From USIP

We are pleased to release this five-year plan, which outlines the United States Institute of Peace’s vision, mission, strategy and priorities over the next five years. We believe it is a substantial step forward in positioning the Institute to prevent, mitigate and resolve violent conflict around the world and serve the interests of the United States and societies worldwide.

The plan is the culmination of a year-long effort and the hard work of many individuals. We express deep appreciation to them all – those recognized here by name as well as the many who are not.

We are grateful for the commitment and leadership of USIP’s Board Chair Emeritus, J. Robinson West, who led the Board from 2006 - 2014. We are also deeply grateful to the members USIP board of directors for their wisdom and support:

Judy Ansley, Eric Edelman, Joseph Eldridge, Stephen Hadley, Kerry Kennedy, Ikram Khan, Stephen Krasner, John Lancaster, George Moose, Jeremy Rabkin and Nancy Zirkin. We also recognize the support of the members of the USIP Board who represent their insitutions: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel; Secretary of State John Kerry; and the President of the National Defense University, Major General Gregg F. Martin.

USIP staff from across the Institute formed the core strategic planning task force. This team was creative, collaborative, and dedicated, and ensured that the plan reflects the best of USIP. We are indebted to them all:

Andrew Blum, Ann-Louise Colgan, Sarhang Hamasaeed, Jeff Helsing, Maria Jessop, Veronica Klopfenstein, Joe Lataille, Peter Loge, Kristin Lord, Jim Marshall, Colette Rausch, Michael Schoenleber, David Smock, Jon Temin and Moeed Yusuf.

In addition, the entire USIP staff deserves thanks for sharing their insights and feedback throughout the process. We thank them for the incredible amount of time and thought they contributed.

We also benefitted from the generous input of colleagues in the federal government, at non-governmental organizations, in academia, and in the private sector. They include:

Peter Ackerman, Madeleine Albright, Muhammad Ashafa, Gregor Bailar, Rick Barton, Bob Boorstin, Scott Carpenter, Lorne Craner, Chester Crocker, Ryan Crocker, Jim Dobbins, Jim Dyer, Andrew Erdmann, Michèle Flournoy, Nelson Ford, Carl Gershman, Melanie Greenberg, John Hamre, Harry Harding, Rita Hauser, Joost Hilterman, David Ignatius, Barry Jackson, Bruce Jentleson, Bruce Jones, David Kramer, Ellen Laipson, Carol Lancaster, Sam Lewis, Nancy Lindborg, Robert Malley, John Marks, Katherine Marshall, Sean McDonald, Nancy McEldowney, Mary McNeil, Lenny Mendonca, Norman Ornstein, Marc Ostfield, Maria Otero, Liz Schrayer, Daniel Serwer, Anne-Marie Slaughter, Paul Stares, Donald Steinberg, Strobe Talbott, Alex Thier, Robert Wexler, Richard Williamson, Tamara Wittes, Ken Wollack, Sam Worthington, James Wuye, and Bob Zoellick.

In addition, numerous members of Congress, Congressional staffs, and U.S. government agencies provided valuable feedback and insight.

Finally, we are grateful to David Williamson of Bernuth & Williamson for serving as an excellent and informative guide throughout the process, to Hanne Bursch and Cheryl Saferstein for all of their support, and to Liz Fontaine for design and lay-out of this report.

We now turn to implementation, without which plans are meaningless. In so doing we welcome the engagement of colleagues and partners around the world to help us achieve our shared mission of preventing, mitigating, and resolving violent conflict.

Kristin Lord Stephen Hadley

Acting President Chairman, Board of Directors

Read the full strategic plan [HERE].

From the plan (just snippets, I encourage you to click the link above for all of it)

Organizational Goals:

1) Reduce the frequency and intensity of violent

conflict in at least three conflict zones through the

focused application of USIP expertise, resources and

approaches.

2) Become the world’s leading resource for

governments, organizations and individuals seeking

to understand and promote strategies for preventing

and resolving violent conflict.

3) Demonstrate America’s commitment to peace.

Priorities & Initiatives:

1) Strengthen individuals and institutions working for

peace and improve the analytical, educational and

other resources USIP provides to them.

- Create a new Center for Applied Research on

Conflict (ARC): USIP will create a new center

of excellence to conduct, commission and

publish cutting-edge research and analysis.

-Strengthen the USIP Academy’s reach and impact

- Launch a PeaceTech Lab

-Strengthen select institutions that prevent and

resolve violent conflict in conflict zones

-Create a new network of peace funders

2) Strengthen USIP’s capacity to prevent and resolve

violent conflict.

-Recruit, develop and retain the best talent

3) Strengthen USIP’s public engagement in order to

advance USIP’s mission and raise awareness of USIP’s

activities.