How Does a HDP Collaborative Form?
Each month in this newsletter we're breaking down the critical elements of HDP collaboration. In February, it started with the need to address a complex issue or take advantage of an opportunity. This month, we're looking at, what's next, once the need is identified for a collaborative?
This is when building capacity for the collaborative kicks in. A coordinator is identified and the search for funding begins. The coordinator for a collaborative works from a place of neutrality as a support engine helping to move forward consensus decisions of the collaborative. This can include:
- Building relationships and trust, the heart of collaboration. More on this in April.
- Ensuring collaborative partners have the information and resources needed for their consensus-based decision making.
- Practicing equity in engagement with all partners reaching them where they are with information from and for the the collaborative.
- Managing the planning and logistics for productive meetings and field trips.
- Creating and maintaining records from collaborative gatherings.
- Anticipating the needs and/or questions of collaborative participants.
- Sourcing funding and being the liaison between collaborative partners and funding agencies.
The Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative since its inception in 2011 has applied for Focused Investment Partnership funding from the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board three times. Applying for this funding is a monumental undertaking with the development of a strategic action plan, an application and for this planning, the partners of the collaborative have multiple meetings and conversations to determine the vision and supporting actions of their planning. Every step of the way the coordinator for the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative (in partnership with a facilitator, more on this in May) are working one-on-one with partners and behind the scenes to ensure productive conversations can be had at collaborative meetings and the parameters for applying for significant funding are met. In 2016 the Harney Basin Wetlands Collaborative was granted more than $6 million in Focused Investment Partnership funding. And since this funding, the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board has granted the collaborative more than $800,000 additional funding for multiple grants.
*In April, it's all about relationships, building them and in turn community and culture.
