Welcome & Overview

The County of Santa Cruz’s Strategic Plan Refresh will set the foundation for our next six years of collective action. Building on the progress and lessons from the 2018–2024 plan, this update will integrate new voices, data, and partnerships to move us closer to a county where all people can thrive and belong.

Our vision remains clear: a healthy, safe, and more affordable community that is culturally diverse, economically inclusive, and environmentally vibrant. The refresh will be furhter rooted in our County Equity Statement and informed by frameworks including Health in All Policies and Results Count, which help us stay focused on what matters most—measurable results for people.

This site shares the roadmap for the Strategic Plan Refresh, including key milestones, opportunities for engagement, and insights from what we've learned engaging with you, our partners, and our staff. 

We invite you to explore, contribute, and stay connected as we shape a more equitable and resilient future—together.

Timeline & Milestones

 

Foundational Review

Before refreshing the Strategic Plan, we took a close look at what we’ve learned over the past seven years. This foundational review brings together community partner input, staff insights, and data on population-level trends to help us understand where we’ve made progress and where deeper work is needed.

The embedded report below includes highlights from over 1,000 survey responses and focus groups conducted across County partners and staff in Spring and Summer 2025.

A full summary report will be released in August 2025 and will help guide the next phase of plan development. This review ensures we move forward grounded in evidence, lived experience, and shared accountability for better results.

 

Community Engagement Plan

  • Under development for August 2025.