About the Center for Management StrategiesOUR LEADING PRACTICE WORK -- The Center for Management Strategies offers leading practice education, training, and technical assistance in the areas of:* High-Performance Organization Strategies* Priority-Based Budgeting* Civic Engagement* Data-Driven Communities* Collaborative Service Delivery* Process Improvement.The Center will soon be delivering products and services in the leading practice area of collaborative service delivery, capitalizing on partnerships with organizations and service providers that are leaders in this area. Center for Management StrategiesICMACMS_bac1f15e-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f00357The Center for Management Strategies helps local government managers identify and implement leading practices that can address organizational efficiency and effectiveness. The Center delivers the latest research and validated techniques through quality educational programming and expert technical assistance that help local governments deliver high-quality products and services that are valued by their stakeholders. Local government managersInternational City/County Management AssociationICMA, the International City/County Management Association, advances professional local government worldwide. The organization's mission is to create excellence in local governance by developing and fostering professional management to build better communities.ICMA identifies leading practices to address the needs of local governments and professionals serving communities globally. We provide services, research, publications, data and information, peer and results-oriented assistance, and training and professional development to thousands of city, town, and county leaders and other individuals and organizations throughout the world. The management decisions made by ICMA's members affect millions of people living in thousands of communities, ranging in size from small towns to large metropolitan areas.ICMACMS PartnersOUR PARTNERSHIPS -- Collaboration is the core concept behind the Center for Management Strategies. From our enhanced research work with the Alliance For Innovation and Arizona State University, to our collaboration with leading practice service providers, the Center's partners can deliver the education and technical assistance you need to implement innovative strategies and produce the performance results you seek.Alliance For InnovationArizona State University_bac1f4d8-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f00357To offer leading practice education, training, and technical assistance_bac1f654-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f00357PartnershipCollaborationLeading PracticesEducationTrainingTechnical AssistanceHigh Performance OrganizationsShow organizations how to be more effective, efficient, and productive with proven methods and technical assistance._bac1f866-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571Commonwealth Centers for High-Performance OrganizationsTo learn more about ICMA's partner, the Commonwealth Centers for Higher Performance Organizations, visit its website at www.highperformanceorg.com, or contact tmcgalliard@icma.org. ICMA has identified the High Performance Organization Model as a leading organizational development practice for local governments, and is proud to partner with the Commonwealth Centers for High-Performance Organizations to deliver education and technical assistance on implementing these effective and proven methods in your organization. You can improve performance and make your organization the gold standard with the Commonwealth Centers for High-Performance Organizations (CCHPO).OUR WORK -- Through this leading practice relationship, ICMA and the Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations offer a full range of management services focusing on enhancing organizational performance and improving the work experiences of employees and the communities that they serve.Our client is the total organization—not just the management team, as the growth of an organization and its staff are inextricably linked. We concentrate on the interactions among organizational units, staff, customers, partners, and other stakeholders and focus on the improvement of organizational processes and systems that can impede performance.These foundational principles distinguish the CCHPO approach to organizational performance improvement:* Leadership can be exercised by every individual at every level of the organization* The "right" systems, processes, and structures can contribute to organizational performance, rather than impede it* Stewardship and engagement of all can lead to higher performance of the individual, the work team, and the organization* There is a need to address both the "vision" and "values" of an organization in order to reach higher performance* All organizations must make time to do the work of leadership.CCHPO’s holistic approach brings a strong foundation of expertise to complex systems, organizational culture, and performance improvement. It incorporates the latest research and practical field approaches into a comprehensive diagnostic change model. This approach enables clients to successfully integrate theory and practical experience through our partnership's strategic services and access to innovative tools and methods.LeadershipExercise leadership by every individual at every level of the organization_bac1f960-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571.1Systems, Processes & StructuresApply the "right" systems, processes, and structures to contribute to organizational performance_bac1fa50-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571.2Stewardship & EngagementUse the stewardship and engagement of all to lead to higher performance of the individual, the work team, and the organization_bac1fb5e-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571.3Vision & ValuesAddress both the "vision" and "values" of an organization in order to reach higher performance_bac1fc80-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571.4Time & WorkMake time to do the work of leadership_bac1fd7a-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003571.5Priority Based BudgetingHelp communities reassess their priorities in order to make sound, long-term funding decisions that result in good fiscal health and goals that are achieved._bac1fe88-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572Center for Priority Based BudgetingLearn more about ICMA's partner, the Center for Priority Based Budgeting and its many products and services, or contact tmcgalliard@icma.org.ICMA has identified priority based budgeting as a leading practice for local governments and is partnering with the Center for Priority Based Budgeting, the mission for which is to share experience and technical knowledge of government financial operations and budget development with organizations that are seeking to achieve sustainable fiscal health and wellness.OUR WORK -- Through this leading practice relationship, ICMA and the Center for Priority Based Budgeting offer the professional expertise, analytical skills, and diagnostic tools needed to help your city, county, school disstrict, special district or non-profit organization become efficient and effective in its financial strategies and resulting service delivery. In the more than 70 local governments in which the Center for Priority Based Budgeting has provided advisory leadership in the implementation of Fiscal Health and Wellness through Priority Based Budgeting, we have seen that this process not only provides a mechanism through which an organization can make better short-term resource allocation decisions based on the relative priority of the various programs and services, but also provides a new way to link budget decisions to the strategic results and outcomes that the organization wishes to achieve for the long term. Additionally, CPBB's Resource Alignment Diagnostic Tool provides a "new and unique lens" through which an organization can align its spending with its commuinty priorities. The Center can provide the tools and techniques you need to assess and monitor your organization’s “picture of fiscal health,” assist your organization in clearly defining goals and objectives, then lead it in a process that prioritizes spending to align with those goals. The Center’s objectives are to help you:* Diagnose the root cause of your fiscal needs and challenges* Identify effective options to enhance your financial strategies * Engage the community in determining what it highly values and expects* Establish clearly defined goals for your organization* Prioritize resource allocation to your most valuable programs and services* Provide decision makers with better information about the impacts of their decisions* Develop the tools you need to see things more clearly through a "new lens" through its proven “Fiscal Health Diagnostic Tool” and “Resource Alignment Diagnostic Tool. To view case studies, blogs, & articles produced by the Center for Priority Based Budgeting, please click here!The Center for Priority Based Budgeting offers several types of services to meet the specific needs of your organization as it addresses its short-term and long-term fiscal strategies. These flexible and attainable approaches can be tailored to work with any level of engagement your organization is ready to undertake to help reach a stable and sustainable level of fiscal health and wellness.Root CausesDiagnose the root cause of your fiscal needs and challenges_bac1ff8c-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.1Financial StrategiesIdentify effective options to enhance your financial strategies_bac2009a-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.2Values & ExpectationsEngage the community in determining what it highly values and expects_bac201a8-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.3GoalsEstablish clearly defined goals for your organization_bac202de-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.4PrioritizationPrioritize resource allocation to your most valuable programs and services_bac203ec-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.5ImpactsProvide decision makers with better information about the impacts of their decisions_bac204fa-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.6Decision MakersToolsDevelop tools to see things more clearly through a "new lens"_bac2061c-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003572.7Civic EngagementBuild skills and capacity to develop and implement engagement programs._bac2073e-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573Engagement PractitionersEngagement Research SpecialistsEngagement Subject Matter ExpertsCivic Engagement Practice LeadersAll of our practice leaders are recognized in their field for their contributions to the trending practice of civic engagement and offer a variety of approaches and disciplines that can help you develop or enhance a civic engagement program. For more information, contact tmcgalliard@icma.org. The Davenport Institute at Pepperdine UniversityDeliberative Democracy ConsortiumCivic PraxisNational Civic LeaguePeak DemocracyThe Center for Public and Non-Profit ManagementThe Participation Company, LLCICMA has assembled a team of leading engagement practitioners, research specialists, and subject matter experts