The Community-Based Organization (CBO) Partnering Strategy: Elements for Successful Partnering in Professional Services (CBO Partnering Strategy) went to the Metro Board on June 24. The strategy culminates a two-year interdepartmental effort that was co-led by Community Relations, Countywide Planning & Development, and the Office of Equity and Race, with input by many stakeholders including community based organizations.

The CBO Partnering Strategy is intended to be a living document that responds to an existing need for Metro to deploy a clear, consistent, and equitable approach to partnering with CBOs on professional services. The seven recommendations include:

1. Identify a Central Lead
2. Develop/Maintain a Comprehensive CBO Database/Portal ​
3. Use an Assessment Checklist to Determine Compensation​​ ​
4. Establish an Internal Resource Library and Templates for Partnering
5. Use a Standard CBO Partner Chartering Process
6. Train Metro Staff to Partner Effectively
7. Build CBO’s Capacity to Navigate and Partner with Metro

To learn more about the recommendations, see the document here.

Next steps for implementation include working with Transit Center and Center for Neighborhood Technology to develop a pilot CBO Database, piloting elements of the CBO Partnering Strategy with CBOs on Metro projects, launching a training series for CBOs on how to partner with Metro, developing an Implementation Working Group, and building a library of resources for partnering with CBOs.

The first workshop of the CBO Training Series, “Signing Up To Do Business with Metro,” launches June 30 from 2 – 3:30 p.m. Check out our last blogpost on the CBO Training Series to register.