Guiding Principles

In January 2022, City Council approved these Guiding Principles, which provide a lens to make decisions on City-wide priorities.

• Leadership and Communication - Rockford practices meaningful collaboration through engaged and transparent leadership guided by a shared vision, mission, goals, and plans with open and direct communication.
• Finance and Infrastructure - Rockford has a targeted and efficient investment and infrastructure plan and is committed to economic growth, sustainability, and accessibility across the city. Rockford remains a good steward of taxpayer dollars.
• Safety - Rockford citizens and employees are engaged and have trust in and collaborate with one another to build a safer community.
• Business Climate - Rockford is an enterprising city that attracts and retains a wide range of industry, business, and professional services. Rockford cultivates entrepreneurship, including small and minority-owned businesses, through innovation and green initiatives.
• Quality of Life - Rockford is a river city with diverse recreational, cultural, artistic, culinary, spiritual, and tourist attractions that supports a creative class that contributes to the regional economy and quality of life.
• Neighborhoods - Rockford offers housing that promotes diversity, economic strength, and interconnectedness to create vibrant, sustainable, and healthy neighborhoods.
• Education - Rockford is a city of life-long learners who value educational attainment and skilled trades. Rockford benefits from relevant, innovative opportunities from crib to career and beyond that provide personal development, address social/emotional needs, and support the local economy.
• Health - Rockford recognizes the challenges of our community and works to strengthen the mental, physical, social, emotional, spiritual and financial health of its citizens.
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Rockford provides a welcoming, nurturing, inclusive community that values diversity where community members feel safe and respected.