Resilience Action Plan
Graham County, Arizona
Graham County faces a variety of economic, social, and environmental risks – including heavy reliance on the mining industry, drought and limited water availability, workforce housing constraints, and a mental health crisis. Freeport-McMoRan sponsored the Graham County Resilience Action Plan to help the community identify risks that could negatively impact residents and public and private operations.
The planning process was from April to November in 2023. A variety of stakeholders were interviewed to learn what risks and challenges the County either currently has, or potentially could have, which negativly impacts on the community. A Mobilization Team—representing a variety of community stakeholders including municipal governments, civic groups, higher education, regional organizations, and major employers, helped identify key initiatives that could enhance the community’s resilience.
Better City created an action plan that outlines strategic actions to mitigate risks and enhance overall community resiliency. Each strategy included specific actions and resources for project leads and partners to utilize to create a resilient future.
Some of the specific actions in the Resilience Action Plan include:
- Economy – launch a business expansion program, reduce barriers for home-based businesses to expand into commercial space, and support B2B transactions
- Water Availability – support removal of tamarisks and plant native vegetation, and launch a Water Wise program to support residents, businesses, and agricultural producers in reducing water consumption
- Housing – conduct a housing needs assessment, host an annual regional housing conference, and prepackage projects to attract developers
- Mental Health – establish interagency coordinated crisis management procedure, promote mental health resources, and coordinate and fund support groups for community members
- Nonprofits – support fundraising efforts and provide best practices training