10 Principles in Economic Development - Partnerships
- What partnerships have you formed to encourage
economic development in your area (public/private, among
businesses, among government agencies, with nonprofits and
community organizations)?
- How do you maintain and ensure the effectiveness
of these partnerships?
- Do you use partnerships to combine resources
(more than information sharing and networking)?
- How do you leverage your resources?
Partnerships are an effective tool toward developing a common
ground or set of priorities for economic development. A strong
economy is not the responsibility of one, but of all. Economic
development agencies need to work closely with other partners,
such as businesses, nonprofits, and community organizations,
to develop a path toward the future.
Increasingly, economic development professionals are recognizing
that partnerships among a wide range of organizations are critical
for a successful economic development strategy. An example of
how partnerships are being encouraged nationally is the National
Rural Development Partnership. The partnership was established
through a presidential initiative in 1990 to promote greater
collaboration in rural development. The "partners"
are representatives from federal agencies, state governments,
local governments, tribal councils, and private sector organizations.
A national council brings together senior program managers from
over forty federal agencies to improve the delivery of federal
resources for rural development. State-level councils in thirty-seven
states serve as forums for developing strategic responses to
state rural needs. The National Rural Development Partnership
has become an important mechanism in crossing organizational
boundaries to address rural problems.
Partnerships are also emerging at the regional
level. An example of a successful regional economic partnership
is the Arrowhead Growth Alliance. The Arrowhead region of northeastern
Minnesota includes the city of Duluth, the Iron Range, and the
Boundary Waters Canoe Area, and is known for fierce competition
among communities and turf battles for economic development. The
Arrowhead Growth Alliance was formed in 1988 to bring together
all regional economic development groups to focus on economic
development issues. The group is an informal alliance and decides
at the end of each meeting whether it should meet again. There
is no defined structure, no officers, no budget, and no stationery.
The regional focus and the continuity of membership help to develop
trust and provide the thread that keeps the group together. |
