Subject
title
JEDI Strategic Plan Process and Approach
end
Department
City Manager's Office (CMO)
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the Mayor and Council receive the JEDI strategic plan update and provide the following feedback.
1. Do you support the proposed assessment and engagement approach?
2. Are there other community sectors we should engage?
3. Are there other JEDI topics you want us to explore as part of the assessment?
Discussion
The Mayor and Council recognized that inequities-particularly racial inequities-can be embedded in government policies and practices, creating disproportionate barriers for many residents. These impacts often fall on communities traditionally disengaged from municipal government decision-making processes. To address these realities, the Mayor and Council affirmed that equity must be approached proactively and intentionally in City decision-making to improve outcomes for all.
On July 12, 2021, the Mayor and Council adopted Resolution 10-21 <https://www.rockvillemd.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Social-Justice-Resolution.pdf> (Attachment 1), committing the City to policies and practices that reduce implicit bias and advance fairness, inclusion, cultural competency, and equity across all areas of municipal government.
With support from the Mayor and Council, the early JEDI team embarked on initiatives that included the development of an internal workgroup named the Equity Champions with participation by staff representatives from all departments, a series of workshops and events entitled Exploring the Culture of Us, internal trainings and participation in a GARE (Government Alliance for Racial Equity) cohort via MWCOG (Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments). Additionally, the team provided a timely, coordinated response to internal and external questions and concerns related to equity and strengthening community.
In October 2024, the Office of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) was formally established to provide administration, services, and programming designed to promote justice, ensure inclusion, and support belonging for all who live, work, and visit in the City of Rockville. The Office of JEDI's objective is to operationalize Resolution 10-21 and ensure alignment with the Mayor and Council’s priorities, specifically investments in public services and infrastructure that support community well-being. Cognizant of the need for a strategic approach to the JEDI work, the Mayor and Council allocated funding for the city to retain a consultant to work with staff to develop a comprehensive JEDI strategic plan.
In July 2025, a solicitation to engage one or more qualified firms to conduct a comprehensive assessment and analysis of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion; emerging and existing needs; and develop a comprehensive strategic plan to guide policy and procedures, as well as metrics for accountability of progress towards goals was issued. Following the solicitation process, The Executive Learning Lab (TELL) <https://theexecutivelearninglab.com/> was retained, and a contract was executed. A kickoff meeting was held in January 2026.
The Executive Learning Lab JEDI strategic planning methodology is rooted in comprehensive assessment, collaborative engagement, data-driven decision-making, and structured facilitation, ensuring that the City achieves clear, actionable, and measurable JEDI strategic priorities. The outcome will provide a comprehensive understanding of the City's JEDI organizational landscape and community environment, setting the foundation for strategic alignment across all leadership levels and the development of targeted strategic goals.
The strategic plan process and approach will include the following:
• Comprehensive Assessment
o Policy Review
o Data Analysis
o Stakeholder Interviews
o Best Practices Research
• Collaborative Engagement
o Focus Groups
o Community Forums
o Employee Surveys
o Advisory Committees
• Data Driven Analysis
o Quantitative Analysis
o Qualitative Analysis
o Benchmarking
o Reporting Framework
• Structured Process Management
o Planning Workshops
o Goal Setting
o Action Planning
o Monitoring & Evaluation
Plan-Do-Check-Act Model
The process utilizes the Plan-Do-Check-Act continuous improvement model. The PLAN phase follows the contract award and includes a project kick-off meeting with the Rockville Equity Champions representing all departments within the city. Here, roles and survey components were finalized, and the recruitment strategies strengthened. Based on initial feedback, the following community sectors were identified: community-based nonprofit organizations, employees and residents, local business owners and civic groups, and youth, family, and senior advocacy organizations. This phase will be completed in February. The DO phase begins in March with comprehensive data collection from employees and community partner interviews. The topics to be explored in this phase include JEDI understanding and awareness, effectiveness and impact, leadership, inclusion in service delivery, and barriers. During the CHECK phase in late April, the analysis of findings concludes, and priorities are developed. Finally, the ACT phase includes an update to the Mayor and Council in May before finalization of the strategic plan.
This strategic planning process will provide a comprehensive assessment of the current state and provide clear guidance for future planning. This project assessment will utilize a 360-degree view that includes workforce experience and community experience of the City's services and responsiveness.
The goal is to create a living document that guides decision-making, resource allocation, and continuous improvement over the next five years. This plan will establish performance metrics in order to track progress and ensure accountability to meaningful change.
Mayor and Council History
This is the first time this item has been presented to the Mayor and Council.
Public Notification and Engagement
For this item, no public engagement was done, but there will be subsequent and robust community engagement as part of this project.
Next Steps
Staff and the consultant will proceed with the work.