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Conducting Research,
Engaging in Reflective Practice,
and Developing Guidebooks
In addition to providing direct services, CBI
works with clients such as foundations and other nonprofits to understand
barriers to effective and inclusive collaboration, identify best practices, and
develop more collaborative and effective programs and projects. Using an
extensive library of case studies, a broad and diverse network, and robust
conceptual frameworks, CBI is well equipped to provide policy analysis, project
design assistance, research reports and other "think tank" services to
its clients.
Potapchuk's work has often focused on
understanding structural and cultural issues that impede effective collaboration
and developing strategies to address these challenges. In addition to preparing
reports, Potapchuk also has designed policy dialogues and meetings which engage
diverse groups of practitioners, community activists, representatives from all
levels of governments, nonprofits, and others to help our clients reflect upon
and refine their programs and policies.
Potapchuk specializes in developing new
syntheses that draw from diverse disciplines, on-the-ground experience, and
varied perspectives. Because of his work across numerous issue arenas, Potapchuk
often finds that lessons from one arena can inform another, increasing
understanding. CBI's research efforts are often concretely linked to
dissemination and diffusion strategies that move findings into practice.
With Whom Have We Worked?
Potapchuk's past and current clients include:
The Annie E. Casey Foundation
 | Potapchuk served as PCPS
project director for research activities conducted on behalf of the Casey
Foundation. The themes of the research agenda focused on strengthening the role
of local government in community collaboratives, exploring means of
strengthening community governance, understanding the role of social capital in
community building, and developing a process by which communities can strengthen
their civic capital. Research efforts have often linked data gathering, case
study research, literature reviews, and structured dialogues to extract lessons
and develop new directions for thinking and action. This research has culminated
in three working papers, The
Transformative Power of Governance: Building Community Capacity to Improve
Outcomes for Children, Families, and Neighborhoods, Systems Reform and Local
Government: Improving Outcomes for Children, Families, and Neighborhoods, and
Building Community: Exploring the Role of Social Capital and Local Government.
In addition, a four volume guidebook which guides communities through a self
assessment process of their civic capital and develop strengthening strategies
will be published shortly. |
National Association of Regional Councils
| In partnership with the
National Association of Regional Councils, Potapchuk served as a project
director for commissioned research to identify best practices in public
participation and collaboration for transportation planning. The
resulting Federal Transit Administration Policy Document, Working Together on
Transportation Planning, is designed to help Metropolitan Planning
Organizations and others to better manage their mandate for public participation
under the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act. The document can be
found here. |
The Federal Transit Administration
| Potapchuk served as project
director for a project with the National Institute for Dispute Resolution and
the National Council of State Dispute Resolution Programs, designed to develop a
benchmarking process that could be used by Metropolitan Planning Organizations
and others to improve their public participation practices. The research
resulted in the guidebook, Making Public Involvement Programs Work:
Benchmarking in Metropolitan Planning Organizations and other Transportation
Planning Organizations. |
The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
| With a generous grant from the
Hewlett Foundation, Potapchuk served as project director on an effort with the
National Institute for Dispute Resolution, the Keystone Center and the Coalition
to Improve Management in State and Local Government to research lessons learned
from past collaborative efforts at environmental dispute resolution. The
resulting working paper, which is available from the Program for Community
Problem Solving, Negotiated Approaches to Environmental Decision Making in
Communities, also lays out the framework for a Negotiated Environmental
Strategy to support community collaboration for sustainable development. |
Extracting Lessons for Understanding and Practice
CBI also specializes in extracting lessons from
our broad base of experience to inform the field and build guidance for
practice. Recent efforts have included:
US Department of Housing and Urban Development
| Potapchuk served as lead author
for two guidebooks that are being used by second round applicants seeking
Empowerment Zone designation. The publications, Building Communities
Together: Strategic Planning Guide and Building Communities Together:
Performance Management System Guide, draw from lessons from the first round
sites, similar initiatives in the foundation community, and evaluations of
numerous community level initiatives. |
USDA Food and Consumer Services
| Potapchuk, as the culmination of
two years of technical assistance to ten sites focused on collaborative
approaches to nutrition education, wrote a article summarizing the lessons
learned for the nutrition education field’s leading peer-reviewed journal. The
article, "Collaborative Approach to Nutrition Education in Schools and
Communities: Exploring the Lessons" identified lessons for future efforts
at the community level and offered policy recommendations for USDA. |
Land Use Planning
| Potapchuk co-led a team in the
development of a guidebook to assist planners, developers, community leaders,
and others involved in land use issues with the use of consensus building
processes. Published by the Urban Land Institute, Pulling Together: A
Planning and Development Consensus-Building Manual, includes case studies,
resources, and clear step-by-step guidance. |
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