Purpose
The purpose of this activity is to formalize the relationships that exist with different stakeholders as individual entities, and across entire sectors.
Why?
Short and long-term disaster recovery is possible only through the broad support of this wider community of stakeholders. Disaster impacts are felt beyond political boundaries, across county lines, and even across multiple states. Therefore, communities must expand their capabilities to address what is needed to operationalize recovery plans. A robust recovery system that includes different stakeholder organizations and agencies helps to ensure a streamlined recovery process for all involved. The partnerships that are built often represent one of the most significant positive outcomes of a successful recovery planning effort given the enduring resilience benefits that result.
When?
Partnerships can be established at any point, but ideally before a disaster strikes. In planning for recovery in the aftermath of a disaster, many partnerships are formed to tackle recovery needs. (Days 1 - Ongoing)
Tips
- Engage with all partners: Coordinate, collaborate, communicate, and cooperate with all partners to maximize the utilization of available resources, avoid duplication of benefits and/or services, generate financial material and personnel resources, and enhance community confidence.
- Keep the economy in mind: Partnerships with local businesses and organizations can help to revitalize the local economy. Where possible, recovery efforts should utilize grant funding, philanthropic support, or other recovery funding to support local partners.
- Consider the key community sectors (e.g., housing, healthcare, social services, businesses, etc.) and other communities that need to be addressed by local agencies and organizations.
- Purposes of partnerships can vary: Some can be advisory only while some partnerships include more direct involvement in the recovery. The purpose of some partnerships can also evolve.
- Keep funding in mind: Establishing partnerships with the various state, federal, and non-governmental (non-profit and business) agencies is the most important aspect of preparing a funding strategy. Communities will be more effective and garner greater support over a longer duration if they first develop relationships with potential partnership (and funding) agencies. This relationship allows your community to fully understand the policies, timelines, limitations, and parameters of the partnering agency. It also allows your community to communicate and "sell" the project and the scope of redevelopment to the partnering agency.
How does my community do this?
- Scope potential partners for recovery planning and operations. The community recovery organization is in and of itself a partnership of recovery stakeholders, and so community recovery partnership efforts typically begin here if pre-disaster recovery planning has not occurred. The sectoral and organizational representatives that are engaged through this group, and which draw from the faith-based, non-profit, governmental, business, and other stakeholder communities, are the first tier of partners available to address operational recovery needs. These members are also a link to additional partners when resource and staffing needs become clear.
- Engage and recruit potential recovery partners. Organizations and agencies are often eager to assist with a disaster but need to be invited to become involved. Recovery leaders and elected officials can encourage the participation of all potential partners, both in the planning and coordination of disaster recovery and in carrying out the activities required to operationalize those plans, through communications and networking.
- Formalize partnerships through the use of appropriate partnering agreements. To be effective, partnerships require structure. An effective partnership agreement represents the end-product of a successful partnership-building effort and the beginning of a strong partnership. Reaching that point requires several steps. Formalize partnerships through written agreements, including interagency agreements, partnership agreements, memoranda of understanding, and mutual aid compacts that detail commitments to authorities, timelines, roles, responsibilities, relationships, and resources.
- Recognize partners for their contributions to community recovery and resilience. It is important to celebrate success and recognize the people and organizations that help contribute to positive outcomes for the community. Recognizing partners for their contributions will help strengthen the partnerships and ensure that those people and organizations will continue to be involved in both pre-disaster planning and post-disaster recovery in the future.
Community Call Out: City of Boulder
The City of Boulder fostered partnerships with several local and regional organizations in the aftermath of the 2013 floods to support long-term community recovery efforts.