| WHAT IS MoCAP?
The following is derived from the official MoCAP Manual published
by Missouri Community Betterment and the Missouri Department of
Economic Development. This information is helpful to local
citizens that want to better understand the MoCAP process, or other
communities that may want to undertake the process.
INTRODUCTION/SUMMARY
Through the Missouri Community Assessment Program (MoCAP), the
Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) encourages cities to
participate in a self-assessment process in order to identify
strengths and weaknesses, set goals to retain and build upon those
strengths and improve areas of weakness.
"Making improvements to enhance the quality of life in our
communities is vital to Missouri's future," Holden said. "The MoCAP
program is just one of the ways we are helping our communities to plan
for the future, generate potential economic opportunities and build
economic security for Missouri families."
This self-evaluation required a sizable commitment on the part of a
community. Input from many people and organizations was necessary as
numerous aspects of the community were examined, including human
resources, economic development, government organization and
management, community services and community facilities.
The MoCAP process can be especially helpful to community leaders
and citizens alike to assist them in taking a close, realistic look at
the community and its leaders. The MoCAP program guides communities
through the self- assessment process, step-by-step. Participants are
required to gather and compile information and compose a report
addressing each area of the program, including plans and goals for the
future. In addition, the MoCAP program helps to identify resources,
both in the community and from outside sources, that will help
participating cities achieve their goals, and it helps area residents
build leadership skills.
In order to participate in the program, a city must have a
community betterment organization to coordinate efforts and promote
communication and cooperation among the many different groups
involved. The city council or board of aldermen must also adopt and
pass a resolution to participate. To ensure ongoing community
improvement, cities must be re-certified every three years to maintain
their status.
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MISSOURI COMMUNITY BETTERMENT
AND ITS PROGRAMS
Missouri Community Betterment (MCB) is a program of
immediate community self-improvement provided by the state and
administered by the Missouri Department of Economic Development. It is
an action program designed to increase community development efforts
and economic growth throughout the state by providing technical
assistance to those communities requesting help and incentives to
promote meaningful and successful projects. In short, the purpose of
Missouri Community Betterment is to encourage communities to help
themselves.
The Awards Competition, the Annual MCB Conference and
the Five-Star and All Missouri Certified City programs were the
principle components of the MCB program. In an effort to retain the
best from the past and address the needs of the future, the Missouri
Community Assessment Program (MoCAP) has become a part of the MCB
program. MoCAP updates, combines and replaces the former Five-Star and
All Missouri Certified City programs.
THE MISSOURI COMMUNITY
ASSESSMENT PROGRAM
The Missouri Community Assessment Program (MoCAP) is
the newest component of the MCB program. It is a technical assistance,
recognition and promotion program. MoCAP is designed to be used by
three (3) types of cities: those that want to be certified as an All
Missouri Certified City; those that want to be recognized as a Star
City; and those that want to utilize MoCAP to develop their program,
but do not wish to pursue AMCC nor Star City status.
The structure of MoCAP consists of five general
categories under which are 37 sub-categories. Each sub-category deals
with program progress, program standards, goal setting and planning.
WHAT DOES MoCAP OFFER?
Many communities can derive definite benefits through
participation in MoCAP. It improves the lines of communication between
the local citizenry and the city council, the chamber of commerce and
other concerned groups within the community. The program not only
helps a community to analyze its assets and liabilities, but also
encourages the implementation of a goal setting process and action
program. MoCAP directly attacks citizen apathy by inspiring pride in
citizen and civic groups in the community and develops the leadership
capacities of those people involved.
Through MoCAP an umbrella organization is created to
coordinate the efforts of existing groups and organizations. This
coordination reduces the possibility of duplicated efforts within the
community. The program assists in the identification of resources,
both internal and external, that can be used to accomplish the goals
set forth by the community. In addition, state and federal agencies
can better identify and offer assistance to communities actively
participating in MoCAP.
