Broader Partnerships

In order for community partnerships to have a positive collective impact on young people’s lives, federal policies need to support comprehensive, place-based interagency efforts. The Forum for Youth Investment, in partnership with the National Collaboration for Youth, American Institutes for Research, the Campaign for Youth, the Children's Leadership Council and the Aspen Forum for Community Solutions, hosted a webinar to learn about the White House and the Obama Administration’s plans to support such comprehensive efforts for youth in general, and for disconnected youth in particular.

The report, Higher Education Involvement with Child and Youth Coordinating Bodies, assesses how higher education stakeholders in six states contribute to the operation and success of state coordinating bodies, and identifies challenges and strategies for effectively engaging higher education stakeholders. An estimated 34 states are working to improve child and youth outcomes through the use of children's cabinets, commissions or councils.

Based on the first national survey of after-school "intermediary" organizations, this report describes the after-school coordinating groups, the forms they take and their big concerns. Top of the list? Increasing access for disadvantaged youngsters to affordable, high-quality programs.

Through their work with the White House Council for Community Solutions, The Bridgespan Group had the opportunity to learn from 12 community collaboratives engaged in collective impact across the country. These collaboratives have already achieved needle-moving change (at least 10 percent progress on a community-wide metric) and are making further strides in solving critical social issues. Below are profiles of each that share the collaboratives' paths to getting results.