Community Collaboration: The Key Role of Local Government as a Catalyst

The complexity of the SDGs requires the prioritization of systems and project collaboration over silos. Government, business, social profits, and citizens working together are especially important at the community level to ensure global issues are localized. A significant challenge is that collaboration requires a neutral catalyst and a new planning approach driven by more than data and tasks. Planning for issues as complicated as the SDGs requires that in addition to being driven by data and tasks, planning must be driven by stakeholders and citizens. Local government is well positioned to serve as a catalyst for this crucial holistic approach to community collaboration by emphasizing stakeholder and citizen relationship building. This session will share a practice-informed framework, strategies, and examples of projects and systems collaboration resulting from local government serving as a catalyst for transformation.