Doing well by doing good: A leader’s guide — from by Mary Brainerd, Jim Campbell, and Richard Davis
Addressing community problems increasingly requires cooperation among the private, public, and not-for-profit sectors. Here, three executives explain how a civic alliance in America’s Minneapolis–Saint Paul region may point toward an operating model.
Excerpt:
The vitality of our communities has always required the involvement of the private sector, not just governments or not-for-profit organizations. Unfortunately, despite business leaders’ best intentions, these collaborative efforts often founder, fueling skepticism about the private sector’s ability to contribute meaningfully to civic advancement.
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We keep going because of the opportunities we see to make a difference. In the past decade, Itasca has forged links between the business community and our region’s biggest university. It has improved the financial fitness of the region through educational programs and cast a national spotlight on growing socioeconomic disparities. Today, Itasca is working to improve higher education and generating quality-job growth, as well as advancing efforts to address transportation issues comprehensively.
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We’re not an organization. We work virtually, without a formal office. There’s no full-time staff…
Also see:
- Detroit, bankrupt, looks to colleges as partners in recovery – from The Chronicle of Higher Education