Our 2025-2030 Strategic Plan
Our strategic plan is divided into the four pillars of our organization (as identified by our strategic planning committee): Buildings and Grounds, Programming, Operations, and the Fair. We defined a broad goal for each pillar and then distilled feedback from Trustees, staff, and broader MVAS community into specific objectives within each pillar to be completed by the end of the five year plan.
Buildings and Grounds: Preserve and update MVAS buildings and properties to ensure their continued use as an agricultural and cultural center of the Island.
Agricultural Hall and Grounds: Complete the immediate upgrades determined by the Building Committee and create a fund for future upkeep and work.
Land Management: Develop a comprehensive land management plan that addresses parking, income generation, maintenance, and environmental stewardship.
Jackson House: Update the Jackson House for both year-round and seasonal farm employees and ensure the land is being actively farmed.
Programming: Expand our community programs, farmer education and assistance, and farmer advocacy thoughtfully, creatively, and sustainably to better support the agricultural community.
Community Programs: Ensure that our community programs are accessible to all, seasonally appropriate, and on-mission.
Farmer Education and Assistance: Connect farmers across the Island with the support and resources they need to meet their financial and environmental goals.
Farmer Advocacy: Advocate strongly and consistently for Island farmers and the local food economy on a local, regional, and state level as the voice of Martha's Vineyard agriculture.
Fair: Preserve the treasured traditions of the annual Agricultural Fair while further centering the Island’s unique talent, agriculture, and environment.
Finances: Make our finances more stable and our income sources more diverse.
Personnel: Ensure that our Board governance and staff systems support a full and diverse year-round team.
Membership: Reinvigorate MVAS membership to expand beyond the Fair and weave into the fabric of the growing year-round operations.
Operations: Build a strong and sustainable financial, personnel, and operations foundation to sustain the next phase of organizational growth.
Personnel: Be collaborative and sustainable in our Fair staffing as we meet the needs of a growing event.
Operations and Governance: Continue to develop MVAS internal operations and leadership to accommodate changing regulations and a growing audience as the Fair continues to expand.
Sustainability: Use our environmental initiatives at the Fair to showcase best practices for other Island events looking to efficiently and safely reduce their environmental impact.
Programs and Outreach: Grow more innovative and agriculturally educational in our programming every year.