SGA DOCUMENTS
A Vision for Success

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Sea Grant Association Retreat 2000
Sea Grant in the 21st Century: A Vision for Success

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Executive Summary
Concentration of population along the coast; increasing dependence on coastal waters for food, employment and recreation; and a host of other socio-economic changes make the National Sea Grant College Program's charge to advance understanding and sustainable use of coastal resources more critical every day. Recognizing this, the Sea Grant Association held a strategic planning retreat July 18-20, 2000, in Leesburg, VA to develop a common vision for future growth of the Program, and specific action steps to make that vision a reality. Retreat participants included Sea Grant Association members, staff from the National Sea Grant Office, and members of the Sea Grant National Review Panel.

The Vision

• Sea Grant will become NOAA's primary university based research, education, training and technical assistance program in support of coastal resource use, management and conservation.

• Sea Grant will play a strong leadership role in helping the nation address such critical issues as protecting water quality and coastal habitat, responding to coastal hazards, ensuring seafood safety, and developing coastal economies and communities.

• Sea Grant will provide a strong federal/state/local network that integrates research, outreach and technical assistance to generate practical solutions to real problems and strengthen the nation's over-all capacity to deal with coastal problems.

• Resources to support the Sea Grant College Program will double to $120 million over the next five years to respond to major coastal challenges and opportunities.

The Agenda

The Sea Grant College Program will adopt a growth strategy that strengthens over-all capacity and keeps the Program problem focused and results based. Sea Grant will seek a stronger leadership position within NOAA and on coastal issues generally, and continue to build partnerships with other federal and state agencies with common goals. Sea Grant will strengthen outreach to all of its constituencies and enhance its capacity for responsiveness and flexibility in the face of changing national and state priorities. Specific actions that will be taken over the near-term include the following.

1. Develop a compelling message to carry to the new administration regarding the contributions and potential of the National Sea Grant College Program.
   
   
2. Develop a strategy for reaching out to the new Congress to demonstrate why Sea Grant should be their "go to" organization on coastal issues.
   
   
3. Develop a strategy for educating state agencies and elected officials about Sea Grant's strengths and potential, to facilitate raising matching funds for an expanded program.
   
   
4. Devise policies and criteria for allocating new Sea Grant dollars, taking into account core program needs and national priorities.
   
   
5. Propose steps to strengthen the state of Sea Grant and university-based coastal research programs within NOAA.
   
   
6. Develop a rapid response capability that keeps all parts of the Sea Grant organization informed and involved, allocates decision-making authority, and produces timely decisions.
   
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