The document provides guidance on forming and sustaining effective community coalitions. It discusses conducting an environmental scan and deciding on the purpose and goals of the collaboration before building the coalition. When building the coalition, it recommends gathering the right members, establishing structures for success like missions and roles, and choosing strong leadership. To make the coalition work involves engaging members in assessing issues and planning actions, motivating commitment and participation, and initiating strategies. Sustaining the coalition requires identifying financial support to maintain strategies long-term, sustaining member engagement, making changes if needed, and ending the collaboration once goals are achieved.

1. Getting your Community Coalition
“Fired Up” for Change
Frances D. Butterfoss, PhD
Yorktown, Virginia

2. To poke a wood fire is more solid
enjoyment than almost anything else in
the world.
Charles Dudley Warner

3. Part/Stage
Before You
Build It
Build It
Make It
Work
Sustain It
Campfire
Coalition/Partnership
Make sure conditions are right (wind,
humidity)
Decide on kind & purpose of fire, i.e.
for warmth or recreation, size
Conduct environmental scan or assessment
(community readiness)
Decide on kind & purpose of collaboration
(formal/informal, size, networking or action)
Gather the right kindling & wood
Build good base/infrastructure
Decide who will keep fire going
Gather the right people
Build structure for success (mission, roles,
rules, work groups, by-laws)
Choose/develop leadership
Start fire (spark, match, lighter fluid?)
Find source of ready fuel supply
Engage people in assessment and creating a
plan of action
Motivate/encourage to commit, participate
and share resources
Initiate strategies
Build good base of coals
Feed fire when needed
Prepare for ebbing flames
Rebuild fire or prepare to douse
when finished
Identify financial/in-kind support to maintain
strategies long enough to achieve outcomes
Sustain energy/interest in work
Spin off strategies & change structure or
processes if needed
Expand or end collaboration when goals are
reached

4. Before You Build It

5. Before You Build a Campfire
1. Decide whether to build it or not – make sure
conditions are right
2. Choose your fire site
3. Consider purpose of fire

6. Before You Build a Coalition
Consider purpose of collaboration (formal or
informal, size, for networking or action)

7. Before You Build a Coalition
Internal
coalition traits
environmental traits
Helpful to achieving
goals
External
Conduct
environmental scan
or assessment
(community
readiness)
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
Opportunities
Harmful to achieving
goals
Weaknesses
Threats

8. Is a Coalition Right for You?

Does the issue affect a broad range of people?

Does the issue require expertise from various community sectors?

Do other organizations see this issue as a priority?

Are other organizations willing to work together on this issue?

Are potential members willing to commit to joint decision-making?

Do goals of potential members align with the coalition’s goals?

Can resources be shared or obtained to assist with the work? 

9. Build It

10. Build a Campfire
• Gather right kindling & wood
• Build good base/infrastructure
• Decide who will keep fire going
1=Tinder As big as needle or string. Dry, shredded
material (cedar bark, grass, pine needles, pitch,
milkweed fluff or wood shavings.
2=Kindling As big as a match or pencil. Wood
splinters or small twigs can be snapped by hand.
3=Fuel wood Wood pieces as big as your arm.
Different kinds of wood burn differently.

11. Types of Fires
A-Frame
Teepee
Log Cabin
Council Fire

12. Build a Coalition
Gather & train the right people & organizations

13. Build a Coalition
Build effective structures for success (mission,
roles, rules, work groups, by-laws)

14. Build a Coalition
Choose/develop transformational leadership

15. Transformational Leaders
1. Let go of things others can do
2. Encourage ideas & risk-taking
3. Ensure that people have goals & know how they’re
doing
4. Delegate to challenge, develop & empower
5. Coach to ensure success
6. Reinforce good work & attempts
7. Share information, knowledge & skills
8. Value, trust & respect each individual
9. Provide support without taking over
10. Practice what they preach

16. Make It Work

17. Make Your Campfire Work
• Start the fire (spark, match, lighter fluid?)
• Find a source of ready fuel supply

18. Make Your Coalition Work
Engage people in assessment
& creating an action plan

19. Make Your Coalition Work
Encourage
organizations
to commit,
participate
& share
resources

20. Make Your Coalition Work
Initiate strategies that change policies,
systems and environments

21. Make Your Coalition Work
Strategies should . . .
 Use resources efficiently
 Focus on underlying causes & prevention
 Complement existing programs & build shared purpose
 Be comprehensive, flexible & responsive
 Be sustained long enough to accomplish objectives

22. Sustain It

23. Sustain Your Campfire
•
•
•
•
•
Build good base of coals
Feed fire when needed
Prepare for ebbing flames
Rebuild fire or prepare to
douse when finished

24. Sustain Your Coalition
Identify
financial &
in-kind
support to
maintain
strategies
long enough
to achieve
outcomes

25. Sustain Your Coalition
Sustain
energy
&
interest
in work

26. Sustain Your Coalition
Spin off
strategies
& change
structure or
processes
if needed

27. Sustain Your Coalition
Expand or
end
collaboration
when goals
are reached

28. SUMMARY
Before You Build It
Build It
Make It Work
Sustain It
Conduct environmental scan or assessment
Decide on kind & purpose of collaboration
Gather the right people
Build structure for success
Choose/develop leadership
Engage people in assessment and creating a plan of action
Motivate to commit, participate and share resources
Initiate strategies
Seek financial/in-kind support to maintain strategies long
enough to reach outcomes
Sustain energy/interest in work
Spin off strategies & change structure or processes if needed
Expand or end collaboration when goals are reached

29. CAN CHANGE YOUR
COMMUNITY!

30. Want to Learn
More?
Check out my new book
(Hard cover, paperback &
Ebook)
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