FOSTERING COLLABORATION ; ADVANCING OPPORTUNITIES
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collaboration was driven by a shared concern in organizing around a local strategy , leveraging existing assets and coordinating to attract OZ capital to projects with community impact . It makes more sense to have a centralized voice to represent the interests of a collective group versus duplicating uncoordinated efforts by multiple entities .
For organizers looking to establish a centralized coordination approach to facilitating OZ investments , understanding the starting point for collaboration as well as the sequencing and prioritization of needs is key , in addition to defining the geographic area of focus .
ENGAGEMENT AND PLANNING
A first step in the process of creating a local collaboration group is to determine the participants to engage from the area ’ s community development landscape . Many stakeholders need to be involved in the conversation to be able to set meaningful parameters and guardrails . Participants should be collaboration-oriented rather than turf-focused and be in decision-making roles within their respective organizations . Additionally , organizational diversity is important with the inclusion of representatives from all community development sectors : public , private , non-profit and philanthropic .
Including foundations and government from the start can highlight the collaborative nature of the undertaking as well as philanthropic and public sector interests that may yield support for the staffing of the initiative once an action plan is in place . Continued engagement in the group may allow for further coordination and expansion of priorities .
Other voices at the table should reflect the community , technical
To facilitate dialogue around exploring an OZ collaboration , a thoughtful planning process is essential .
experts , local investors , and financial intermediaries like community development financial institutions and community development corporations which may have complimentary debt products and knowledge of other local partners and pipelines .
To facilitate dialogue around exploring an OZ collaboration , a thoughtful planning process is essential . Each planning session should have a focus and goal outcome , with an action plan being the culmination of the process . The meetings should be convened to answer a set of strategic questions so that the group can quickly align on a path forward . Some planning guidelines might include :
• Meeting 1 – Focus on the area ’ s landscape . The initial meeting can be organized around a discussion to understand the area ’ s current landscape and overall goal-setting . What is already happening ? What gaps exist ? Is there interest or need for ongoing coordination ?
• Meeting 2 – Focus on initial framework and due diligence . Building on the needs identified in the initial meeting , the second conversation can tackle a discussion of vision for collaborative work , frame working , and additional due diligence including what questions still need to be answered to move ahead .
• Meeting 3 – Focus on strategy development . The focus of the next meeting can pivot to a discussion of options for strategy development . What can be learned from approaches or collaborations used in other jurisdictions ? What strategies should the group pursue to achieve the collective vision ?
• Meeting 4 – Focus on priorities and action plan . The
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