Local Group Strategic Planning

Defining local Drupal utopia and planning the way there

We're working on a strategic plan for the Nebraska Drupal Group, and as we're not the first to think about this (or the last who'll need to), I thought it might be helpful to open up the discussion to the broader community. Perhaps we can come up with something of a reusable framework. To which end, I'm asking a two-part question: 1) what would a local Drupal utopia look like, and 2) what can we do in our local groups to help create one? After the pattern of a standard, goals-based strategic plan, I've drafted up the following mission and vision:

Mission

Make [our area] a better place to do Drupal.

Vision

What would it look like for [our area] to be a better place to do Drupal?

1. For buyers (those who pay for Drupal services, including employers and freelancers who sub-contract Drupal work) it would look like...
1. More local Drupal experts to contract or hire
2. Better ways to find them and to tell good ones from bad ones, including IT recruiters who know what Drupal is and have a network of qualified practitioners, possibly guilds, or perhaps some sort of online directory or "marketplace"
3. A stronger community for employers to commit their own employees to for training and mutual education, including meetups and clubs, mentorship programs, college classes, trainers, seminars, camps, and cons
4. An outlet for giving back (by sponsoring or hosting group events, etc.) and building a reputation as a contributor
2. For sellers (those who provide Drupal services, including employees and contractors) it would look like...
   1. More employers looking for Drupal talent and more clients looking for their services
   2. Better ways to find and connect with them (see 1.2)
   3. A stronger network of Drupal shops and practitioners to work and learn with and pass business between
   4. More opportunities for education and professional development (see 1.3)
   5. More Drupal books and videos in local libraries and bookstores
   6. An outlet for giving back (by organizing and presenting at group events, etc.) and building a reputation as a contributor and an expert
   7. A stronger Open Source culture at large, with the same resources available for the whole range of supporting technologies, such as Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP, and jQuery
3. For users (those who own, administer, or use the Drupal sites built by others)...
   1. A healthy local economy of Drupal service providers, including web hosts that understand our needs
   2. More Drupal books and videos in local libraries and bookstores
   3. More support groups and trainers

I'd like everyone's feedback on this much. Once it's complete, it can be translated into SMART goals (which may differ from group to group depending on the current state of the area relative to our utopian vision) and specific strategies to meet those goals (which will mostly be very specific to individual groups, though that doesn't destroy the value of sharing ideas). Let's hear your thoughts! :)