Lessons Learned Through Free To Grow

Lori Santo, Deputy Director
National Program Office, Free to Grow
Columbia University School of Public Health
New York, New York
Independence—West, Sheraton Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts

What does it take to forge viable community partnerships?

 Key Factors for Creating Successful Partnerships

· Complementary organizational missions and objectives

· Clearly articulated expectations

 "The collaboration is about the work, not the meeting."

· Clearly defined roles and responsibilities

Key Factors for Successful Partnerships

· Regular structures for communication

· Establishment of shared functions

· Reciprocal benefits

Lessons Learned

· Picking the right partners to meet a program's goal is essential

· Partners who are involved in program development and program planning tend to "buy in" earlier and are more likely to share in program governance and decision-making

· A formal commitment of resources is not, in itself, enough to ensure an effective partnership, but it helps.

· Some partners aren’t forever. They may change as program goals and objectives are refined and modified.

· Building strong partnerships takes time, effort, and patience.

And this final word of advice on stepping "out of the box" and giving more than ever before from Free to Grow NPD Judy Jones:

"As a friend of mine says, You can’t save the world from 9:00 to 5:00. We’ve all got to change the way we do business."

The keys, lessons, and comment above followed presentations from four of the five Free To Grow sites on their respective models and experiences in community-building and community partnerships.