Helping people better understand how to leverage their relationships to enhance and expand regional sustainability successes.
Led by IBE Research Fellow Carolyn Conant, IBE conducted a social network analysis to identify working relationships between organizations and individuals involved in environmental sustainability in Fort Collins. The resulting network map aims to help people and organizations across sectors and fields of specialty in Fort Collins to better work together to accomplish important, time-sensitive work relating to local sustainability. IBE developed an interactive web tool that illustrates stakeholders’ positions in the network, and more importantly, provides tips for formulating strategies to improve the flow of information, resource sharing, and the trust-building that is essential for successful collaborations.
Key Outcomes
- Mapped the social network structure of 645 people, 46 organizations, and 455 projects
- Identified factors that promote or inhibit interagency collaborations among stakeholders
- Developed interactive web tool for stakeholders to learn about their position in the network and how to leverage relationships to achieve desired environmental outcomes
Project Deliverables
- Interactive web tool: Fort Collins Network Environmental Sustainability Tool (NEST)
- Website presenting research findings and providing network coaching to stakeholders
- One-on-one workshops with stakeholders to promote understanding of their network position and how they can improve collaborative efforts