Recently, Northern Virginia Community College has moved into a new era of institutional development, whereby primary attention to facility planning and increasing enrollments has given way to a comprehensive, program-based, and strategic planning process which transcends all elements of the institution. Recognition is given to the integral relationship planning has to management by including annual reviews and short-, mid-, and long-term planning. In addition, the importance of systematic evaluation, revision, and change of the plan and the necessity of executive commitment and faculty involvement are recognized. The development of the first Master Plan by a president-appointed task force followed the systematic steps of the planning process: establishing institutional mission; setting goals and objectives; assessing community needs and interests; assessing institutional current status; identifying programs which can be justified, approved, and implemented; calculating resource requirements; determining resource allocations; determining priorities and alternatives; and conducting qualitative and quantitative evaluations. It contains a list of planned educational and support services, immediate and long-range resource needs, projected campus missions, issues to be addressed, and a working calendar of the process. Observations about initiating a planning process and a bibliography are included. (AYC)