Partnerships and collaborations can take many forms. Whatever the scale of the partnership, effective partnerships are built on clear agreements about the scope of work to be done, the capacity needed to do the work and the mandate or authority in place to ensure that the work is done thoroughly and well.

Ready by 21 leaders in Northern Kentucky are benefiting from new data about their young people that is literally one-of-a-kind. Last year, the Ready by 21 National Partnership chose Northern Kentucky as the pilot site for the enhanced Gallup Student Poll, which enables communities to look specifically at the hope, engagement and well-being of youth.

At the end of the day, broader partnerships, bigger goals, and better data and decision making are only useful if they significantly increase the likelihood that timely, well-vetted, evidence-based strategies will be implemented and nurtured toward success. Many communities are dealing with an overabundance of strategies, and struggle to implement strategies in an aligned and effective way.

Anyone who tries to get leaders from different sectors to work together better knows that sometimes you have to literally get them in the same room – which is what Chattanooga, Tenn., did last month when it convened 300 teachers, frontline workers, business people and foundation leaders for a conference about improving supports for young people.

While program assessment and staff training are valuable but sometimes daunting tasks, Camp Fire USA is expanding both through a partnership with the Forum.

Anyone who has kids knows that 5-year-olds get up earlier than 15-year-olds. Still, many schools ignore that basic reality: Bus schedules often have sleepy teens on the corner as early as 6 a.m. to start classes between 7 and 8 a.m.