Collective Impact is working with faculty members of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Center for Sustainable Business and Development, Department of Political Science, and Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management to conduct a research project to better understand Appalachian tourism and identify opportunities to grow tourism activities and encourage business development throughout the region. The project is funded through a competitive grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) - a federal economic development agency. The project is the largest and most comprehensive study of tourism ever conducted by the commission, which covers 205,000 square miles across 420 counties in 13 states. Results of the study will help us better understand the state of tourism of the region, new growth areas for tourism in Appalachian communities, and best practices and successful strategies to help the communities succeed. The project will use research, surveys, site visits, and focus groups as part of the research method. The project also will identify communities to use as case studies to illustrate local tourism success stories and best practices for tourism business development.
Greene County Human Services contracted with Collective Impact to develop a “Children and Family Resource Directory” to serve as a useful guide for service providers to help better meet the needs of the children and families in Greene County, Pennsylvania. This resource connects people, systems, and services that are helping children and families in the County. Families usually need a variety of supports from different service systems, in order to be successful. Making connections for them quickly and effectively can make a significant difference in their lives. The guide will help users gain a better understanding of the array of human services available in Greene County, connect with a network of local providers and experts in all areas of child and family services and supports, access important resource links and contacts for learning more information, identify needed services and connections in a quick and timely matter. Collective Impact also revamped and modernized the Greene County Find-Out Website which has served as an interactive directory of resources for the community for over 15 years.
After hearing from nonprofits around the state that one of their greatest needs was to learn how to collaborate with other nonprofits, businesses, and government within their communities, the West Virginia Nonprofit Association reached out to Bruce Decker to facilitate 4 regional trainings on Building Bridges for Community Impact. The day long workshops were a good balance of content and group engagement. Bruce addressed the ‘nuts and bolts’ of collaboration, and then wove in ‘real life’ group exercises that resulted in preliminary partnerships and regional action plans on issues relevant to each community. His facilitation skills kept the participants engaged. He offered new information, fresh ideas, and taught participants new skills for strategic planning. It was a great experience to work with Bruce and I look forward to tapping into his expertise in the years ahead. ~ Laura Lee Haddad, Executive Director, West Virginia Nonprofit Association, Lewisburg, WV
