The Center for Management Strategies conducts research and assembles articles, case studies and documents that can assist local governments in implementing essential management practices that are designed to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness. This resource listing also includes organizational assessment instruments that can assist in determining your organization’s readiness and capacity to implement these practices. These documents are organized by key topic areas covered by the Center for Management Strategies.
center for management strategies resource listing
High Performance Organizations
Collaborative Service Delivery
Civic Engagement
The following information was compiled through the Enhanced Research Partnership of ICMA, the Alliance for Innovation, and Arizona State University and represent best practices in the practice of civic engagement/public participation. These documents are designed to assist local governments in creating strong, multi-faceted programs for engagement.
Center for Management Strategies Articles
- The Extent of Public Participation - PM Magazine March 2014
- Tackling Wicked Problems takes Resident Engagement - PM Magazine August 2013
Assessment Tools for Organization and Community
- CMS Civic Engagement Organizational Assessment Tool --ICMA, AFI, ASU
- Civic Index - National Civic League
Recommended Resources from ICMA, Alliance for Innovation and Arizona State University Enhanced Research Partnership
Citizen Engagement Overview
- Connected Communities - Local Governments as a Partner in Citizen Engagement & Community Building - Alliance for Innovation
- Connected Communities: Executive Summary and Action Guide - Alliance for Innovation
- From Communication to Deliberation: A Manager's Guide to Citizen Engagement - IBM Center for the Business of Government
- Public Deliberation: A Manager's Guide to Citizen Engagement - IBM Center for the Business of Government
Resources for Planning for Civic Engagement
- IAP2 CoreValues - International Association of Public Participation
- IAP2 Public Participation Toolbox - International Association of Public Participation
- IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation - International Association of Public Participation
- Planning for a Stronger Democracy - National League of Cities
- Spectrum of Public Engagement Activities - Matt Leighninger, Deliberative Democracy Consortium
Resources for Online Tools
- Broadening Public Participation Using Online Tools - Institute for Local Government
- Assessing Public Engagement Effectiveness: Rapid Review Worksheets - Institute for Local Government
- Building Public Trust in Government Through Online Civic Engagement - Peak Democracy
- Using Online Tools to Engage – and be Engaged by – the Public - IBM Center for the Business of Government
- Using Wikis in Government: A Guide for Public Managers - IBM Center for the Business of Government
Resources for Evaluating/Assessing Engagement Effectiveness
- A Manager's Guide to Evaluating Citizen Participation - IBM Center for the Business of Government
- Assessing Public Enagement Effectiveness: Rapid Review Worksheets - Institute for Local Government
- Assessing Public Participation in an Open Government Era - IBM Center for the Business of Government
Case Studies & Reports
- Encinitas, CA - Innovative Ways to Share Feedback
- Salt Lake City, UT - A Case Study in Salt Lake City on how Filtering the Feedback can Mitigate Outsider Influence
- Garland, TX – Grassroots Leadership Development
- Innisfil, ON –The Innisfil Strategy of Citizen Engagement
- Newton County, GA – Collaboration Promotes Sustainable Growth for a Small Towns in the Rural South
- Decatur, GA – Strategic Planning and Community Engagement: Whose Vision is it Anyway
- Marana, AZ – Marana Citizen’s Forum
- San Jose, CA – Community Building 2.0: Connect Neighbors; Strengthen Neighborhoods; Build Community
Other Recommended Resources
- Engaging Citizens in Co-Creation in Public Services - IBM Center for the Business of Government
- Citizens and Elected Officials: What Kind of Relationship Should There Be? - The Kettering Foundation, 2014
- Public Pathways: A Guide to Online Engagement for Local Gov Leaders - New America Foundation, 2014
- Making Public Participation Legal - Working Group on Legal Framework for Public Participation, 2013
