Center for Civic Partnerships

Collaborative Maintenance

Top Tips

Establish planning, decision-making, conflict resolution and communication processes.
Create a safe environment to talk openly about concerns, issues and conflicts.
Identify and utilize the skills and talents that each individual or organization brings to the collaborative.
Involve planning, budgeting and contracting decisionmakers in strategic planning.
Develop an action plan that defines short and long term objectives, time lines and responsible individuals and organizations.
Design and implement a comprehensive evaluation plan.
Hold collaborative members accountable for follow through on their commitments.
Develop strategies to engage diverse people, agencies and organizations who are not yet involved in the collaborative.
Identify policies and practices that are obstacles to the achievement of the collaborative’s goals.
Develop policy, media and other advocacy strategies.
Provide volunteer opportunities for interested members of the public to become involved in the collaborative's work.
Involve neighborhood leaders, residents and consumers in the implementation of the collaborative’s activities.
Seek ongoing input from the community through surveys, public forums, focus groups or other methods.
Commit resources to leadership development for collaborative members, staff and residents.
Collect and use up-to-date data and information to review progress and to make necessary revisions to collaborative strategies.
Identify what is and is not working with current services and collaborative strategies.
Communicate information on progress and changes in outcomes regularly to all members of the collaborative.
Regularly discuss what the collaborative has learned from its successes and failures.
Share progress and successes regularly with the public through the media, community forums, reports and other activities.
Communicate and plan with other projects and service providers to create new linkages and reduce duplication.
Tap into community resources by building upon non-financial resources from grassroots organizations, community groups and families.

(Adapted from the Together We Can Community Collaborative Wellness Toolkit)

Online Resources and Tools

AHEC/Community Partners
http://www.ahecpartners.org/
Describes programs which increase collaboration within and between communities, to build citizen participation and to improve community quality of life.

Alliance for National Renewal
http://www.ncl.org/anr
Contains an organizational directory, community building models and a newsletter.

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

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

Center for Community Change
http://www.communitychange.org/index.html
Assists grassroots leaders and organizations to build their community’s capacity for self-sufficiency.

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

Coalition for Healthier Cities and Communities
http://www.healthycommunities.org
Develops and provides resources, networking and models for healthy community movements.

Chandler Center for Community Leadership
http://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
http://www.commbuild.org/index.html
Provides resources and information about innovative community building efforts.

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

Community Works Toolbox
http://cdinet.com/Toolbox/
Provides resources, strategies and links to assist new and existing community organizations and neighborhood groups.

HandsNet
http://www.handsnet.org/
Integrates effective online communications strategies with community organizations to strengthen their programs and policies for children, families and people in need.

Idealist
http://www.idealist.org/
A project of Action Without Borders, a global coalition of individuals and organizations which focuses on practical solutions to social and environmental problems.

National Community Building Network
http://www.ncbn.org
Supports community-building efforts to achieve social and economic equity by providing advocacy, conferences, information and technical assistance.

National Civic League
http://www.ncl.org/ncl
Advocates for and provides resources and support to civic engagement and community improvement efforts across the country.

National Network for Collaboration
http://crs.uvm.edu/nnco/
A network that provides resources for collaboration and citizen problemsolving.

Neighborhoods Online
http://www.libertynet.org/nol/natl.html
Promotes neighborhood empowerment.

Non-Profit Genie
http://www.genie.org/
Information and resources for the non-profit community.

Pathways to School Improvement
http://www.ncrel.org
Research-based information on school improvement. http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/educatrs/leadrshp/le300.htm
Critical issue article- Establishing Collaboratives and Partnerships.

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

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

W.K. Kellogg Foundation
http://www.wkkf.org/Knowledgebase/Pubs/
Link to the Community Partnership Toolkit.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development
http://www.hud.gov
Funding for job development, housing, AIDS, and community development programs.

Suggested Reading

Action Coalition for Global Change. Building A Sustainable Community: An Organizer's Handbook. This handbook can be used as a primer to educate people on sustainability or as a guide to create a full sustainable community project. For order information, contact ACGC at 415-341-1126.

Blank, Martin J. and Danzberger, Jacqueline 1996. Creating and Nurturing Collaboration in Communities. Details five cities working for collaborative change. To order, call 202-822-8405.

Blank, Martin J. and Melaville, Atelia 1993. Together We Can: A Guide for Crafting a Profamily System of Education and Human Services. Comprehensive tool for systems change in children, youth and family services. To order, call 202-219-2129.

