STRATEGY

Mission

The Southwestern Region's partnership strategy facilitates an understanding and use of partnerships and collaboration to build relationships and alliances to accomplish desired results.

Definitions of Partnerships

The word partnership is used here in its broadest sense. It is a mutually beneficial relationship between one more or more parties with a common goal. Collaboration as used throughout this document is defined as working jointly with others to achieve an outcome.

Background

When we find ourselves thinking that we're too busy to build partnerships, its time to stop and remember to whom our public lands belong. Partnerships are valuable because we learn more about our communities and their interests and values. In addition, they learn more about us. As a result we develop advocates and alliances that are critical to our success. Partnerships have grown exponentially over the last several years. In fiscal year 2004, for only the first 9 months, partners contributed over $5.4 million worth of resources and work. During the same fiscal year, the Southwestern Region contributed $18,566,358 to other parties.

In this strategy, we strive not to recite what we already know. Instead we strive to focus on the things that we believe will make a difference in our partnerships efforts. In particular, we want to encourage the continuing education, development, and training that will yield a workforce that strongly appreciates and routinely practices collaboration that builds relationships and partnerships. Partnership skills have proven to be very important to the agency.

Barriers

Experience and observation, however, has shown that we need to dispel some myths among Forest Service folks and be realists, not idealists. These myths are:

Partnerships will solve all of our problems.
Not so, but they are a tool to solve problems and build support.
Partnerships are the silver bullet to get around laws and regulations
Not so. Partnerships require careful attention to laws and regulations and that is why this strategy includes action items to create a user-friendly process.

Additionally, we need to dispel some myths among the Partners as well:

The agency makes it hard to work together because they don’t want to partner.
Not so, but partnership activities that involve the transfer or sharing of resources requires "legal instruments" to protect parties. This means formal partnership will involve some type of agreements.
Partnering means that partners get to make the decisions.
Partnering represents a mutual effort and mutual benefits. Partnering requires collaboration and agreement. Partnering is not unilateral decisionmaking.

1. Principles and Ways of Doing Business

Principles and Ways of Doing Business	Who	Objective
Showcase partnerships in RLT meeting/field trips	RLT	1
Showcase partnership successes on Web sites	Forest Partnership Coordinators	1
Encourage shared information within Forests and Ranger Districts	Forest Partnership Coordinators	1
Leadership talks about collaboration and partnerships	RLT/PAO	1
Include leadershipand PAO's in partnership photo-ops and media release ops	PAO Director	1
Forests use Web sites to feature successes in partnerships and transfer information	Forest Partnership Coordinators	1
Recognize partners using local, regional, and national awards opportunities	Partnership Practitioners	1
Identify career opportunities for partnership coordinators	HR Director	2
Leasership continues to monitor and set priorities for partnerships	RLT	2
Partnerships coordinated with Grants and Agreements	AQM Director	4
Support universities and community colleges in providing existing training and further partnership training (include other federal and state agency partners)	HR Director and Forest Coordinators	4
Regular feature in Regional newsletter—rotate assignments between Forests and Directors	PAO Director	1
Keep partners informed on changes in priorities and opportunities and roles of partners	PAO Director	5
Actively incorporate safety into partnership activities	R3 Safety Officer	5
Functional Annual Partnership Meetings, e.g., Southwestern Region Wildlife and Fish annual meeting	W&F Director	1

2. Actions to be accomplished by R3 Partnership Coordinator

Action	Objective	When
Develop regional partnership Web site that includes: Existing PowerPoint presentations (e.g., success stories, successful grants), Link to Forest Web sites and list of partnership contacts, List of training opportunities, List of recognition opportunities and deadlines, Web site link to existing partnership tools, A way for non-traditional and external partners to contact us, Link to G&A agreements Web site with regional agreements and WO agency-wide agreements, and List of external partners	1	FY 2005
Annual report of Regional accomplishments, in cooperation with Forest Partnership Coordinators	1	FY 2006
Develop Regional recognition for partnership and collaboration (internal and external)	2	FY 2006
Utilize "barrier busters" team on a call-when-needed basis. Team formation will be based on the type of problem.	3	As Needed
Annually review and revise strategy and action plan	4	Ongoing
Define partnerships	5	FY 2005

3. Actions for FY 2005

Action	Objectives	Who
Annual Regional Partnership Worskhop (line and staff) (include partners) for the purposes of: Networking internally and with partners Share "lessons learned" Skill development for methods and tools, i.e., grants and agreements, etc. Providing recognition Providing a tour to view partnerships Assembling partnership coordinators	1, 2, 3, 4, and 5	R3 Partnership Coordintor responsible with a Design Team
Create a process checklist/flowchart to describe roles and steps in the partnership process for responsible parties (line officer and partner) including overhead assessments.	3	R3 Partnership Coordintor responsible with a Design Team
Create a matrix/decision tree/guide to help practitioners identify the appropriate agreement(s)—a "Partnership for Dummies" guide.	3	Regional Grants & Agreements Coordinator
Contacts List of who to call (phone numbers, Web links, email) on Web site. Forest Partnership Coordinators and G&A contacts Champion list Regional, local unit list	3	Regional Partnership Coordinator and Regional G&A Coordinator
Develop employees' understanding of partnerships early in their careers (in cooperation with HR Director) Student orientation Stategic Beginnings Corporate new employee orientation	2	Regional Partnership Coordinator and HR Director

5. Actions for Consideration in Outyears

Action	Objective	Who
Use Forest Web sites to increase visibility and understanding of partnerships and collaberation.	1	Forests
Create a method for partners to provide feeback-evaluation tool at end of the project	3	Carson NF Coordinator with Design Team
Forest based key contact list to encourage outreach to potential partners	3	Forest Partnership Coordinators
Forest conduct local partnership meetings (such as annual meetings conducted for wildlife with state agencies).	4	Forests
Forest partnership newsletters	5	Forests
Develop one-time primer newsletter on partnerships	5	Regional Coordinator
Workshops on agreement related forms, certification, and project monitoring.	5	Regional G&A Specialist

The Southwestern Region has had many successful partnerships. As the region shifts priorities we want all employees, as well as current and potential partners, to understand how partnerships can continue to help us meet our overall mission. This document describes what we can do to move forward, who is going to do it and when they will complete the actions identified. This strategy is intended to be a living document that will guide us for the next few years.

List of Preparers

Liz Agpaoa, Chief of Staff, Washington Office (previously Cibola Forest Supervisor)
Ken Anderson, Red Rocks District Ranger, Coconino NF
Mike Frazier, Santa Fe National Forest Supervisors Staff Officer
Ignacio Peralta, Carson National Forest Partnerships
Susan McDonnell, R-3 Grants & Agreements Coordinator
Elaine Waterbury, R-3 State & Private Forestry Grants Program Assistant
Amy Unthank, R-3 Fisheries Program Manager
Denise McCaig, R-3 Partnerships and Southwest Strategy Coordinator
Lucia Turner, R3 Deputy Regional Forester

With special thanks to Karen Harger for her tireless facilitation and encouragement.

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