Business Continuity Plan Template for Municipalities

Municipalities are facing increasing cyber attacks.  With cybercrime rates soaring and municipalities ranking as prime targets, the need for robust business continuity planning has never been more critical. From natural disasters to cyberattacks, disruptions can severely impact a municipality’s ability to serve its community. 

A well-crafted business continuity plan ensures resilience and may also be necessary for insurance or compliance purposes.

As leading experts in cyber security, we understand the importance of having a solid business continuity plan in place. That’s why we’re here to provide you with insights, guidance and a handy template to kickstart your business continuity planning journey for your local government.

Understanding Business Continuity Planning and Disaster Recovery Planning

A business continuity plan (BCP) outlines procedures for an organization to follow in the event of a business interruption. Its primary goal is to ensure the organization can maintain essential functions during and after a crisis. This includes identifying critical business functions, processes and resources required to sustain operations at a minimum level. 

A disaster recovery plan (DRP), while related to a BCP, is distinct in its focus. While a BCP addresses the continuity of all business operations, a DRP zeroes in on the technical aspects of recovery, particularly concerning IT infrastructure. 

A DRP delineates detailed plans for swiftly restoring hardware, software, data and network services critical to the organization’s functioning. In essence, while a BCP ensures the continuation of essential functions across the entire organization, a DRP is concerned with the rapid recovery of IT systems and infrastructure to minimize downtime and data loss, allowing key business operations to resume seamlessly. 

The bottom line? You need both a BCP and a DRP. Both working in tandem to fortify your municipality’s resilience in the face of adversity.

The Most Simple Version of a Business Continuity Plan

So, what does a business continuity plan look like? Here’s a bird’s-eye view of a common BCP, broken down into five main categories of things you must consider:

1. Risk assessment: Identify potential risks and vulnerabilities, such as natural disasters, cyberattacks, power outages and pandemics. A trusted managed service provider can help you perform a risk assessment for your organization.
2. Business impact analysis: Determine the potential impact of each risk on your municipality’s operations.
3. Continuity strategies: Develop strategies to mitigate risks and ensure the continuity of essential functions.
4. Recovery plans: Create detailed plans for recovering critical functions and restoring normal operations.
5. Testing and training: Regularly test and update your BCP to ensure effectiveness, and provide training to staff members on their roles during an emergency.

The Business Continuity Plan Template: A High-Level Summary

When you set out to create a business continuity plan, your comprehensive document should include detailed sections to meet any compliance standards and clearly outline the procedures in place in the event of a disaster. 

The following list includes the names of each section of a thorough plan and briefly describes the purpose of each section.

1. Executive summary outlines the purpose and scope of the plan.
2. Risk assessment identifies potential risks and vulnerabilities through periodic vulnerability assessments.
3. Business impact analysis shows the impact of disruptions on critical services.
4. Continuity strategies involve maintaining operations with the help of an IT support team.
5. Recovery plans explain how to restore critical functions.
6. Communication plan showcases protocols for sharing information internally and externally.
7. Training and testing ensures your staff’s readiness.
8. Maintenance and review covers annual review and updates to the plan.

Get Your Business Continuity Plan Template

A robust business continuity plan is crucial for municipalities to weather any storm and continue serving their communities. So, is your local government prepared to handle any emergency or disaster?

Download our full guide for comprehensive insights and support in crafting your business continuity plan tailored to your municipality’s needs.

Don’t wait until it’s too late: Start planning today for a more resilient tomorrow. If you have any questions about preparing for the worst, schedule a quick meeting or contact us today. 

And, if you want to learn more about preventing cybercrime, we have a free cyber security ebook with 14 non-technical things you can do today to protect your municipality further.

Stay prepared and stay resilient with the expert team at Intrust IT.