In an era of tightening government budgets, regional planning and development organizations need to think creatively about developing and funding initiatives that improve residents’ quality of life. Through partnerships with community foundations, both regional development organizations and foundations can leverage community and external funds, access knowledge and skills beyond their own areas of expertise, broaden their networks, and align work programs to best meet community needs.

This report explores the strategies and rewards behind eight partnerships. The East Central Iowa Council of Governments worked with a community foundation to recapitalize a small business assistance revolving loan fund, and the organizations have continued to collaborate on regional initiatives.  Similarly, the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission began an active partnership with the Community Foundation of Northeast Alabama through a successful public health program. Central Minnesota’s Region Five Development Commission has worked with several community foundations, after establishing a strong partnership with the Initiative Foundation. Virginia’s New River Valley Planning District Commission has helped the Community Foundation of the New River Valley discover community needs, while the Foundation has helped NRVPDC engage community members. In Texas and North Carolina, foundations and regional development organizations worked together on projects to provide wildfire relief and equip a business incubator, respectively. Oregon’s Mid-Columbia Economic Development District has been working with the Meyer Memorial Trust to develop a digital tool to connect foundations with community priorities, while the Northeastern Pennsylvania Alliance operates a resource center to facilitate partnerships. These stories demonstrate how foundations and regional development organizations can help each other leverage resources, expand their toolkits, broaden their networks, and align their work programs.

To read the full report, click here (PDF).

Released February 2005, 50 pages

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• State Associations of Regional Councils and Regional Development Organizations: Insights into Organizational Structures, Governance Models and Strategic Initiatives. This comprehensive report examines the organizational structures, governance models and stratgeic initiatives of state associations and networks of regional councils of government and regional development organizations. It also features resource links, overviews of mutli-state coalitions, and a matrix of state association profiles. View report

• Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts: Regional Strategies, Solutions and Partnerships
  This report examines how area development districts, comprising Kentucky’s statewide network of 15 multi-jurisdictional entities covering 120 counties, partner to cultivate regional collaboration and local partnerships resulting in a stronger, more economically viable region. (March 2009, 24 pages) View report / Power Point

• New Mexico Association of Regional Councils: Partnerships, Progress and Promise
  This report provides an update of the programs profiled in the 2007 report. It also highlights the many partnerships forged between the councils and local and state government to provide valuable services to the surrounding communities. (January 2009, 26 pages) View report / Summary Power Point

• Oregon’s Economic Development Districts: Creating Opportunities for Regional Prosperity
  This report showcases the work of the 11 Economic Development Districts in Oregon, and how they partner with or provide services to the state’s 36 counties, local and tribal governments to ensure that the many needs of Oregon’s residents, businesses and local governments are met. (March 2009, 20 pages): View report

• Utah’s Association of Governments: Regional Collaborations, Solutions and Strategies
  This report showcases how the seven Associations of Governments in Utah have brought economic opportunities to the state by cultivating key collaborations that extend beyond jurisdictional boundaries, promoting intergovernmental and public-private partnerships and designing and implementing comprehensive regional development strategies that position their regions and communities for the future. (November 2009, 14 pages) View report