Background and future direction

Hundreds of grassroots organizations across the region are actively engaged in local initiatives to enhance, restore and protect their local resources. While strong motivation and commitment exists within these groups, their ability to leverage the resources necessary to effectively address conservation/greening issues is often limited. This dynamic also exists within many local government and non-profit organizations where some skills and resources exist, but a full compliment of required experience and tools is lacking. WPC has been able to fill a growing need for technical support covering a wide range and level of program areas. With an extensive menu of technical services, we are able to customize the support to address specific needs as well as compliment and advance existing skills. By helping community groups accomplish important projects, the local citizens take ownership and what results is a sense of pride, confidence, and long-term stewardship. This approach enables WPC to significantly leverage its human and financial resources to accomplish a larger impact to conservation.

B. Build effective partnerships

Goal 1: Maximize impact through strategic community partnerships

Background and future direction

In recent years, WPC has formed literally hundreds of strategic partnerships to leverage the human and financial resources of WPC and its partners to advance a greater impact to community greening initiatives, ecological restoration, and natural resource protection projects. Working together with community leaders and watershed groups, we leverage the benefits and financial resources to realize common goals. Western Pennsylvania Conservancy's long-term goal is to promote and help support the development of the skills and resources that are fundamental for establishing community self-sufficiency and long-term sustainability. WPC will continue to reach out to identify and create opportunities to engage individuals and groups in grassroots programs that provide tangible benefits. Particular focus will be on forming strategic partnerships with other conservation groups to acquire large land parcels, provide technical assistance to watershed restoration and protection, work with universities to advance WPC's science work, and with local individuals and community groups to accomplish greening projects.

C. Create a dialogue in and between communities where WPC has programs

Goal 1: Develop an understanding of community culture and shared values

Background and future direction

For projects to succeed, and long term stewardship to survive, projects must be advanced in keeping with community social, ecological and economic values. The first step in undertaking joint projects is the engagement of community leaders, volunteers and other stakeholders who will be involved or impacted by a project. It is important to gain an understanding of the community values so appropriate project strategy can be developed. It is helpful to display commonalties between communities in a given watershed or region to broaden general understanding.

Goal 2: Seek ways to engage new community volunteers

Background and future direction

WPC seeks to engage new volunteers in all communities in which it works, through contact with current community volunteers to build more human resources and social capital to tackle more and more projects.

Following are indicators of success in meeting the strategic driver discussed in this section, “Collaborate with Communities:” Number of community groups receiving technical assistance from WPC Number of mutual benefit community partnerships Number of new community volunteers Level of community understanding and engagement in WPC's work as evaluated through focus groups