Lessons Learned: Community Collaboration

For a limited time, the Foundation is hosting a blog where Bill Weismann will share more information on the coalition experience in Clark County.
** To leave a comment, or ask Bill a question, please click on the "Ask a question" link located at the bottom of this post. **

The following questions were answered by Bill Weismann last month:

Q & A:

1: What are your most significant accomplishments?
There is significant commitment to early learning in Clark County - we are a community priority. At the first CCELF luncheon in 2005, over 400 people attended including the Chief of Police, the Mayor of Vancouver and the Superintendent of Schools. The partnership now has 20 members who are willing to stay involved. The power of the full collaboration is greater than what would have been possible through the individual organizations. A framework is in place to respond to policy and funding opportunities.

2: Please define the key to a successful collaboration.
There needs to be a positive track record within the community to then build a successful ongoing partnership. You need trust and experience within the group prior to the partnership being formed.

3. How did you make the decision about having CCELF be administered by an organization outside the community (FEL)? Was it controversial?
SELF had four options: FEL, the local Community Foundation, a current SELF partner’s foundation, or forming our own foundation. FEL offered to match dollar for dollar the first $500,000 for 3 years and we had a trust relationship established with FEL staff. The Community Foundation could not offer a match and their commitment to early learning was unclear at that time. Yes, there was some reticence about money "leaving community". But since the funds would be in a segregated account, there would be a local Advisory Committee to guide funding decisions and there was the 1:1 match, it was actually an easy and positive decision to make. That decision has proven to be right for Clark County as we have seen no negative impacts arise from having CCELF managed by FEL. The original commitment was for three years and so the arrangement will be revisited during 2007.

4: How did you include parents and providers in the process?
SELF is aware that its meetings are during the 9- to 5 workday, not a good time for child care providers to attend and not great for parents. SELF created structures and opportunities to engage providers and parents directly in program development and implementation. There are local Kindergarten transition team that involve parents. Also the library leads Read and Plays that engage parents. Reaching family child care providers happens through a system of Provider Networks and at times substitutes are paid for so provider can attend daytime policy planning meetings. It is still a challenge within a weekday governance structure to fully involve parents and providers.

5. The Northwest Washington Early Learning coalition has 40 partners. We want to be open and inclusive. Are SELF meetings open? What is the value of defining "partners"?
The Steering Committee is the policy making body for SELF. Each partner has one representative on the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee is not promoted as an open community meeting. Attendance is by invitation. However, SELF does have bi-monthly Community Forum (SELF council) meetings that are advertised and provides an opportunity for a broader array of stakeholders and the public to participate.

6. Spokane’s governance includes community leaders. Is SELF’s governance comprised of the agency partners or community leaders? Did you consider giving business leaders a larger role in governance?
Business leaders were not engaged at the beginning -- there were few business leaders who had early learning on their radar. Consequently, SELF governance is comprised of the agency partners, not community leaders. SELF has yet to involve business leaders in the governance structure. The business community is very engaged in the leadership and governance of the Early Learning Fund. SELF could be a stronger collaboration with more resources if it had more business leaders involved.

7. Who is the fiscal agent? Who pays Coordinator Bill Weismann’s contract?
The fiscal agent varies depending on the grants; distinct parts of the System Developer (facilitator) contract are charged to different grants held by different agencies. So Bill, who works as coordinator of SELF as an independent contractor, currently has multiple contracts with 2 SELF partners.

8. What are the specific roles of the partners - do you have a document?
The role and responsibilities of SELF partners are spelled out in the SELF Operating Guidelines that can be accessed at: http://selfwa.org