Once a community coalition is started, it needs active cultivation to sustain itself. Here are fifteen strategies to help you sustain a coalition over time.
1. Provide Champion Leadership
A few strong champions must take responsibility for assuring that the coalition sustains itself over time. They must proactively build support, promote unity, identify problems, and seek solutions.
2. Secure Expertise
Effective coalitions need to have the right information and the right process to succeed. It is essential to secure staff or consultants who can provide the content needed for the coalition to make information decisions. It is equally important to get staff or consultants who know how to facilitate a group process in coalition with the coalition members.
3. Spread the Vision
It is easy for members to forget the vision of a coalition as they return to their non-coalition responsibilities. The champion leaders, executive committee, and staff must constantly publicize the vision of the coalition among the other members.
4. Focus on Results
Coalitions can get bogged down in local politics and turf tussles. The champion leaders, executive committee, and staff should sustain a focus on results in all that they do, and remind the other coalition members to do the same.
5. Hold Regular Meetings on Sustainability
Sustainability should be an agenda item at every quarterly meeting. Review plans for sustainability, execution of those plans, and new opportunities. Discuss whether the coalition should continue, and under
what conditions. It is better for a coalition to make a decision to end than to slowly die of neglect.
6. Keep Financing Front and Center
Financing is a challenge for every coalition. Coalition members should keep financing at the forefront of their work and constantly seek creative ways to leverage new resources into the project.
7. View Change as Opportunity
Situations change, and so do plans. Coalitions that see social, economic, or political changes as potential opportunities are in better position to survive than coalitions which resist change.
8. Welcome New Members
People come and go over time. Coalitions that are always on the lookout for opportunities to broaden the base of community support tend to win more friends and find more creative solutions to problems.
9. Establish Levels of Involvement
As the coalition grows it might not be possible to give everyone the same level of participation. Consider multiple levels of involvement, from executive committee, to coalition membership, to citizen advisory groups, to town meetings.
10. Clarify Roles
Roles vary and change over time. Periodically clarify the roles within the coalition so that there is no confusion about who is supposed to do what.
11. Establish Decision Making Processes
Coalitions often experience problems when decisions are either not made or made by the wrong people. Anticipate the types of decisions to be made, and establish a clear process for making those decisions.
12. Anticipate and Deal with Conflict
Conflict is inevitable in any group process. The question is not whether conflict will occur, but how to deal with it. Establish a process for dealing with conflict at the executive committee level.
13. Build Strong Internal Systems
Depending on its structure, financial management, accounting, information, and other internal systems. Establishing these systems allows the coalition to document its performance and demonstrate its soundness to potential funders.
14. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate
Coalitions send and receive a lot of information. A good communications system is essential for success. At the very least, communicate with members on a frequent basis to let them know the status of the coalition. Also consider establishing a dedicated web site to house the coalition documents, contacts, calendar, and other relevant information.
15. Celebrate and Share Credit
Coalition work can be exhausting and time consuming. It can also be invigorating and life changing, Take the time to celebrate accomplishments and share the credit with everyone involve. This will build goodwill to get you through the tougher times.