Homeowners’ association (HOA) board members are tasked with running an efficient and financially sound community. To do this, the board must set realistic goals aimed at enhancing the overall living experience. However, creating these impactful initiatives and following through on them can be challenging without proper planning.

At Associa, we have decades of experience helping boards set and reach meaningful goals for their communities. Our Board Goal-Setting series offers free resources to help you set goals, track progress, and meet milestones. In this edition of the series, you'll find a SMART Goals Worksheet designed to help turn simple ideas into actionable steps. 

SMART stands for:

• Specific. The goal must be well-defined and specific. Confirm everyone has a clear understanding of the goal, knows why it was set, who is involved, what should be accomplished, and the proposed timeline.  
• Measurable. Having a measurable goal helps you track progress, correct the plan of action if needed, and demonstrate advancement to residents.
• Achievable. Make sure your goals are realistic and achievable. Work within your resources of time, effort, and money. Setting the bar too high might leave board members feeling defeated and frustrated and residents unhappy.
• Relevant. Is your goal important to maintaining or improving your community? Will achieving it make a difference? Is it something most residents want?
• Time-based. Set deadlines. If it’s a long-term goal, break it into phases with deadlines for each phase. Also, take into account board members’ availability and their own time commitments.

While it's OK for boards to have broad visions for their communities, those aspirations are just starting points. Focusing your ideas, creating practical steps, and establishing a timeframe to achieve them is key to making a real impact. The SMART method is an effective way to help you do just that.  Download the ebook now to start using it! 

Check out our other worksheets to help you process the information you’ve gathered. These templates allow you to develop your ideas further and streamline for maximum efficiency:

• Goal Brainstorming Worksheet: Out Now
• Goal Planning: Out October 2025
• Goal Review: Out November 2025
• Monthly Planner: Out November 2025

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