who can help you develop and implement an effective civic engagement program for your local government.Engaging the public in local decision making and community building is critically important work for any local government, and there are a variety of tools and techniques that can be used to enhance your work in this important trending practice area. Engaging residents and other stakeholders can increase understanding, create better and more sustainable decisions, and build trust. It can also build better, more cohesive communities and improve customer satisfaction. The Center for Management Strategies is proud to partner with a variety of leading engagement practitioners, research specialists, and subject matter experts representing a variety of engagement disciplines to assist you in better connecting the work of local government to your residents and other stakeholders so that you can more effectively utilize their talents and skills and, ultimately, build better communities. OUR WORK -- Our civic engagement experts can help you build the skills and capacity in your organization to develop and implement a comprehensive engagement program, ranging from an introductory "Engagement 101" course to planning for a specific project, to crafting a comprehensive organizational engagement strategy. Our work can support your work in:Projects, Programs & PoliciesDetermine the appropriate level of engagement for projects, programs or policy development_bac20860-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.1AssessmentAssess your current engagement practices_bac20a22-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.2Engagement PlansDevelop an engagement plan to meet organizational and community needs_bac20b58-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.3Objectives & ToolsMatch the right public participation tools to your objectives_bac20c84-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.4Organizational CapacityBuild organizational capacity to effectively and practically involve your citizens in community decisions_bac20dc4-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.5Community CapacityBuild community capacity for constructive engagement_bac20ee6-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.6ConfidenceIncrease the confidence of your elected and appointed officials to appreciate the full benefit of effective civic engagement_bac21030-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.7Elected OfficialsAppointed OfficialsBenchmarkingBenchmark your programs against best practices in engagement_bac21184-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.8Leadership & InfrastructureFoster leadership and infrastructure that supports constructive civic engagement. _bac212ba-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003573.9SurveysBring effective evaluation to the table for data-driven decisions_bac213f0-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003574National Research CenterICMA's partnership with the National Research Center offers a range of products and services to meet your organization’s needs, including:* Survey Products- The National Citizen Survey- The National Employee Survey- Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults- The Parks and Recreation Community Survey* Specialty Surveys* Program Evaluation* Performance Measurement* Needs Assessments* Policy Analysis* Focus Groups* Training and Technical AssistanceICMA has identified surveys for data-driven decisions as a leading practice for local governments to pursue in evaluating their performance, enhancing their communications with the community, and helping with decision making. It is proud to partner with National Research Center, Inc. to bring education and technical assistance to help you implement effective and proven data methods for your organization.The ICMA/NRC partnership provides independent, high-quality surveys and other research, along with the support you need to translate that research into action.OUR WORKThrough this leading practice relationship, NRC provides support to community leaders who want to use data more efficiently and effectively. NRC specializes in the creation of low-cost, scientifically accurate surveys complete with reports that make sense to an array of community stakeholders.Together with ICMA, NRC pioneered the development of The National Citizen Survey™ (NCS) and The National Employee Survey™ (NES)--two components in a suite of products designed to enhance the public voice and aid local decision-making.The NCS gathers resident opinion about community livability and government services. The NES provides local government insights about workers’ engagement and satisfaction with diverse facets of their job.Through the use of our survey products and action-oriented toolkits, NRC can help you* Improve service delivery* Strengthen communication with stakeholders* Identify clear priorities for strategic plans and budgets.ICMA's partner, the National Research Center, is a leader in the field of public sector research and evaluation, with clients across the country and around the globe. Its skilled team of social science researchers helps cities, counties, foundations, and nonprofit organizations to thrive.ServiceImprove service delivery_bac2153a-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003574.1CommunicationStrengthen communication with stakeholders_bac216b6-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003574.2PrioritiesIdentify clear priorities for strategic plans and budgets._bac217f6-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003574.3Collaborative Service DeliveryHelp organizations pick the right partnerships for the right projects._bac21968-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575OUR WORK -- Our collaborative service delivery assessment tools and partnerships with key subject matter experts help you analyze opportunities for collaboration in your organization and assess the best possible forms of partnerships to achieve your goals of cost savings and service enhancement. We can support your work in:* Facilitating a productive conversation in your organization that can engage participants, understand services under consideration for collaboration, identify potential partners and understand the context in which collaboration may occur.