Regional Engagement Toolkit beta

Align: Region > Alignment Challenges

RegionalAlignmentChallengesChecklist
1) Regionalpartners:Aretherightregionalleaderscommittedtopartnering?

Itsallaboutlocalleadership.Whenworkingindistressedregions,its
importanttorememberthatsuchleadershipisoftenweakinplaceswhere
theeconomyisalsoweak.

Conductduediligencetolearnwhotheregionalstewardsare:
Iftheuniversityhasapresenceintheregion(i.e.Cooperative
Extension),tapthatknowledgebase.
Checkmembershipsofleadingregionalboards.
Identifyregion'smostsignificantprivatesectorentitiesandassociated
leaders.
Identifyregion'selectedleadership.
Identifyregionaleducationandhealthcareleadership.
Identifyleadingmediaoutletsinregionandtheirleadership.
Whatstateboardshavepeoplefromtheregionservingonthem?

2) Regionalagenda:Isthereacommonregionalagendaorseveralcompeting
agendasintheregion?

Itisimportantthattheregiondefinesandexpressesitsneeds.

RegionalEngagementToolkit UniversityAlignmentChallengesChecklist
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 Determineifthereisapublished,currentregionalplan.

Aretheresmaller,jurisdictionalplans?

Whatstudieshavebeendoneinthepast20yearsonaspectsofthe
region?

Whatactions,ifany,havebeentakensubsequenttothestudiesand
reports?

Whatconsultantshaveworkedwiththeregion?

3) AlignmentwithUniversity:Dotheneedsoftheregionalignwithuniversity
strengthsorwillingnesstoengage?

Theeffortmustbealignedwiththeuniversitysmissionandprioritiesifitis
togarnerresourcesandsupport.

Aretheissuestheregionisinterestedinaddressingsynergisticwith
expertiseattheuniversity?Istheregionalagendaonethattheuniversity
canaddvaluetobybecomingengaged?

4) Funding:Cansourcesoffundsbeidentifiedtoaddressregionalpriorities?

Keepinmindthatwhileresourcesareimportant,moneyisnotusuallythe
problemorprimarybarrierinadvancinganinitiative.

Understandwhataccesstofinancialassetsexistswithintheregion:
Isthereacommunityfoundation?
Localprivatefoundationsthatfundregionalinitiatives?
Whoaretheelectedstaterepresentativesfromtheregionandwhat
committeeassignmentsdotheyhave?
RegionalEngagementToolkit UniversityAlignmentChallengesChecklist
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 Whoaretheelectedfederalrepresentativesandsenatorsandwhat
committeeassignmentsdotheyhave?
Hastheregionbeensuccessfulatsecuringgrants?Ifso,fromwhere
andwhowasinvolvedinobtainingthem?

5) Politics:Arecriticalactors(regional,state,other)onboard?

Ittakesalongtimetobuildstructuresandnetworks,butsuchnetwork
developmentiscritical.Itisparticularlyimportantto:carefullydevelopthe
systemsthroughwhichnetworkswillengageparticipants,beawareof
culturalsensitivitiesacrossconstituentgroups,andbuildtrustamong
networkmembers.
Whatarethehistoricfrictionsassociatedwiththeregion?Isthere
interjurisdictionalcompetition?
Whatkindofpoliticalsupportdoestheregionhaveatthestatelevel
(i.e.perhapsitisaredvotingregionandthecurrentstatepower
structureisblue)?
Aretherekeystateagencies(i.e.communityandeconomy
development,workforceinvestmentboard,etc)thathaveclose
relationshipswiththeregionandperhapscurrentinitiatives
underway?

RegionalEngagementToolkit UniversityAlignmentChallengesChecklist
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