On February 10, 2010 the Center for Public Administration and Public Policy at Kent State University held a forum on intergovernmental collaboration in Northeast Ohio. Brad Whitehead, President of the Fund for Our Economic Future, shared the importance of government collaboration, and how the EfficientGovNow grant program is helping to generate collaborations and public support.

1. Supporting Government
Collaboration & Efficiency

2. The Fund for Our Economic Future
Mission: Unite philanthropy to strengthen region’s
economic competitiveness
• Region-wide membership, >60 voting members
• More than $70 million raised
• Committed to regional, collaborative and integrated
approach to fostering economic growth

3. Our Region – Northeast Ohio
• 4.1 million people
• $170 billion economy
• Top 25 region in U.S. –
by population and
economy

4. Our Work
1. Help region align to address priorities of
Advance Northeast Ohio
Business Growth & Attraction
Talent Development
Racial & Economic Inclusion
Government Collaboration & Efficiency

5. Our Work
2. Support regional initiatives that address
Advance Northeast Ohio priorities,
including:
MAGNET
NorTech
Team NEO
JumpStart

6. Why Government
Collaboration & Efficiency
• Priority identified by public
• Factor in regional growth according
to research
• Elected leaders recognize connection between
gov’t efficiency and economic competitiveness
• Local governments faced with permanent fiscal
crisis

7. Public Supports Regional
Approaches
82% believe Northeast 67% favor government
Ohio would benefit if consolidation
governments worked
together

8. Areas of Collaboration Interest
87% favor collaborating 79% favor collaboration
to improve roads, sewers among fire or police
and highways services

9. Areas of Collaboration Interest
76% favor collaboration 60% of residents favor
among public school sharing tax revenue
districts for new economic growth

10. Support for Change is Growing
54% of residents favor 87% support regional
consolidation of fire or coordination on land use,
police, up from 27% in up from 44% in 2006
2005

11. Cost of Government Research
• 656 Northeast Ohio government entities reported
total spending in 2002 of nearly $16 billion; more
than 10% of the region’s overall economy.
• Previously, 852 governments had reported – so the
$16 billion in government spending reported to the
most recent Census is conservative.

12. Rate of Growth for Local Government Spending vs.
Other Economic Indicators
1992 2002
• 1% 25% 29% 70%

13. Our Goals
1. Support local government officials who are
collaborative, focused on efficiency
2. Build public awareness and support of
government collaborations
3. Make it easier for local officials to propose and
implement collaborations
4. Align growth of local government and
infrastructure spending with economic growth

14. Our Response
• Support Regional Prosperity Initiative
• Led by Northeast Ohio Mayors & City Managers Association
• Developing a framework to implement regional infrastructure
planning to accelerate economic growth and benefit
participating communities
• Reduce intra-regional competition and limit
no-growth sprawl
Visit NEO-RPI.org for detailed reports and latest
recommendations

15. Our Response
Introduced in 2009 a government collaboration
initiative designed to:
• Encourage more government collaborations by
directly funding projects, encouraging others
• Increase awareness and build greater public support
for government efficiency
• Empower public to advance more efficient local
government

16. EfficientGovNow – Round 1 Results
Overwhelming Response:
• More than 255 governments partnerships
• 65 abstracts, 39 full proposals qualified
• Collective one-time savings of $40 million;
anticipated annual savings more than $22 million
• Nearly 13,500 citizens voted
• Calls from throughout region for more

17. Media Response
Group to offer $300,000 in grants
NEOconsolidation collaboration, consolidation more attractive to
Fund hopes to make
The Fund for Our Economic Future rightly creates an incentive
Northeast Ohio governments
Northeast Ohioans want cities, schools to collaborate,
for local Rick Armon
By governments to restructure services
survey on Friday, Jan 16,writer
Published shows staff 2009
Beacon Journal
Posted by Tom Breckenridge/Plain Dealer Reporter January 16, 2009 00:01AM
Published on Friday, Jan 16, 2009
Time’s right for local reform
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Survey says Northeast Ohioansregional cooperation
Survey finds support for Byare optimisticand Brad the region's future.
First lesson of bad times? Humphries about Whitehead
Tom Collaborate
OpinionPublic to 2009Akron Beacon getsareaFriday, Janabout the
Survey: Valley decide who Journal grants to 09, 2009
Philanthropic collaborative group polled 3000 on satisfied
Published byresidents are least residents encourage multi-
8:07 am, January 16,
the
'OUR VIEW' EDITORIAL:Mayer
Group plans Rob Briggs, Christine collaboration
economy, By to award grants for cooperation.
education and regional Consolidate local government services
government collaborations
and Brad Whitehead
toTom Parkinson 16,more wisely
use taxes 2009
Friday, January by Tom Breckenridge/Plain Dealer Reporter February 25, 2009 15:15PM
Posted
Sunday, February 8, 2009Tribune Chronicle
By LARRY RINGLER / 11:45 AM EST
POSTED: January 16, 2009
Survey Shows NE Ohioans Want More
Out of crisis 16, schoolInitiative to government
Sharing duties
could come better stopOK
Collaboration Between City Governments
Study: Some 2009
January collaboration
government spending trend
ByWCPN A. Bower and Brad Whitehead
James ideastream®
By BRYAN SCHAAF
By RAYMOND L. SMITH Tribune Chronicle
Posted Feb January 23, 2009 PM
POSTED:Staff 2009 @ 12:00
11, Writer
Bill Rice reports
January 15, 2009

18. EfficientGovNow – Round 1 Results
Winning Proposals:
• Rollin’ on the River: Mahoning River Corridor
Redevelopment Project ($57,451)
• Westshore Regional Fire District Project, covering
Cuyahoga and Lorain counties ($100,000)
• Mahoning-Youngstown Regional Information System
($120,000)

19. EfficientGovNow – Round 2
• Launched January 5, 2010
• What’s new:
– Offering up to a total of $330,000
– Will award as many as four grants, up from three
– Fourth grant for a collaboration involving smaller
communities

20. EfficientGovNow Application Criteria
• Minimum two governmental partners
• Money for implementation, not planning
• Implemented within two years
• Results in lower government costs and/or stronger
economic competitiveness
• Demonstrates how “savings” will be used to
strengthen economic competitiveness
(i.e., reduce taxes, provide scholarships)
• Demonstrate potential to be replicated throughout
region

21. EfficientGovNow Timetable
February 26 – Project abstracts due
April 19 – Proposals due
April 30 – Finalists named
May 1 – Voting begins
May 31 – Voting ends
June – Winners announced

22. Potential Projects
• Shared economic development staff among
governmental units, port authorities
• Merged city-county departments (building, health,
economic development)
• Combined safety forces across government
jurisdictions
• Shared dispatch services
• Shared administrative services in government or
education

23. EfficientGovNow – Partners
• Working with partners of Advance
Northeast Ohio, region’s economic
action plan
• Supported by the John S. and James
L. Knight Foundation
• Kent State University Center for
Public Administration and Public
Policy advising participants

24. Questions
• If you’d like to learn more contact
Mike Shafarenko at
mshafarenko@futurefundneo.org
or 216-925-4905