Most adults recall their high school football rivals. That’s because those competitions were frequently fierce, and the animosity between schools sometimes spilled over into other areas of the communities. The hostilities were often so intense they made any collaborative ventures between the communities seem unlikely, if not impossible.

However, just as no single person or organization is responsible for significant social and economic problems in today’s interdependent world, it’s also unlikely any single entity will solve them alone. Change comes from better cross-sector coordination rather than from isolated interventions. More progress could be made if governments, businesses, nonprofits, and the public were brought together to create a “collective impact.” It doesn’t often happen, not because it is impossible, but because it’s rarely attempted. We overlook its potential because we’re used to acting alone.

Thankfully, in recent years, more and more local leaders have realized that the best way to do the most good for their community is to join with their neighboring communities. They’ve learned that single organizations, no matter how powerful or innovative, working alone can’t make the same difference as a larger group working together.

Looking at the bigger picture and coordinating improvements can change our corner of the world. This involves encouraging collaboration through public-private partnerships. Today there are many partnerships, networks, and other types of joint efforts in social services.

Collective impact initiatives are different. They require a systemic approach to solving a specific problem. It is necessary to have a shared vision for change, including a common understanding of an opportunity and a joint approach to achieving it. For example, the creation of a regional water distribution system can be credited to the Chadwick Bay Development group of municipalities.

Collective impact requires long-term commitments from passionate individuals. This includes government officials, school district representatives, local university and community college presidents, the executive directors of nonprofits and businesses, and the heads of influential foundations. These representatives from different sectors develop a shared commitment to seek operational efficiencies and grants by working together. This process takes time, and people willing to invest that time, including monthly or biweekly in-person meetings leading to effective decision-making. Most importantly, it has no geographic borders.

There’s often no need to start this process from scratch. An example of building upon previous work involves a collective impact initiative related to Complete Streets. In 2016 the University at Buffalo Regional Institute produced a decision-making guide to connect and strengthen the communities of Dunkirk and Fredonia, referred to as Central Connections. This venture has already made positive changes for both communities, thanks to grants from NYS. It is now being revisited with a new memorandum of agreement between Dunkirk, Fredonia, and SUNY Fredonia. This three-mile connection is uniquely positioned to take advantage of additional collaboration efforts. The Local Economic Development committee of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation strongly supports the Downtown Revitalization Initiative and NY Forward grant applications that both communities will submit in a few weeks.

When choosing only a few grantees from many applicants, funders have to decide what will be impactful toward achieving economic prosperity. The Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation’s Local Economic Development committee endorses collaborations between our municipalities, schools, businesses, and nonprofits. By working together, their collective impact will build better communities.

Patty Hammond is Economic Development Coordinator at the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation. The Local Economic Development (LED) Initiative is a standing committee of the Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation. Send comments or suggestions to Patty Hammond at phammond@nccfoundation.org