Your Friends of the Rouge Strategic Plan

How can we reimagine and reposition Friends of the Rouge as the primary steward of the Rouge River watershed for decades to come?

This is the question that Friends of the Rouge and our consultant Together Together set out to answer with the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan. Understanding that the first part of the process is to be explicit about the work that we do and why, we looked to our mission to guide our planning. Working at the confluence of community and the environment, our work seeks to actively work to reverse damage (Restore); takes action to safeguard natural resources, ecosystems, and biodiversity for current and future generations (Protect); and takes actions to improve the watershed’s accessibility, sustainability, and connection with the community (Enhance).

Starting in January 2025, the team sought to create a shared understanding of the history and current state of the organization including an introspective look at opportunities, weaknesses, and strengths. Following the discovery phase, it became clear that the strategic plan needed to be centered around formalizing our role as a primary organization in the watershed. Through the resulting visioning phase, we looked to provide insight on vision, FOTR’s role, and reimagining the future of our core activities. Strategy sessions took place through the summer with five different working groups working to define strategies for our core areas of work. Finally, the team worked to set immediate and long-term goals and create operational plans for implementation of the new strategy. The FOTR Board approved the final 2025-2030 Strategic Plan in September 2025.

The resulting plan addresses key areas for growth and development, with an anticipated period of significant change and new initiatives in the first three years, followed by a phase of stabilization and refinement. The strategic priorities that will guide our organization’s efforts are:

• Priority 1: Update and expand fundraising strategy and funding operations.
• Priority 2: Build capacity and leadership for core mission activities
• Priority 3: Formalize education and community engagement across all programs
• Priority 4: Realign and expand program areas
• Priority 5: Shift the narrative and build organizational identity

Over the coming days, months, and years, as we work to implement these priorities, Friends of the Rouge will continue to deepen our roots in our community, expand our vital work, and inspire a renewed sense of stewardship for your hometown river. Together, we can realize the vision of a thriving watershed that benefits everyone, ensuring a legacy of environmental vitality and community well-being for generations to come. 

We look forward to your thoughts and your participation in the future of Friends of the Rouge.

Sincerely,

Ashley Flintoff

Executive Director

Friends of the Rouge