- Using Technology for Community Engagement - Tamarack Institute
- Bright Spots in Community Engagement - National League of Cities & the Knight Foundation
- How Civic Engagement Transforms Community Relationships - Ed Everett. ICMA In Focus Report
- Public Engagement in Budgeting - Institute for Local Government
- A Local Official’s Guide to Public Engagement in Budgeting - Institute for Local Government
- Civic Engagement Article - PM Magazine August 2013
- Clear Vision Toolkit - City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin
- Resources on Public Engagement - Institute for Local Government
- Resource Guide on Public Engagement- National Coalition for Dialogue and Deliberation
- Sustaining Public Engagement Embedded Deliberation in Location Communities - Everyday Democracy & the Kettering Foundation
- Trench Democracy... are YOU a "Democratic Professional"? - Dr. Albert W. Dzur, Bowling Green State University
- The Evolving Landscape of Citizen Engagement - Public Sector Digest, October 2014
- When Citizens Bypass Government - Governing Magazine, September 2014
- The Extent of Public Participation - PM Magazine March 2014
- Tackling Wicked Problems takes Resident Engagement - PM Magazine August 2013
collaborative service delivery
The following information was compiled through the Enhanced Research Partnership of ICMA, the Alliance for Innovation, and Arizona State University and represent best practices in the practice of collaborative/alternative service delivery. These documents are designed to assist local governments in addressing today’s challenges through new and innovative approaches to service delivery through public-private partnerships, public-public partnerships and other forms of collaboration.
Recommended Resources from ICMA, Alliance for Innovation and Arizona State University Enhanced Research Partnership
- The Collaborative Service Delivery Matrix - ICMA, AFI, ASU
- Collaborative Service Delivery Arrangements for Local Governments - ICMA, AFI, ASU
- Bibliographic Resources on Collaborative Service Delivery Arrangements - ICMA, AFI, ASU
- Contemplating Collaboration - Hilvert & Swindell, PM Magazine August 2014
- Collaborative Service Delivery: What Every Local Government Manager Should Know - Hilvert & Swindell, State & Local Government Review
Organizational Assessment Tool
- The Collaborative Service Delivery Matrix --ICMA, AFI, ASU
Case Studies & Reports
- Promising Practices - A Paradigm Shift for Public-Private Partnerships - Paul J. Campbell, University of Pennsylvania
- The Innovation Equation: How Rock Hill, SC Leverages the Talents of Children to Solve Community Problems - City of Rock Hill, SC
- Alternative Service Delivery Report, Alliance for Innovation, October 2013
- City of Virginia Beach and Tidewater Community College Join Use Library
- Creative Partnerships to Implement TOD in the Atlanta Region
- Neighborhood Enhancement Program: Transforming Communities/Building Partnerships
- Collaboration Promotes Sustainable Growth for a Small Town in the Rural South
- Innovation in the Building Department: An Ongoing Commitment between SAFEbuilt and Client Partner the City of Centennial, Colorado
- Contract Provider Increases Efficiencies, Decreases Complaints, and Generates Compliments in the City of Roswell, GA
- Leveraging Regional Municipal Relationships to Achieve Cost-Savings: The Shared Services Model
- No Shelter Pet Left Behind
- Regional Contractor Business License
- Statewide Sex Offender Management – A Case Study in Statewide Collaboration
- Regional Partnerships: Bringing Affordable Leadership Training Behind the Redwood Curtain Partnerships
- Partners for Reuse
- Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
- The Anatomy of Cool
- Co-Sourcing Concepts: Maximizing Partnerships
Articles and Documents
- Can Alternative Service Delivery Stretch Your Community’s Resources? Rick White, HR Green, Inc.
Podcasts & Media
High Performance Organizations
High Performance Organization strategies are designed to enhance organizational performance and improve the work experiences of employees and the communities that they serve. The following documents represent readings that support these strategies and will assist local government managers in learning more about this approach to organizational development and enhancement.
