NC-SARA 2027-2031 Strategic Plan

January 2026 Update

The success of NC-SARA’s next strategic plan hinges on our ability to reflect the diverse needs and priorities of SARA stakeholders. The strategic plan must complement and align with the current context of the work of NC-SARA and the SARA community. The unique challenge is that NC-SARA must develop a meaningful strategic framework that allows all constituent groups to work together in an integrated way to implement SARA.

Gathering Feedback from Stakeholders

NC-SARA staff and the NC-SARA Board Strategy Committee identified a comprehensive approach to collecting and weighing stakeholder feedback to inform development of the next strategic plan.

Five stakeholder surveys were conducted as part of NC-SARA’s 2025 Strategic Planning process. The surveys aimed to assess perceptions of NC-SARA’s effectiveness, identify key challenges and priorities, and gather strategic input from the following groups:

  • State Portal Entities (SPEs)
  • Institutions
  • NC-SARA Staff
  • NC-SARA Board
  • Regional Compact SARA Staff

Four listening sessions were also held as part of NC-SARA’s 2025 Strategic Planning process. The sessions were designed to gather stakeholder perspectives on NC-SARA’s role in supporting SARA and to ensure that all voices were heard.

The sessions were conducted as follows:

  • State Portal Entities (SPEs) – live in Salt Lake City on September 10, 2025
  • NC-SARA Staff – virtual session on October 1, 2025
  • Regional Compact SARA Staff – virtual session on October 2, 2025
  • NC-SARA Board of Directors – live in Boston on October 24, 2025

Stakeholder Recommendations

Recommendations from the surveys include:

  1. Modernize Digital Tools and Submission Systems
  2. Strengthen Compliance Guidance and Oversight
  3. Expand Training and Onboarding Resources
  4. Continue and Deepen Federal Policy Engagement
  5. Enhance Storytelling and Public Communication
  6. Tailor Stakeholder Engagement Strategies

Categories of risks / challenges identified during the listening sessions include:

  1. Mission, Role, and Governance Clarity
  2. Operational and Resource Capacity
  3. Policy Clarity, Consistency, and Compliance
  4. Strategic Alignment and Organizational Direction
  5. Federal and External Environment Pressures
  6. Data, Technology, and Process Infrastructure
  7. Culture, Communication, and Collaboration

Next Steps

NC-SARA staff and the NC-SARA Board Strategy Committee are currently reviewing the stakeholder feedback and prioritizing findings, focusing on key areas for strategic action. An outline of goals and objectives that align with the NC-SARA mission will be reviewed by the NC-SARA Board in May 2026. A complete draft including specific, measurable outcomes will be reviewed by the NC-SARA Board in October 2026. The final Strategic Plan is expected to be approved by the NC-SARA Board in early 2027 and will be implemented July 1, 2027.