Introduction and Summary
American Planning Association (APA). The American Planning Association (APA) is an association of 40,000 planners from 90 countries who work in government, academia, and private practice. APA is organized into 47 state chapters and 24 topical divisions supported by an annual USD 10 million budget with its headquarters in Chicago. APA exists to elevate and unite a diverse planning profession as it helps communities, their leaders, and residents anticipate and meet the needs of a changing world. Our Mission, Vision, and Core Values are:
Mission: Creating great communities for all.
Vision: APA will lead the way to equitable, thriving communities by creating unique insights, as well as innovative and practical approaches that enable the planning community to anticipate and successfully adapt to the needs of a rapidly changing world.
Core Values: APA leaders and staff strive to model a shared set of values that will help us achieve our vision for the future.
Goals: APA's strategic focus is on four specific Goals that will provide direction for the efforts of leaders, volunteers, and staff: prioritize equity, reframe the voice of planning, upskill planners, and pursue digital relevance.
APA International Division (APA-ID). The APA-ID has over 1,000 student and professional members based in the US and overseas who have, are, or want to do international planning. Our vision, mission, and goals are:
Vision. We envision a world where planners from diverse backgrounds come together to address global challenges and create more sustainable, equitable, and resilient communities.
Mission. The mission of the International Division is to advance international planning in the APA and to enhance the global landscape of planning by advocating for excellence and cultivating a dynamic network for innovation and collaboration.
Goals. Through networking, knowledge sharing, and resource development, the division aims to: support planners and students who are involved in or interested in the field of international planning, promote the role of planning and best planning practices at the international stage, and facilitate collaborative problem-solving on urban issues.
APA-ID Ukraine Rebuilding Action Group (URAG). URAG was founded two years ago, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as an initiative by the International Division in response to a strong interest in planning for post-war rebuilding shown by APA members during the Ukraine session at the APA 2022 National Planning Conference (NPC) in San Diego. URAG has since grown its membership to several dozen members, including not only International Division members but also members representing several other APA divisions and other professional organizations outside of APA. Additionally, we have a database of many other APA members who have attended our NPC sessions and have expressed interest in our mission and initiatives.
URAG's purpose is to provide relevant, feasible, and effective assistance to Ukrainian communities as they envision city-rebuilding strategies through networking, capacity building, knowledge sharing, and collaboration. Our initiatives include a completed handbook on public participation and guidelines on environmental sustainability planning, both featured on the URAG website (www.urag.org), as well as efforts to support the expansion and refinement of planning education in Ukraine.
How Can APA Planners Provide Support to Ukraine Rebuilding? URAG members addressed this question early on and concluded that we have the potential to provide guidance for Ukrainian planners to build back better that is relevant, feasible, and effective:
Relevant - Are US planners and APA relevant to planning for the rebuilding of Ukraine? Yes, planning before the war ends is critical to the successful and cost-effective return of the displaced people, providing for their basic safety, health, social services, and livelihoods. Further, while there are many Ukrainian spatial/physical planners – especially architects and urbanists – as well as regional economic and social development specialists, these experts operate in separate silos legally and institutionally. So, there is both a lack of professional planners and planning educators in general and a lack of attention to integrated, comprehensive planning. We have an important niche to fill.
Feasible - Can volunteer planners based in the US contribute effectively? Yes, in addition to the URAG website, the APA website alone offers a treasure trove of information and education on virtually all aspects of planning that URAG has started to curate and contextualize for use by Ukrainians involved in planning for rebuilding. These guidelines cite several references from APA’s Knowledge Base.
Effective - Can our work be effective? Yes, working with partners who have “boots on the ground” we can not only leverage our work through “more hands”, but also reach and influence those involved in planning and decision-making in Ukraine. Our primary metric of success is that our work helps to achieve capacity building, and facilitates preparation of projects that are feasible, implementable, sustainable, and bankable.