Organizational Assessment Tool
- CMS HPO Organizational Assessment Tool --Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations
Recommended Resources
- Deploying Network Talent to Drive Innovation - Talent Management
- HPO Seminar Pre-readings - Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations
- The Trusted Leader: Building Relationships that Make Governments Work - "Chapter 6", John W. Pickering & Gerald S. Brokaw, Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations
- Why Executive Leadership Programs Alone Don't Change Organizations - John W. Pickering & Robert E. Matson
- The Use of "Lean" in Local Government - PM Magazine September 2006
Priority Based Budgeting
Priority-Based Budgeting includes a suite of tools and techniques to assess and monitor your organization’s “picture of fiscal health,” assist your organization in clearly defining goals and objectives, then lead it in a process that prioritizes spending to align with those goals. The following documents represent various articles that have been written on this performance- based budgeting approach to management.
Recommended Resources
- An Exploratory Study of Priority Based Budgeting: Identification of Public Values and Public Priorities through Citizen Engagement in Government Budgeting Decisions - Sheryl Warren Mitchell, 2014
- Financial Management for Elected Officials - Institute for Local Government
- Seeing Things Differently - PM Magazine September 2012
- Facing Challenges and Seizing Opportunity - PM Magazine October 2013
- Anatomy of a Priority-Driven Budget Process - Government Finance Officers Association
- It's All in the Questions - the Manager's Role in Achieving Fiscal Health - PM Magazine September 2009
- It's All in the Questions - the Manager's Role in Achieving Fiscal Health Part II - PM Magazine October 2009
- Getting Your Priorities Straight - PM Magazine June 2008
Case Studies and Reports
- Long-Term Financial Sustainability through Priority Based Budgeting in the City of Bainbridge Island, WA
- A Unique Approach to Budgeting - The Town of Christiansburg, VA & Priority Based Budgeting
- City of Salinas CA - "working on a significant new way of allocating valuable City resources" through Priority Based Budgeting
- A Significant New Way of Allocating Valuable City Resources: City of Salinas, CA Priority Based Budgeting Council & Administrative Report
- How Investing in Priorities Led to Budget Innovation in Nevada - Douglas County, NV
- Priority Based Budgeting: Budgets Guided by Community Values - Shawnee, KS
- Budgets & Verts: A Priority Based Budgeting Anecdote from the Town of Cary, NC
- Innovation and Implementation Beyond Cities and Counties - Mountain View Fire Rescue
- Budget Built Upon Priority Based Budgeting - City of Boulder, CO
Data-Driven Communities
ICMA has identified data-driven communities as a leading practice for local governments to pursue in evaluating their performance, enhancing their communications with the community, and helping with decision making. It is proud to partner with National Research Center, Inc. to bring education and technical assistance to help you implement effective and proven data methods for your organization.
Articles and Publications
- Citizen Opinion for Performance Measurement Lurches into a New Century - National Research Center
- Enhancing Community Curb Appeal - National Research Center
- Convincing Elected Officials to Survey: A Q & A with Tom Miller - National Research Center
- The Local Government Survey: A Window into Good Government - National Research Center
process improvement
ICMA is proud to partner with key experts to provide the skills and technical assistance to analyze and improve processes and systems in your organization.
Recommended Resources
- Get Your Local Government into LEAN Shape - ICMA PM Magazine, September 2006
Case Studies and Reports
- Catawba County, NC Uses LEAN Management Techniques to Maximize Tax Collections - Catawba County, NC - Mary Furtado, Assistant Manager, Catawba County, and David Krings, Director, TechSolve Local Government
- Cultural Change & Process Improvements - San Angelo, TX & Techsolve
- Process Improvement in San Mateo, CA - Techsolve
- Principles of the Conroe LEAN Program - Conroe, TX
organizational assessment tools
The following free organizational assessment tools are designed to assess organizational readiness and capacity for undertaking work in key management practice areas designed to increase organizational efficiency and effectiveness. These assessment tools were developed by the Enhanced Research Partnership of ICMA, the Alliance for Innovation and Arizona State University and practice leaders of the Center for Management Strategies.
- CMS Civic Engagement Assessment Tool --ICMA, AFI, ASU
- Civic Index - National Civic League
- CMS High Performance Organization Strategies Assessment Tool --Commonwealth Centers for High Performance Organizations
- The Collaborative Service Delivery Matrix --ICMA, AFI, ASU
