Norwich Historical Society’s (NHS) 5-year strategic plan was just coming to an end when the COVID- 19 emergency arrived. The pandemic compelled NHS to lean into its mission to find what was true about it, lean into community needs, and lean into being place- based. The relevance of civic life to our mission became a core tenet as we began a new plan in 2022.

We therefore engaged in a community-based process to inform our new strategic plan, which places Norwich Historical Society at the center of the community. To move toward making this ideal a reality, we revised our mission statement and designed a new vision. We recognize challenges and opportunities in the community and see them as an invitation to steward, connect, and sustain our community.