Step 4: Gather Resources

Community champions often know partners and are passionate about choosing practical strategies that fit the community.

Once you have explored what is working and what could be better, the next step is to decide what your group wants to do. Work together to choose realistic goal(s) and gather information that can help you reach it.

Look for reliable ideas and examples

Start by reviewing trustworthy resources, practical strategies, and real‑world examples. Talk with your group about tools or ideas that could move your goal forward. Ask if anyone knows another place — or a person — who has tried something similar.

You may also want to:

Visit communities or sites that have used successful approaches
Connect with community champions who have done similar change work
Observe what makes their approach effective

Seeing what others have tried can spark ideas and help you understand what might work in your setting.

Use trusted sources

When reviewing online materials, look for resources that highlight research or evidence‑based practices. Reliable, evidence-based information often comes from:

Universities
Professional organizations
Government (.gov) sites

These sources can help you build a stronger, more informed plan.

Talk with your team about what fits best

Discuss what strategies feel like a good match for your group’s goals and readiness. Partners may know about resources that:

Describe promising or evidence‑based strategies
Provide funding or financial support
Help plan or carry out the work

Choose options that feel realistic and doable for your group.

Questions to consider

As your group begins planning, ask:

What does the group want to change?
What resources are needed for success?
Will financial support be needed?

These questions help clarify what’s required and where to focus your efforts.

Tip: Consider using a facilitator

It may be helpful to invite an outside facilitator for your first meeting. A trained facilitator can guide the conversation, help generate ideas, identify challenges, and make sure all voices are heard—especially when the group has diverse needs. MSU Extension does support community groups through visioning and action planning.