Positioning a New Coalition for Success
Calumet Stormwater Collaborative for Metropolitan Planning Council
In need of a skilled coalition builder, the Metropolitan Planning Council brought on Foresight to facilitate the exploratory and strategic planning phases of the newly-formed Calumet Stormwater Collaborative.
When faced with a challenge larger than any one entity’s or sector’s ability to address it alone, the only option is collaboration. The Metropolitan Planning Council recognized this imperative and convened over 40 public and private entities to effectively manage stormwater in the Calumet region on Chicago’s far south side.
We designed an innovative participatory process rooted in a systems approach to problem solving, engaging these entities in exercises that fostered collaboration, determined root causes, cultivated shared goals, and built momentum towards collective action. The Collaborative's work is ongoing and is now focused on key actions necessary for bigger, better and faster impact on managing stormwater in the Calumet region.