FBC Bulletin--April 13, 2009

April 13, 2009

Welcome to the Next Iteration of the FBC Weekly Bulletin

The Past
Since the early 90’s, we have sent a weekly message to our members, originally by fax and then by email. We sought to deepen our understanding of issues, keep people informed about progress, and encourage engagement in projects and events. Once the Collaborative Regional Initiative launched in 2000, we included our partners on the distribution list. With the launch of Regional Jobs Initiative in 2003 and the Human Investment Initiative in 2007, the depth and breadth of activities and participants has multiplied exponentially.

New Approach
Our plan is to provide regular updates in three interdependent spheres of work:
Economic Development
Infrastructure Development
Human Development

Each sphere has strong leaders and a growing network of people working on specific projects. The leaders are “tri-lingual” in that they understand that all spheres are equally important, have a working understanding of the primary strategies in each one and are in regular communication with their counterparts in order to maximize opportunities to support one another.

Collaboration is Crucial
Gaining a sense of urgency due to economic upheaval, communities across the country are working hard to develop collaborative skills in order to align resources behind priorities. Fortunately, in Fresno we have had a lot of practice and thanks to the California Partnership for the San Joaquin Valley, http://www.sjvpartnership.org/ , our region has also developed collaborative skills.

New Website
While we have the same web address, thanks to Cynthia Downing at Professional Exchange Services, we have a new website that is interactive and will enable us to distribute real time information to those interested in more timely updates in areas of interest. The website is http://www.fresnobc.org/. Also, on the site, you will find links to our partners, action plans and other documents. Anyone interested in receiving the bulletin can simply sign up on the site.

Communication Goals
While sharing information is central the purpose of the bulletin, our goal is to provide an added value—an attempt to help answer an ongoing question, so what does it all mean? While only a perception, our most active members and partners are in a position to see how the pieces fit together and where progress is happening in key strategies. In addition, we hope that you will be inspired by a project, issue or initiative and get engaged where you can have the greatest impact.