Aside from the major benefits listed above, there is a process
providing a record-keeping system that is excellent for later
reference. It makes an idea exchange between communities possible so
that others might find better methods to implement their goals. And,
of course, a community will be recognized and promoted by the state as
a "Star City" or "All Missouri Certified City", depending on the
status achieved.
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REQUIREMENTS FOR PARTICIPATION IN MoCAP
I. Organization
Communities that wish to pursue the Star City or All
Missouri Certified City status using the MoCAP program are strongly
urged to have an overall community betterment organization along the
lines described in this manual. A description of the organization and
its mission statement must be furnished to the Missouri Department of
Economic Development.
II. Resolution of Participation
An entry resolution must be adopted and passed by the
city council. A copy of the resolution must be sent to the Missouri
Department of Economic Development. A sample resolution is
incorporated in this manual.
All Missouri Certified City (AMCC)
An All Missouri Certified City is any Missouri City
certified as such by the Missouri Department of Economic Development.
Communities pursuing this status must:
1) Complete the program process and meet the program
standards of each required sub-category as outlined in this MoCAP
manual. Except in the general category of Economic Development
(2.0), all sub-categories are required sub-categories. (For
certification guidelines for the general category of
Economic Development, see Program Standard E under 2.1
Comprehensive Economic Development. 2) Furnish a MoCAP report to the
Missouri Department of Economic Development. The report must be
narrative in form and must address by line item the program process,
the program standards, goal setting and plans to achieve the goals.
The report must address all required sub-categories. All reports will
be kept on file and will be used to promote the community.
3) Be approved by the Missouri Department of
Economic Development. Certification will remain in effect for three
years.
Documentation such as maps, brochures, ordinances,
minutes, contracts, news releases, etc., should NOT accompany the
report, but should be kept on file in the respective offices of each
program, both for further reference and in the event that the
evaluators may want to review it.
AMCC Re-Certification
An All Missouri Certified City must be re-certified
every three years to retain its status. To be recertified, a community
must follow the same procedure as for initial certification using the
current MoCAP manual. An updated line item narrative report as
described above must be forwarded to the Department of Economic
Development.
When the new report is received and approved, the
old report will be discarded, so it is necessary that the new report
be complete even though much of the information in the new report may
be much the same as in the old. The report is not only for
documentation, but also for promotion of your community.
Star City
A Star City is any Missouri community designated as such by the
Missouri Department of Economic Development. Communities pursuing this
status must follow the same procedure as those cities pursuing the All
Missouri Certified City Status. The difference, however, is that a
Star City does not have to meet all the program standards in the MoCAP
manual. A narrative line item report must address the program process,
program standards, goal setting and plans to achieve the goals for all
the sub-category programs existing in the community. If a sub-category
program, e.g. animal control, does not exist in the community and the
community chooses not to develop one, then reasons should be given in
the report why not. This report must be furnished to the Department of
Economic Development for approval. The
Star City Status will be effective for three years. All °reports
will be kept on file and will be used to promote the community.
A Star City is recognized and promoted for the level of excellence
it has achieved even though it may not have met the specific
standards. Note that a Star City differs from All Missouri Certified
City in that a Star City selects the programs and standards that it
wants incorporated into its overall program,
while the All Missouri Certified City must address required
sub-categories and meet the standards of those sub-categories.
Documentation such as maps, brochures, ordinances, minutes, news
releases, etc., should NOT accompany the report, but should be kept on
file in the respective offices of each program, both for future
reference and in the event the evaluators want to review it.
Star City Re-Designation
A Star City must be re-designated every three years to retain its
status. To be re-designated, a community must follow the same
procedure as for initial designation. An updated line item narrative
report must be furnished to the Missouri Department of Economic
Development. When a new report is received for re-designation, the old
report will be discarded. Therefore, it is necessary that the
re-designation report be complete. Even though changes may not have
occurred during the three-year period, a new narrative report by line
item is still necessary for evaluation and promotional purposes. This
report will be used to promote participating communities.
