May 2014

"There is a need — and this is something that is some of the most important work that’s been done at the Center for Business and Government over the last decade — for approaches that transcend."

The first step of solving a problem that spans sectors is to decide which strategy holds the most promise, and if that strategy is collaboration, the second and crucial step is choosing tools from The Intersector Project Toolkit.

“From a cross-sector perspective, the principles also bridge the policy-practice gap by serving as a comprehensive framework for food and agriculture companies to collaborate with governments, UN agencies and civil society organisations.”

We wondered: Could the lessons from Shape Up Sommerville be ramped up exponentially to reach children across America? ChildObesity180 is striving to answer that question.

My own response – unsurprisingly – was to observe that intersector collaboration, in the process of resolving specific problems like environmental conservation and infrastructure, also indirectly addresses the broader problems of unemployment.

While the possibilities for revitalizing Detroit are nearly endless, Write A House focused on one thing – matching writers with houses – and enlisted partners who shared that vision.