Center for Civic Partnerships

Collaboration and Community Involvement

Top Tips

Who is the ‘Community’?

Community, as defined by the Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, is:

A unified body of individuals
People with common interests living in a particular area
Various kinds of individuals in a common location
A group of people with a common characteristic or interest
A group linked by a common policy
A body of persons having a common history or common social, economic and political interests
A body of persons of common and/or professional interests scattered through a larger society

It’s not surprising collaboratives struggle with who the "community" is and how to get "them" involved! Based on the broad definitions above, even a collaborative could be considered a community. The key to community involvement in a collaborative is the identification, inclusion and ongoing involvement of a diverse group of community stakeholders. Ideally, the collaborative membership should represent the interests and resources of the entire community.

Identifying key community members

Who has important information about the community?
Who has something to contribute to the collaborative’s mission and goals?
Who will be served or impacted by the collaborative activities?
Who are the leaders in the community?
Who is currently providing services in the community?
Who should be providing services in the community?
Who has the authority to make changes in the community?

POTENTIAL COLLABROATIVE MEMBERS FROM THE COMMUNITY

Resident Representatives

Neighborhood organizations
Community activists
Youth groups
Seniors centers
Neighborhood Watch
Residents in collaborative project neighborhoods

Community Organizations

Faith/religious leaders
Church groups
YMCA/YWCA
Boys & Girls Clubs
Cultural groups
Civic clubs/volunteer organizations
Philanthropic groups
Community centers
Support groups

Social Services

Counseling centers
Family violence services
Youth programs
Disabled/handicapped services
Crisis hotlines
Homeless programs
Food and shelter providers
Child abuse services and prevention programs
Parenting programs
Area Agency on Aging
American Red Cross

Government Agencies

City government
Elected officials
City manager
Public Works
Community Services
Libraries
Housing Authority
Parks and Recreation

County Government

Elected officials
Social Services
Health Department
Mental Health
Childrens’ Services
State legislators
Military installations
Public transportation

Health

Hospitals
Clinics
HMOs
Private physicians
Substance abuse treatment providers
Mental health providers
HIV/AIDS programs
Outreach workers
School nurses
Nutrition centers (WIC)
Nursing homes
Home healthcare providers

Economic Development

Local businesses
Business associations (e.g., Chamber of Commerce)
Community development agencies
Job training and placement providers

Education

School board members
School district administrators
Principals and teachers
Parent organizations
Guidance counselors
Student representatives
Universities
Community colleges
Preschool/day care facilities

Law Enforcement

Police officers
Police chief or sheriff
Narcotics/gang investigators
School liaison officers
Juvenile justice
City attorneys
District attorneys
Probation officers
Judges
Public defenders

Media

Local newspapers
Local radio and TV stations
Public information officers
Community access stations
Community newsletters

(*adapted from California’s Healthy Start "Making It Work" – Basic Collaboration, 1999)

Online Resources and Tools

Assets Based Community Development Institute
www.northwestern.edu/ipr/abcd.html
Practical resources and tools for community builders to identify, nurture, and mobilize neighborhood assets.

Association for Community Health Improvement
www.communityhlth.org/communityhlth/index.jsp
Develops and provides resources, networking and models for healthy community movements.

Building Better Communities Network
www.bettercommunities.org
Supports community-building efforts to achieve social and economic equity by providing advocacy, conferences, information and technical assistance.

California Healthy Start
www.cde.ca.gov
Brings schools, businesses, non-profits and governmental agencies together to develop school-linked services.

Center for Community Change
www.communitychange.org
Assists grassroots leaders and organizations with building their community’s capacity for self-sufficiency.

Civic Practices Network
www.cpn.org
Brings individuals, community based organizations, businesses, and institutions together and provides tools, tips and positive examples of civic engagement.

Chandler Center for Community Leadership
www.crs.uvm.edu/nnco/collab/wellness.html
Focuses on the practical application of research, proven success and action to solve community problems.

Community Building Resource Exchange
www.commbuild.org/index.html
Provides resources and information about innovative community building efforts.

Community Tool Box
www.ctb.ku.edu
Provides tips, tools and resources on all aspects of community building including: visioning, facilitation, collaboration, media and communication, participation, planning and evaluation.

Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative
www.cpn.org/topics/community/dudly.html
Resident driven initiative focusing on community development and revitalization.

National Civic League
www.ncl.org
Advocates for and provides resources and support to civic engagement and community improvement efforts.

Neighborhoods Online
www.neighborhoodsonline.net/index.html
Promotes neighborhood empowerment.

Pew Partnership
www.pew-partnership.org
Civic research organization with information on successful community solutions and civic practices.

Together We Can Initiative
www.togetherwecan.org
Leadership development and training support for collaboratives.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development,
Office of Community Planning and Development
www.hud.gov/offices/cpd
Community section of the HUD website

Best Practices and Case Studies

The Civic Practices Network Community section features several essays on community organizing, social capital, and urban democracy that provide a broad range of community approaches. Click on link to read online:www.cpn.org/crm/index.html