Other cities
Some communities may choose not to pursue the status of All
Missouri Certified City nor Star City. Nevertheless, a community can
still utilize the MoCAP program by using the community development
process and program standards of the sub-categories. Using this
approach, communities can assess themselves and establish their own
programs. There would be no requirements to fulfill to the Missouri
Department of Economic Development, but neither would there be any
formal recognition, since no documentation is furnished to the
department. However, any of these communities may at any time decide
and, in fact, are urged to pursue either the Star City or AMCC Status.
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MORE ON THE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROCESS
The community development process basically entails assessment,
goal setting, planning and implementation of plans. In order to cant'
out this process, some sort of organization (depending on the
purposes) is necessary. And evaluation is important if the
organization's program(s) or projects are continual. Some writers
actually consider organization and evaluation as part of the process.
In the MoCAP program it is important to understand that this
process takes place at the overall organization level and at the
sub-category level. While the process is the same for all
sub-categories; the mission statement and/or purposes of the
organization or program will determine to what the process is
addressed. For example, the overall organization will be concerned if
an existing business program is not in place in the community. If one
is not in place, is one needed? If one is needed, who will be
responsible for it, etc.? At the sub-category level the people in
charge of the existing business program will use the process to assess
the needs and resources of existing businesses, set the goals for the
program, make plans and implement them to reach those goals. They will
also continue to evaluate their program.
In some sub-categories where the responsibilities for the standards
fall to several different providers of services, it may be necessary
to form a committee or organization of some kind from among these
providers to determine who is responsible for what. A typical example
of this might be in the area of health where there are various
providers of health services. This organization can also serve as an
avenue for communication, coordination and cooperation among various
providers of these services.
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STEPS THROUGH THE MOCAP
PROCESS
The Missouri Community Assessment Program (MoCAP) is designed in
such a way that the work detail of the program is distributed widely
among the people of the community. Thus, no one person will be
doing someone else's job.
The following ten steps should help facilitate the process of the
program:
1. Community decides to use MoCAP The community betterment
organization, the chamber of commerce or some other group or
organization representative of the community must decide if they want
to use MoCAP. A description of the organization must be furnished to
the Department of Economic Development.
2. City must pass a resolution endorsing a program. Once the
community decides to use MoCAP, the interested party must go to the
city council to get a formal endorsement in the form of a resolution.
A copy of this resolution should be sent to the MCB office in
Jefferson City.
3. A MoCAP chairperson and committee of five or more should be
selected to facilitate the process. This committee should familiarize
itself with MoCAP so as to be able to explain it to others.
4. The MoCAP committee identifies the program directors, managers
and/or others who are in charge of the 37 different MoCAP
sub-categories.
5. The MoCAP committee determines which sub-categories they will be
responsible for individually.
6. Committee members contact the identified people in charge of the
sub-category programs and instruct them on what they must do. The
committee persons, should understand the MoCAP process and guidelines
so that they can explain MoCAP to the program directors, managers,
staff and others involved. Also, the time-frame goals should be set,
along with follow-up calls to see how things are progressing.
7. Program directors, managers, staff, boards and other involved
persons carry out the MoCAP process as outlined in the MoCAP manual
for their specific program sub-category. These people are responsible
for the line item report of their sub-category. The line item report
must then be returned to the MoCAP committee person.
8. MoCAP chairperson and committee put the line item reports from
each sub-category into the final MoCAP report.
9. Send a copy of the report to the Missouri Department of Economic
Development (DED) for evaluation.
10. DED will review the report, schedule a visitation with your
community, and determine the status you have achieved and report back
to you.
Note: At any time throughout this process, feel free to contact
your regional Community Development Specialist for assistance, or call
the central office in Jefferson City. Telephone number: 573/751-5096
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