1. The Center for the Study of Social Policy has done
extensive work on this challenge under the rubric of "governance." See
the CSSP website
References
The Short Answer
1. Don't allow this
to be an excuse. The work can proceed in parallel. The states
shouldn’t wait for the federal government. Counties shouldn’t wait for
the state. Cities shouldn’t wait for the counties. And communities
shouldn’t wait for any of the above.
2. Don't give up on such help, but work to gain it in a
politically smart way.
3. And be creative about financing your what works strategy, so
that you are not solely dependent on grants from above.
Full Answer
(1) While it would be best if all
levels of government were in alignment, it is not necessary. (See the Matter
of Alignment.) The states
shouldn’t wait for the federal government. The counties shouldn’t wait for
the state. The cities shouldn’t wait for the counties. The communities
shouldn’t wait for any of the above.
(2) Don't let this be an excuse
for inaction. Lack of support from “above” is often given as the reason for not
taking action. The work on results at these different levels is parallel work.
And it is possible for any one of them to make progress at improving
conditions of well-being without the others.Tillamook county made progress on teen pregnancy without any new
resources from the state in the first two years of its effort (See the Tillamook
County case example). Many communities are making progress through
community development corporations without any explicit government support.
(See the New Development Corporation from Newark, New Jersey!)
(3) As you have your "what
works" discussion, make a point to include actions which potential partners
in other levels, both public and private, could contribute. For example, you may
want to use child care funding more flexibly to help victims of domestic
violence gain work and independence - and the waiver of a state regulation would
help access the money. Include these and other potential partner actions and
then pursue them as part of your action plan and, if they are important, go
after them in a politically smart way. But do not create an action plan which
solely depends for its success on the actions of others. It is almost always
possible to make great progress without the support of other levels of
government, and often progress is made in spite of deliberate opposition.
(5) And of course financing is an area where help from above
can be important. See 2.14
How do we finance a
results-based plan? for a systematic way of thinking about financing that
goes beyond dependence on grants from above.
