Strategic Planning is Sexy: Spring 2026

Written By Pamela Brown

Oregon Bluegrass Association Strategic Planning: Comparing our Fall 2025 Goals with Spring 2026 Progress

Background: In fall of 2025, the OBA Board engaged in a focused strategic process, defining clear short- and long-term priorities and conducting a candid assessment of our strengths and opportunities for growth. Grounding ourselves with a measurable framework, we look to deepen our service to the bluegrass community in 2026 – driving our mission forward with clarity and purpose.

Mission:The Oregon Bluegrass Association is dedicated to the promotion, preservation, and performance of bluegrass and related music. 

Community Feedback: Click here to take a short 30-second survey to help inform our 2026 initiatives

Vision Areas:

  • Strengthen Oregon’s music community through inclusive experiences and clear communication   

  • Cultivate musicianship, mentorship, and lifelong learning in bluegrass

Goals:

  • Support and promote festivals, concerts, and showcases statewide

  • Foster volunteer engagement and member-driven events

Audience:

  • Bluegrass Pickers

  • Listeners & Audience

  • Parents of Young Pickers

  • Oregon Festival Promoters

  • Amateur Bluegrass Bands

  • Professional Musicians

  • Funders & Sponsors

  • Who else?

We chose 3 objectives to drive our actions in Fall 2025:

Fall 2025 Objective #1: Prepare a clear pathway forward to scholarship applications

2026 Update:  The Oregon Bluegrass Association has, since, awarded the following sponsorships:

  • $500 Bluegrass Pride Songwriting Track Scholarship

  • $1000 to Middle School students to attend Wintergrass,

  • $500 to the winning applicant of the Candey Songwriting Scholarship

Fall 2025 Objective #2: Establish regional jam networks led by OBA representatives throughout the state

2026 Update:  

  • Currently the OBA is building out a directory of existing jams to share with our community

  • Exploring the viability of an internal database of mentors by region to connect

  • We need your help in this initiative! Email president@oregonbluegrass.org to get involved as a regional advocate and/or to help us do a deep dive in getting jams/community members connected

Fall 2025 Objective #3: Offer technical or promotional support to emerging events

2026 Update:

  • We hold a monthly events meeting, serving as a networking opportunity for promoters to share information about their events and to learn from one another

We Chose 3 Action Items in Fall 2025 to Complete:

Action Item #1: Build a re-up campaign for expired memberships

2026 Update: 

  • We have segmented emails separating members and not-yet-members to tailor appropriate messaging to each group 

  • For those who have purchased a membership online, an automated reminder email is scheduled to send 7 days before the expiration of a membership

  • Coming soon: digital wallet cards to be sent to members with a QR code and expiration date

Action Item #2: Identify a list of volunteer needs

2026 Update:

Action Item #3: Explore the benefit of partnering with other organizations

2026 Update: we have partnered and collaborated with~

  • Newgrass (10% OBA Member Discount on Tickets)

  • Shaniko Music Sanctuary (Artist in Residence Program)

  • Crashandmacproductions (Fundraiser Concert – Bronwyn Ketih Hynes – in Grants Pass. $1 for each ticket sold will be donated to the OBA)


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Continuing Vision Areas:

  • Strengthen Oregon’s music community through inclusive experiences and clear communication   

  • Cultivate musicianship, mentorship, and lifelong learning in bluegrass

Continuing Goals:

  • Support and promote festivals, concerts, and showcases statewide

  • Foster volunteer engagement and member-driven events

2025 Assessment 

(2026 Spring Assessment coming soon)

Strengths:

  • Website has strong SEO and delivers well in search engines

  • Website calendar is actively utilized and provides relevance to users 

  • The Oregon Bluegrass Association has strong name recognition 

Weaknesses:

  • We are working through a transition and looking to clarify & refresh direction

  • We are largely Portland-centric with a few exceptions

  • We can improve on collaboration and communication between our regional partners

Current Actions:

  • Intermittent email newsletter to members

  • Collection of Portland concerts to attend

  • Consistent Wintergrass OBA Suite

  • Grant application submitted (decision announcement: November 2025) for Central Oregon artist in residence

Current Finances:

  • We are fine-tuning our approach for a sustainable income model.

  • We largely depend on memberships, grants, and income from a few concerts for sustainability

Discussion:

Do our current actions align with our purpose? 

Where are we succeeding, and where could we improve? 

Remember: Goals are informed by both successes and any outstanding issues. 

Pamela Brown
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Rainy Miatke Interview