The Power of Partnerships

Posted July 9, 2024.

The events of this second quarter have really shown me the power of partnerships as I continue to build relationships through the Urban Waters Federal Partnership (UWFP) network.  In April, I attended the 2024 UWFP National Workshop, and in May I attended the biennial River Rally Conference in Grand Rapids, MI, where I met several of my counterparts from urban rivers across the country.  What really stood out at these two events was the desire to integrate equity and environmental justice into our work by engaging local communities.  This was a strong thread running through River Rally particularly, and it was reinforced by funders in attendance that included both philanthropy and the federal government.

EPA Forms New UWFP Community of Practice

The engagement and feedback received at April’s 2024 National UWFP Workshop inspired the formation of an Interagency Partnership Community of Practice (CoP) Workgroup in which I have been invited to participate in over the next six months. Hosted by the EPA, this CoP will provide an opportunity to focus on partnership management; how to recognize and overcome barriers to collaboration; and in building stronger relationships between partners. These meetings will also serve as an opportunity to develop a cohort of “champions” for partnership impact and to share progress with the wider Ambassador community. I look forward to learning from my UWFP colleagues, and to bringing this knowledge back in a way that serves our Rio Reimagined partnership as we collectively move forward in designing a regional planning process.

River Rally Takeaways

At River Rally, I attended Funding Environmental Justice: Building Equitable Partnerships from Frontline Communities to Funders. This facilitated workshop was hosted by the Urban Waters Learning Network for representatives of community-based organizations, high-capacity regional organizations, funders, and funding agencies. Together, we explored ways in which we can meaningfully collaborate to develop, fund and implement projects that ensure Justice 40 funds and other equity-focused investments to benefit communities that have been historically marginalized. We examined ways to build authentic partnerships and work through common pitfalls in the process of developing projects and securing funding.

Whether you were able to attend the conference or not, please take this opportunity to explore the River Rally 2024 Recap . This includes live-streamed plenary recordings, podcast episodes, and a deep dive with emerging leaders. Check back often as finalized recordings are added from the Story Lounge.

And if you haven’t already joined, please consider becoming a part of the Urban Waters Learning Network. When you join, you will have access to a nationwide peer-to-peer network of people and organizations working to conserve, restore, and revitalize urban rivers across the country.

I look forward to discussing these issues with you. Please feel free to contact me by email.