At no time in our nation's history has there been as great a need to engage the public, private and nonprofit sectors in partnership.
And not just a funding partnership, where government and business provide funding for nonprofits. A true partnership, with mutually determined goals and objectives, defined roles and responsibilities and a set of projected outcomes that benefit all.
It seems simple, and yet communities across the country fail to grasp the opportunity that such a partnership offers. Either government over reaches, business fails to step up or nonprofits reject anything that involvesfor profit enterprise.
But there have been successes. The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce in Rome, GA (www.romega.com) has forged just such a partnership, and government, private enterprise and nonprofits are working together for the betterment of the community.
How does it work?
It requires communication, a process to bring the parties together, and most of all, effective leadership. All of the good intentions in the world, or the best facilitators, can't succeed without strong, effective leadership. And the stronger the leaders from each sector, the stronger the partnership and the more successful it will be.
Where to start?
Define areas of common interest. Who benefits when each sector succeeds? Private enterprise creates jobs, which generate worker incomes, who pay taxes, that build roads and schools and provides public safety services, that grows the economy and the population, that creates demand for social services and arts and recreational opportunities and other quality of life issues, that are paid for by public and private investment in nonprofit organizations, that provide these things that enhance the quality of life, that attract new residents and businesses to the community, thus helping create more new jobs and businesses.
This interdependency is acknowledged, but seldom leveraged for optimum benefit. You can't separate community development from economic development, they are so intertwined that you must address them together.
Return on Investment
By investing in the community, with specific expectations from the investors, a clearly defined set of outcomes are drawn. These outcomes represent the Return on Investment for each partner -- public, private and nonprofit. Each sees and receives value from the partnership and from the outcomes. Without capital investment, there are no outcomes. Without outcomes, there can be no Return on Investment. Each partner has a job to do.
Making it Work
The intersection of the three sectors may be the local Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Agency, United Way, Community Foundation or other institution. But convening the partenrs is the first step. Leaders from each sector must step up and make it work, they must be committed to making it work.
Commitment comes with a cost. In a bacon and egg breakfast, the chicken was involved, but the pig was committed. Leaders must be more than involved and engaged. They must commit to the work, to the partnership, and to the outcomes.
And not just a funding partnership, where government and business provide funding for nonprofits. A true partnership, with mutually determined goals and objectives, defined roles and responsibilities and a set of projected outcomes that benefit all.
It seems simple, and yet communities across the country fail to grasp the opportunity that such a partnership offers. Either government over reaches, business fails to step up or nonprofits reject anything that involvesfor profit enterprise.
But there have been successes. The Greater Rome Chamber of Commerce in Rome, GA (www.romega.com) has forged just such a partnership, and government, private enterprise and nonprofits are working together for the betterment of the community.
How does it work?
It requires communication, a process to bring the parties together, and most of all, effective leadership. All of the good intentions in the world, or the best facilitators, can't succeed without strong, effective leadership. And the stronger the leaders from each sector, the stronger the partnership and the more successful it will be.
Where to start?
Define areas of common interest. Who benefits when each sector succeeds? Private enterprise creates jobs, which generate worker incomes, who pay taxes, that build roads and schools and provides public safety services, that grows the economy and the population, that creates demand for social services and arts and recreational opportunities and other quality of life issues, that are paid for by public and private investment in nonprofit organizations, that provide these things that enhance the quality of life, that attract new residents and businesses to the community, thus helping create more new jobs and businesses.
This interdependency is acknowledged, but seldom leveraged for optimum benefit. You can't separate community development from economic development, they are so intertwined that you must address them together.
Return on Investment
By investing in the community, with specific expectations from the investors, a clearly defined set of outcomes are drawn. These outcomes represent the Return on Investment for each partner -- public, private and nonprofit. Each sees and receives value from the partnership and from the outcomes. Without capital investment, there are no outcomes. Without outcomes, there can be no Return on Investment. Each partner has a job to do.
Making it Work
The intersection of the three sectors may be the local Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development Agency, United Way, Community Foundation or other institution. But convening the partenrs is the first step. Leaders from each sector must step up and make it work, they must be committed to making it work.
Commitment comes with a cost. In a bacon and egg breakfast, the chicken was involved, but the pig was committed. Leaders must be more than involved and engaged. They must commit to the work, to the partnership, and to the outcomes.
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