* Delivering comprehensive evaluations/studies of collaboration opportunities for local governments.* Highlighting models and partners in public-public, public-private and public-non-profit partnerships that have proven to be efficient and effective.* Understanding the various types of effective collaborative service delivery.Our subject matter experts and collaboration practice leaders include: coming soon!For more information, please email tmcgalliard@icma.orgConversationFacilitate productive conversations in organizations_bac21a94-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.1EngagementEngage participants_bac21bd4-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.1.1ServicesUnderstand services under consideration for collaboration_bac21d50-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.1.2PartnersIdentify potential partners_bac21f44-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.1.3ContextUnderstand the context in which collaboration may occur._bac22098-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.1.4Collaboration OpportunitiesDeliver evaluations/studies of collaboration opportunities for local governments._bac221f6-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.2Local GovernmentsModels & PartnersHighlight models and partners in public-public, public-private and public-non-profit partnerships that have proven to be efficient and effective._bac2235e-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.3Service Delivery TypesUnderstand the various types of effective collaborative service delivery._bac224b2-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003575.4Process ImprovementProvide skills and technical assistance to analyze and improve processes and systems_bac2261a-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003576Local GovernmentsTechSolveICMA's partner, TechSolve, is recognized in its field for expertise in process improvement and can offer approaches to help you improve key processes and strategies in your organization. The goal of any local government is to provide quality services as efficiently and effectively as possible. Unfortunately, structures, processes and systems that become the "norm" in organizations can present challenges and create inefficiencies in service delivery that can frustrate employees and stakeholders and waste precious government resources. You can overcome these challenges through process improvement strategies that can improve the quality and efficiency of service delivery and reduce costs at the same time.OUR WORK -- ICMA has partnered with TechSolve to help local governments improve processes through strategy development and internal skill building that can better meet the needs of the organization, its employees, and the community. TechSolve is a 501(c)(3), not-for-profit professional services organization that assists local governments, non-profit organizations, and private sector businesses identify process and organizational improvement opportunities that reduce costs and lead time to enhance effectiveness and quality. TechSolve was founded in 1982 by the City of Cincinnati, the Greater Cincinnati Chamber of Commerce, the University of Cincinnati, and local private industry representatives, including Procter & Gamble and General Electric. Beginning in the mid-1990s, TechSolve assumed a leadership role in the innovative application of "Lean" techniques in a variety of business sectors to achieve continuous improvement and quality management. Today, TechSolve works with many industries including local government, non-profit, manufacturing, and healthcare. Its local government practice works with jurisdictions across the United States.Through a unique "train the trainer" approach, local governments can learn the LEAN process improvement system -- through which staff can learn to be effective process problem solvers -- which can empower employees, improve their work environment and improve the services the organization delivers to the community. ICMA's local government process improvement experts can help your organization:WasteIdentify and eliminate the "waste" in your processes and systems that frustrate employees, interfere with service delivery and quality, and increase your costs_bac22778-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003576.1StaffRespect, develop and engage staff at all levels of the organization, utilizing their knowledge of processes and systems to contribute to higher team and organization performance_bac228f4-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003576.2Problem SolversCreate "problem solvers" by training staff to utilize and "own" the LEAN process improvement approach so that it becomes an embedded skill_bac22a70-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003576.3Continuous ImprovementDevelop cultures of continuous improvement to organizations and the communities they serve_bac22be2-1244-11e5-9131-6cf316f003576.42015-06-13http://icma.org/en/results/management_strategies/about/our_workOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net