Regional Spotlight:
Alliance for Regional Stewardship (ARS)
The Alliance for Regional Stewardship (ARS) is a national nonprofit organization that fosters collaborative, multi-sector regional stewardship as a means for advancing economic, social and environmental progress, while maintaining a sense of place, in America’s metropolitan regions. ARS has embraced the challenge of the late John W. Gardner: “No more regionalism for its own sake. We now need pragmatic regionalism with a purpose.”
In May 2000, a group of 50 elected officials, regional business leaders, and regionally focused nonprofit organization representatives from metropolitan areas all around the country gathered to explore the creation of a national network for sharing best practices, research and policy development with respect to issues faced by their respective regions. At the fourth National Stewardship Forum (held in November 2001), participants recommended moving from ARS's informal structure to an incorporated non-profit organization with a sophisticated communication and growth strategy to expand the number of regional stewards nationwide. Since then, ARS has developed a Framework for Regional Stewardship as the basis for our programs and activities. We believe that the four principles of the framework—innovative economy, livable community, social inclusion, and collaborative governance—are necessary for successful regional stewardship.
ARS is for proven leaders who recognize the interdependencies of their regions’ economy, environment, and society and are seeking practical ways to effect change as regional stewards. ARS supports regional stewardship by helping leaders learn about best practices from other regions, communicate to state and federal leaders and the media about regional challenges and innovations, and develop new leaders for regional stewardship efforts. Our members share best practices and lessons learned for the collaborative problem-solving necessary to meet the new challenges facing America’s metropolitan regions. We’re about turning good ideas into practice and developing regional stewards as a new brand of leaders.
The Hampton Roads Partnership is a member of the ARS.
LINK: Alliance for Regional Stewardship
Regional Spotlight Archive: Read More About What's Working in Hampton Roads
|
