Lessons Learned Collaboration is difficult . There are a lot of roadblocks to initiating change in the way organizations and systems operate, especially when a partnership includes many small providers spread over a large geographic area. The Coalition has kept partners engaged by keeping efforts driven by member concerns and focused on concrete benefits. Partnership is especially effective in rural areas. Because Rio Grande Valley service providers are so spread out and often have such limited resources, collaboration provides opportunities to operate at a size and scale that are more appealing to funders and decision-makers.
Dedicated resources are important to sustaining collaboration .
Building an effective partnership takes time and resources. Time and effort must be devoted to keeping all members informed, facilitating meetings, and following through with action. Resources for staff and operations can significantly affect whether the group is able to achieve its objectives. Create an infrastructure to support change. The Coalition has worked to establish local infrastructure such as the Workforce Development Board, as well as organizational infrastructure such as by-laws and communication systems.