platforms including X/Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to publicize and share events, projects, grant prospects, social and cultural information, health benefit opportunities, and community awareness of outdoor recreation. This will not only create brand awareness, but it will also provide the opportunity to “tag” other agencies with content, communication and engagement among divisions and businesses throughout the country. This effort will promote diverse, accessible outdoor recreation and adventures on a wide scale.

· Purchase services of a 3rd party company (such as Constant Contact or Mail Chimp) to streamline community and partner outreach through a monthly or quarterly newsletter and email campaign to make updates on NDOR events and projects.

· Website: Create a comprehensive website that includes the following:

· Mission

· Vision

· NDOR Objectives

· Team pictures and Bio’s

· Advisory Board pictures and bio’s

· Health benefits of OREC/cost savings of time spent outside

· Environmental Stewardship and Conservation efforts

· Economic Impact Statistics for local, state, and national levels

· Page to host information about donation and sponsorship opportunities (can include fundraising challenges/goals)

· Industry sponsors page

· Strategic alliance/private sponsor page (can be shared with Industry sponsors

· Communications/Contact Us page. This could also include community outreach.

· Education page: resources including statewide outdoor education program database, professional development opportunities, grant opportunities, and pertinent models/stories of working with organizations across the state.

· Grant page with application links and access to our grant management software systems. The DCNR grant system does expire this year so the creation of our own application system would be ideal.

Advertising/Branding/Marketing:

· Create brand awareness through social media opportunities and quarterly NDOR letter updates, attending events/summits with our new event booth and SWAG.

· New website sperate from DCNR’s to showcase Nevada’s outdoor recreation opportunities, the NDOR team, grant openings, as wells as connections/links to communities and other relevant stakeholders.

Section 2 Strategic Plan

Mission: To advance and promote sustainable, world-class outdoor recreation opportunities throughout Nevada.

Vision: To improve quality of life for Nevada residents through the vast outdoor recreation opportunities of the Silver State. The Nevada Division of Outdoor Recreation (NDOR) promotes economic vitality, public health, education, sustainability, and tourism through our collaborative contributions to Nevada’s outdoor recreation ecosystem.

SWOT ANALYSIS

Strengths

· Staff are experienced across the breadth of the outdoor recreation economy and industry, in grant processes, and business and marketing that can help boost our brand.

· Excellent support from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) administrative and fiscal staff.

· NDOR has strong relationships with other DCNR divisions and external partners, which allow the Division to achieve our goals of better brand awareness and Division recognition.

· Many staff members have good working relationships with legislators at the state and federal level.

· Consistent communication and support from other OREC offices through the Confluence of States.

Weaknesses

· Limited staff capacity due to small team size.

· Current budget constraints.

· Lack of marketing/weak social media presence.

· Still a new division with little brand identity or awareness – NDOR needs to create more awareness of our mission/vision in communities, at the state and legislative levels, and in other states/around the world.

· Insufficient funds to assist with outdoor grant opportunities as directed by NRS requirements.

· Limited established programs to support our mission.

Opportunities

· Create more definitive job descriptions for each role in our Division to help streamline tasks and projects.

· To raise funds and create annual, renewing sponsorships from corporations, small business and private entities who wish to support and grow outdoor industry/recreation.

· To help create systems and tool kits for cities/counties to facilitate outdoor recreation connectivity and collaboration for various entities in each county that will serve as an umbrella for one stop shopping.

· Create a slogan that is memorable.

· Foster greater understanding and support for NDOR across DCNR as a whole.

· Partner with other agencies to grow federal investment in Nevada.

Threats

· Economic downturns or slowing economy.

· Competing with other divisions and similar entities for funding.

· Time and capacity constraints for grant deadlines.

· Changes in technology & AI that could make current online applications and models irrelevant or obsolete.

· Relevant changes and variations to legislation.

Goals/Objectives:

(SMART goals - Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound). Goals must have schedules, action plans, and ways to track progress/status. Goals must also meet the “5 W’s” – Who’s involved? What do we want to accomplish? When do we want to achieve this? Where does the goal take place? Why is the goal important?

· Goal 1: Support Nevada’s outdoor recreation economy by creating a Nevada outdoor recreation industry directory, produce a state-wide outdoor recreation economic impact study, and continue to collaborate with the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs to support outdoor recreation projects across Destination Development Demonstration, Rural Programs, Dark Sky Destination development, and Adventure Center programming.

· Goal 2: Establish Nevada as a home for world-class outdoor recreation by publicizing the value, benefits, and breadth of recreational experiences through the Nevada Trail Finder website, informational presentations to all County Commission and City Councils, and strengthening relationships with Nevada Association of Counties, the Nevada League of Cities, Nevada Tribal Communities, land managing agencies, and elected state and federal officials.

· Goal 3: Affirm outdoor recreation’s role in improving community wellness and public health through community listening sessions, pursuing relevant health data to support a cost of illness savings tool, providing resources and advocacy for increased outdoor recreation accessibility, and creating outdoor education opportunities through the Nevada Outdoor Education and Recreation grant program and beyond.

· Goal 4: Increase community capacity for outdoor recreation and stewardship through supporting updated SCORP development, recreation planning assistance in National Park Service’s Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance (RTCA) program communities, supporting adoption of ‘Recreate Responsibly’ messaging, and promoting OHV Program initiatives.

· Goal 5: Run NDOR as an effective and efficient agency through building partnerships with land management agencies and recreation providers, activating NDOR’s Advisory Board with quarterly meetings, establishing and maintaining communication and engagement processes, empowering NDOR staff with the tools needed to succeed in their tasks, and tracking, evaluating, and reporting accomplishments.

Strategies:

Equip Nevadan’s and policy makers with tools to promote outdoor recreation including branding, marketing materials, grant opportunities, community growth, and beautification and economic vitality forecasts to ensure outdoor recreations is integrated into strategies and plans. This can be achieved through building community relationships and ongoing engagement in programs such as Main Street, Dark Skys Program, Nevada Trail Finder, Travel Nevada, the Outdoor Education and Recreation Grant, promotional items, NDOR participation in OREC and community events, as well as attendance at summits and team educational events. Regular engagement with State and Federal land management agencies on the uses, stewardship, conservation, and infrastructure of outdoor recreation will be paramount in NDOR’s projects and programs.