About the CenterCenter for Collaborative PolicyCCP_2317d5d4-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e8The Center for Collaborative Policy is a unit of the College of Social Sciences and Interdisciplinary Studies at California State University, Sacramento. The Center was established in 1990 as the California Center for Public Dispute Resolution, which was originally a joint program of California State University Sacramento and the McGeorge School of Law, University of the Pacific.California State University, Sacramento_2317d840-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e8The mission of the Center is to build the capacity of public agencies, stakeholder groups, and the public to use collaborative strategies to improve policy outcomes. _2317d912-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e8ClarityClear Role and Purpose: Going into a stakeholder process, the participants understand their role, their responsibilities, and the purpose of the effort.RolesPurposesTransparencyTransparency of Decision-Making: However decisions will be made is discussed and identified on the front of a stakeholder process. This does not mean that stakeholders, as contrasted with authorized governmental bodies, need to be the ultimate decision-makers. Rather, it means that stakeholders understand the decision-making ground rules before they invest their time in the process. Based on their evaluation on the decision-making rules, they can choose to participate or not participate. This transparency extends to how the ultimate decision will be made as well as to how decisions, including advisory decisions, will be made within the stakeholder group itself.InterestsInterest-Based Decision-Making: If consensus-building or collaborative action among historical adversarial interests is a goal of the stakeholder effort, then the decision-making structure needs to reflect this goal. This would mean that for the outcome of process to be considered collaborative, the major interest groupings as defined by the collaborative would need to be supportive of the decision or recommendation.EngagementEvery Effort to Bring Affected Stakeholders into the Process: At the beginning of any process, a conscious and serious effort is made to identify and recruit stakeholders whose interests are affected by the policy discussions. This requires a thorough stakeholder analysis process at the start up of a collaborative process or advisory board process. It speaks to how legitimate and inclusive a process is.Stakeholder AnalysisOrganized ConstituenciesStakeholders Represent Organized Constituencies: When organizing stakeholder processes, as a general rule the participants should represent and be accountable to established organizations, rather than serving as individual citizens.Interest ExplorationUpfront Exploration of Interests: During the initial stages of a process, a genuine effort is made to explore and communicate the underlying concerns and needs (interests) of the stakeholders participating in the process.CommunicationParticipationCommon UnderstandingCommon Understanding of Problems and Joint Fact Finding: Time and resources are devoted to developing a common information base among stakeholders.Joint Fact FindingExpertisePolicy and Technical Expertise: Meaningful stakeholder processes require some level of external policy and technical support to accomplish their goals.RespectRespectful and Authentic Process: The process is managed so that all are heard and respected. A key role of the collaborative specialist / facilitator is to manage the dialogue so that the conditions of accuracy, comprehensibility, sincerity, and legitimacy are protected.AuthenticityAccuracyComprehensibility Sincerity LegitimacyTransparency of ProductsTransparency of Products: The product needs to accurately reflect the outcome of the stakeholder discussion, in terms of the level of stakeholder support expressed as well as the stakeholder rationale for their recommendation. Specifically, the policy recommendations developed by the stakeholder group clearly state those who support the recommendation, those who oppose and why, those who conditionally support and why, and those who abstain or did not comment and why.ResourcesResources: Stakeholder processes need to be funded such that there are appropriate resources to accomplish the above objectives.Governance CapacityEnhance the existing capacity of governing institutions to use collaborative methods_2317d9a8-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e81Governing InstitutionsPolicy and Conflict Resolution[Provide] Collaborative Policy and Conflict Resolution Services_2317da8e-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e81.1 Public Policy AssistanceAssist government agencies and stakeholders to develop sound public policies that address their key interests_2317db56-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e81.1.1Government AgenciesGovernment Agency StakeholdersMediationMediate public policy and related conflicts among governmental and/or non-governmental stakeholders_2317dc1e-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e81.1.2Governmental StakeholdersNon-Governmental StakeholdersPolicy SolutionsFind innovative solutions to complex policy dilemmas and build broad support for implementation_2317dd18-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e81.1.3Civic Engagement CapacityEnhance the existing capacity of communities and the public to collaboratively engage with governing structures and public policy decision-making_2317ddea-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e82CommunitiesThe PublicPublic Involvement [Provide] Collaborative Public Involvement Services_2317dec6-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e82.1The PublicCommunication and DialogueCreate effective communication and dialogue between government agencies and the communities affected by their decisions_2317dfb6-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e82.1.1Government AgenciesCommunities Affected by Government Agency DecisionsCommunication and InteractionHelp build capacity for effective communication and interaction between elected officials, agency leaders and the public_2317e0a6-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e82.1.2Elected OfficialsAgency LeadersThe PublicMedia and MethodsUse multiple media and methods of access to elicit public knowledge _2317e196-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e82.1.3Knowledge CapacityCreate and share knowledge about collaborative public policy development and capacity building_2317e29a-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e83Training Services[Provide] Training Services_2317e39e-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e83.1Learning ExperiencesDeliver highly interactive, customized learning experiences related to collaborative processes_2317e4a2-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e83.1.1KnowledgeShare knowledge to enhance collaborative problem solving skills_2317e5c4-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e83.1.2CapacityBuild capacity to participate effectively in negotiations_2317e6d2-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e83.1.3Statewide CapacityEnhance the collaborative policy and civic engagement network across the state _2317e7ea-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e84CaliforniaOrganizational Services[Provide] Organizational Services_2317e916-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e84.1TransitionAssist organizations to successfully navigate transition_2317ea88-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e84.1.1OrganizationsStrategies, Methods and SystemsHelp equip organizations to employ new strategies, methods and/or systems_2317ebc8-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e84.1.2OrganizationsRoles and ResultsSupport organizational leaders to achieve mission-critical roles and results_2317ed08-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e84.1.3Organizational LeadersInternal CapacityContinue to enhance the Center’s internal organizational capacity and provide opportunities for practitioners’ professional growth_2317ee3e-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e85Collaborative Policy PractitionersCenter for Collaborative PolicyResearch Services[Provide] Research Services_2317ef92-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e85.1PracticeEnhance the practice of collaborative policy processes and public engagement _2317f168-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e85.1.1EvaluationEvaluate the effectiveness of collaborative projects_2317f2bc-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e85.1.2TheoryBuild the theory underlying collaborative democratic process_2317f410-eae8-11e1-a7a1-727c872741e85.1.32012-08-20http://www.csus.edu/ccp/about/OwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net