The planning process is intended to result in a series of detailed strategies tailored to the community's individual goals, circumstances, and resources. The format can be used by municipalities of all types and sizes to identify, investigate and evaluate both physical and social issues related to preservation within the community before defining specific strategies. The format is flexible, and with the assistance of a qualified consultant, the eight step planning process can fit nearly any municipal circumstance. Each step is described and much of the planning manual is devoted to providing examples of how the format can be applied in an urban, suburban, or rural community. The grant component is modeled after the County's successful Vision Partnership Program.
Funding is available to all municipalities subject to basic eligibility requirements.