CHANGE TITLE

HOW TO BUILD COALITIONS: PLANNING

Jim Meek
Extension Families Specialist
Iowa State University

Copyright/Access Information

Before you go on a trip, you need to know where you are headed and you need a map to plan your travel route. A coalition should have a common destination (purpose) and develop a map (plan) for the actions it will take to reach the desired end. This fact sheet is intended as a simple planning guide for your coalition.

Definitions

Objective-A specific end-result your coalition wants to achieve.

Goal-A component of the objective to be accomplished in a given period of time. May be short- or

long-term, as well as group or individual.

Characteristics

It is important to the success of the coalition planning effort that the goals can be tested according to these criteria:

Believable-The goal must describe situations or conditions that the coalition thinks it can achieve.
Attainable-Coalition members must be convinced they can achieve the goal in the designated time.
Tangible-The goal must be capable of being understood or realized.
Win-win-The goal must allow all members of the coalition to be successful.
Acceptable-Each individual as well as each group in the coalition must understand and embrace the goal.

By the time coalition goals are established, a needs assessment already should have been conducted in each member group. The coalition should then:

Use a brainstorming technique to develop priorities.
Share problems or needs being met by individual coalition members.
Identify coalition goals
- attacking new problems
- working on existing problems
Include all coalition members as part of goal setting to ensure that group goals blend effectively with individual goals.
- Meet member needs and interests.
- Show how individual action can help meet group goals.
- Stimulate cooperation and commitment.

The coalition must use its goals to help:

each group maintain an individual identity,
draw on the strength of each member,
members to be honest and "up front" with their agendas, and
encourage individual as well as coalition recognition for achievement.

All coalition members need to be a part of goal setting.
Goals are turned into action as each coalition member internalizes them. Effective action planning is done by developing a precise time-table. Take the big problem (goal) and break it down into smaller, less formidable increments. Put those goal increments into a timetable that is acceptable to coalition members. Divide the work plan so that the members know what is to be accomplished in six months, one year, or a more relevant time frame. Then decide what needs to be accomplished by the next meeting to stay on track. Repeat this last step at each meeting.

Adapted for Iowa State University Extension by Jim Meek, co-chair, abuse issue committee, from materials developed by the Ohio State University.

DOCUMENT USE/COPYRIGHT
National Network for Child Care - NNCC. Part of CYFERNET, the National Extension Service
Children Youth and Family Educational Research Network. Permission is granted to reproduce
these materials in whole or in part for educational purposes only (not for profit beyond the cost of
reproduction) provided that the author and Network receive acknowledgment and this notice is
included:

Reprinted with permission from the National Network for Child Care - NNCC.
Any additions or changes to these materials must be preapproved by the author.

COPYRIGHT PERMISSION ACCESS::
Jim Meek
Cooperative Extension Service
Iowa State University
101 MacKay
Ames, IA 50011
Phone: 515-294-6620
Fax: 515-294-1040

FORMAT AVAILABLE:: Print - 1 pages
DOCUMENT REVIEW:: Level 2 - National Peer Review
DOCUMENT SIZE:: 31K or 2 pages
ENTRY DATE:: July 1998