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The Role of Nonprofits As Administrators in Municipal Sustainability Planning: an Exploration of Four Cities

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The Role of Nonprofits As Administrators in Municipal Sustainability Planning: an Exploration of Four Cities DePaul University Via Sapientiae College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences 3-2013 The role of nonprofits as administrators in municipal sustainability planning: An exploration of four cities Morgan Benson DePaul University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd Recommended Citation Benson, Morgan, "The role of nonprofits as administrators in municipal sustainability planning: An exploration of four cities" (2013). College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations. 139. https://via.library.depaul.edu/etd/139 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Via Sapientiae. It has been accepted for inclusion in College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Via Sapientiae. For more information, please contact [email protected]. THE ROLE OF NONPROFITS AS ADMINISTRATORS IN MUNICIPAL SUSTAINABILITY PLANNING: AN EXPLORATION OF FOUR CITIES. A Thesis Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Science March 2013 By Morgan C. Benson School of Public Service College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois Abstract Municipal governments across the United States have been integrating sustainability into their planning and economic development strategies for more than a decade. Despite this, forging a consensus on exactly what a “sustainable city” is—or how communities can pursue sustainability in financially and politically viable ways—has proven difficult. Over the past several years, however, many governments have strengthened their initiatives by harnessing the capacity of nonprofit organizations to serve as administrators of their sustainability plans. The roles of nonprofits vary between cities but often include information gathering and designing and developing plans, while the task of implementing these plans is managed by the municipal governments. This study explores this promising and emerging technique against the backdrop of theories of collaboration and cross-sector coordination and their practical application. Through an intensive case-study approach that involved interviews with key staff members in four U.S. communities, including Akron, Ohio; Elgin, Illinois; Fairfield, Iowa and ; Oak Park/River Forest, Illinois it explores these partnerships and the practical lessons that these pioneers in nonprofit- municipal collaboration suggest for other communities. The findings also illustrate the value of collaborative theory in understanding how nonprofits and municipalities can work together in the design and development of community sustainability plans. Interpreted broadly, such results can help deepen scholarly understanding of the potential value of intersectoral strategic planning initiatives among different entities. ii Acknowledgements This paper would not have been possible without the guidance, input and support of numerous individuals who I would like to thank. Most importantly, I would like to express my tremendous thanks to the individuals in Akron, Oak Park/River Forest, Fairfield and Elgin. These individuals welcomed me into their offices, committee meetings, homes and communities with open arms. Their honesty and openness made this paper possible, and I am truly inspired by their commitment and passion for the important work they are doing across the region. Secondly, the input of Michael Davidson of the Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development was invaluable to me in the development of this paper. His contacts, wealth of experience and commitment to sustainability were essential to this paper. I would also like to thank my faculty advisor, Professor Joe Schwieterman, whose expertise and encouragement enabled me to find a topic that was relevant to both academia and the planning community, while still in line with my own personal interests. Our many conversations were essential in developing a research approach that was rigorous and at the same time useful in a practical sense to planners and advocates of sustainability. Lastly, I would like to thank my husband, whose endless encouragement, support and patience enabled me to see this paper through to fruition. Thank you to everyone who made this project possible and successful. iii Table of Contents Abstract ........................................................................................................................................................ ii Acknowledgements .................................................................................................................................... iii List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................. vi List of Figures ............................................................................................................................................ vii Chapter One: Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1 Chapter Two: Background ........................................................................................................................ 4 The Concept of Sustainability ................................................................................................................... 4 Local Government Approaches to Climate Change and Sustainability ................................................... 6 Sustainability Plans vs. Climate Action Plans ....................................................................................... 10 The Emergence of the Sustainable City in the U.S ................................................................................ 10 Federal Government Support for Sustainability .................................................................................... 12 The Push for Standardization within Sustainability & the Role of Nonprofits ...................................... 14 The Components of Effective Sustainability Plans ................................................................................ 14 Chapter Three: Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 17 Local Government Approaches & Strategies .......................................................................................... 17 Social Equity, Local Leadership & Sustainability .................................................................................. 18 Interorganizational Collaboration ........................................................................................................... 19 Chapter Four: Methodology .................................................................................................................... 23 Background on Case Cities .................................................................................................................... 28 Akron, Ohio ........................................................................................................................................... 28 Akron Greenprint Plan ................................................................................................................... 30 Oak Park/River Forest, Illinois ............................................................................................................... 32 Oak Park/River Forest PlanIt Green Plan ...................................................................................... 34 Fairfield, Iowa ........................................................................................................................................ 36 Fairfield Go Green Strategic Plan .................................................................................................. 37 Elgin, Illinois .......................................................................................................................................... 39 Elgin Sustainability Action Plan ................................................................................................... 40 Chapter Five: Content Analysis ............................................................................................................... 43 Content Analysis Area 1: Preconditions of Partnership & Selection Process ........................................ 43 Content Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 43 Practical Lessons for Cities ........................................................................................................... 46 Content Analysis Area 2: Direction-Setting & Guidance ...................................................................... 48 Content Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 49 iv Practical Lessons for Cities ........................................................................................................... 50 Content Analysis Area 3: Structure of Relationship .............................................................................. 53 Content Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 54 Practical Lessons
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