Chrislip, David D. and Larson, Carl E. 1994. Collaborative Leadership: How Citizens and Civic Leaders Can Make a Difference (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass) To order, call 1-415-433-1740 or visit the Jossey-Bass website at: http://www.josseybass.com/cda/product/0,,0787900036,00.html

Chynoweth, Judith K. 1994. A Guide to Community-based Collaborative Strategic Planning. Provides basic tools for collaborative planning. To order, call 202-624-5386.

Gray, Barbara 1989. Collaborating: Finding Common Ground for Multiparty Problems (San Francisco, Jossey-Bass) To order, call 1-415-433-1740 or visit the Jossey-Bass website at: http://www.josseybass.com/cda/product/0,,1555421598,00.html

Himmelman, Arthur T. 1992. Communities Working Collaboratively For a Change. To order, call 612-824-5507.

Kaye, Gillian and Wolff, Tom Ph.D. 1997. From the Ground Up! A Workbook on Coalition Building & Community Development. To order, call AHEC/Community Partners at 413-253-4283.

Kretzmann, John P. and McKnight, John L. 1993. Building Communities from the Inside Out; A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing a Community’s Assets. To order, call ACTA Publications at 800-397-0079.

Lockwood, Anne Turnbaugh, Lynn J. Stinnette and Joseph D'Amico. Collaborating for the Common Good. Leadership for Learning Essay Series on the NCREL (North Central Regional Educational Laboratory) website. To read online, click on link: http://www.ncrel.org/cscd/pubs/lead21/2-1b.htm

Mattessich, Paul and Monsey, Barbara R., Amherst H. Wilder Foundation, 1992. Collaboration: What Makes It Work. Detailed descriptions of the 19 key elements of collaboration. To order, call 800-274-6024

Melaville, Atelia I., with Blank, Martin J. 1991. What It Takes: Structuring Interagency Partnerships To Connect Children and Families With Comprehensive Services. For more information, click on link:http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/abstracts/ed330748.html

Miller, Herman. Making Teamwork Work: Designing Spaces that Support Collaborative Efforts. "'Teams' and 'struggle' are two words I hear a lot," say a researcher who has listened to managers, facility planners, and team members from a number of types of companies talk about their efforts to promote and support collaborative work. To read online, click on link: http://www.hermanmiller.com/CDA/Whitepaper/index/0,1254,c75-k4,00.html

Morse, Suzanne W., 1996. Building Collaborative Communities (from Leadership Collaboration Series). Report commissioned by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change. For more information about the Pew Partnership, call 804-971-2073. To read online, click on link: http://www.pew-partnership.org/research/lcs/collabindex.html

National Assembly of National Voluntary Health and Social Welfare Organizations, 1997. The New Community Collaboration Manual. How to start and maintain collaborations; includes dealing with pitfalls and barriers and a step-by-step guide for organizing a town meeting or summit. For more information or to order, call 1-800-395-9800 or click on link: http://www.energizeinc.com/total/newc.html#60

Okubo, Derek. Building Your Community’s Problem Solving Capacities; Insights from the Community Assistance Team. Series of articles written by the director of the Community Assistance Program for the National Civic League. To read online, click on link: http://www.ncl.org/ncl/cat1.htm

Pew Partnership for Civic Change, National League of Cities Special Reports. Collaboration Works. To read online, click on link: http://www.pew-partnership.org/research/special/collabworks.html Pew Partnership for Civic Change. "Just Call It Effective" Civic Change: Moving from Projects to Progress. Summary of a civic change initiative. To read online, click on link: http://www.pew-partnership.org/research/effective/effective.html

Potapchuk, William, Crocker, Jarle and Schechter Jr., William. Systems Reform and Local Government: Improving Outcomes for Children, Families and Neighborhoods. Discusses institutional and cultural barriers to effective collaboration in communities. To order, call 202-783-2961.

Walsh, Joan. The Eye of the Storm: Ten Years on the Front Lines of New Futures. An interview with Otis Johnson and Don Crary that discusses lessons learned from this Annie E. Casey Foundation initiative. To read online, click on link: http://www.aecf.org/publications/eyeofstorm/index.htm

Winer, Michael and Ray, Karen, Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. 1994. Collaboration Handbook: Creating, Sustaining, and Enjoying the Journey. To order, call 1-800-274-6024.