In 2001, the late John W. Gardner, one of America ?s leading public citizens, authorized the use of his name for the John W. Gardner Academy for Regional Stewardship.  In a letter to Becky Morgan, co-founder and initial President of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship, he said:

Now is the time to dream big thoughts.  I am very excited about your idea of creating an Academy for Regional Stewardship to prepare our leaders for the complex challenges of our communities.   It combines two themes that have been an important part of my own life?s work: leadership and community.

Since that time, what have we learned from our experience with the Academy and what are next steps going forward?  The Academy has had the opportunity to work in 10 regions over the past several years.  This article highlights some key lessons learned. 

Regional stewards want to achieve breakthrough solutions to priority issues based on implementation roadmaps that clearly define roles for different private, public and civic stakeholders.  While visions are important, regional leaders are ready to launch civic campaigns to turn visions into reality.  The Academy has been working with regional leadership teams to provide this kind of implementation assistance focused on achieving breakthroughs.  The following are some examples of breakthroughs from regional academies:

• Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley Partnership:  The Fresno Regional Jobs Initiativewhich involved 300 business, government and educational leaders in developing a breakthrough strategy to create 30,000 net jobshas provided the stimulus for a state-regional San Joaquin Valley Partnership.  Established by a gubernatorial executive order, the partnership is launching major regional initiatives focused on economic development and workforce development, land use and transportation.  Find out more at www.rji.org
  
  
• Florida Regional Stewardship Alliance :  The Florida Regional Stewardship Alliance (FRSA) organized by the Florida Chamber of Commerce Foundation has supported academies in three pilot regions (Northeast, Central, and Southwest) that are helping to design and implement regional based growth strategies.
• The Northeast Leadership Academy engaged 50 regional leaders in a five months effort to identify and design regional solutions to major growth issues.
• The Central Florida Academy involved 65 regional public, private, and civic leaders in a three day intensive workshop in March to identify implementation plans that answer the question ?How should we grow?? (Read more about this innovative idea in this month?s enewsletter ) 
• Southwest Florida is involving 50 regional leaders in a May session to identify breakthrough solutions to priority issues including housing and transportation.
• Florida Governor Jeb Bush and state cabinet members have adopted a new growth strategy focus on regions based on recommendation of a major Urban Land Institute report on state role in regions as well as the recommendations of the Florida Chamber?s New Cornerstone report and the results of FRSA.  Find out more at www.flchamber.com/flcchw/hw.dll?page&file=sitedoc1
  
  
• Long Island Index, Energeia Leadership Academy and Regional Planning Board:  The Long Island Index has focused regional attention on the brain drain, the need for affordable housing and better regional land use planning as well as improved governance and tax policies to address this critical loss of talent.    Breakthroughs have included new regional leadership academy and the revitalizing of the Long Island Planning Board that will address issues identified by the Index.  Learn more at www.longislandindex.org.
  
  
• Northern Kentucky and Vision 2015:  Vision 2015 involved hundreds of leaders from business, government, education as well as citizens in developing goals and strategies for economic competitiveness, educational excellence, urban renaissance, livable communities and effective governance.   Two major goals include meeting or exceeding national standards at every educational transition and a Northern Kentucky Effective Governance Commission to measure government performance and promote more effective delivery of services.  A regional stewardship council is now developing civic campaigns to implement top priority goals.  Kentucky is now developing the first Regional Stewardship Trust Fund in the nation to promote active university engagement in their region.  (Read more about Vision 2015 in this month?s enewsletter )
  
  
• Philadelphia and the Franklin Caucus:  Through a leadership exchange with Chicago involving more than 50 regional civic leaders, the Academy has helped in launching the Franklin Caucus to implement a regional agenda focused on top priority issues including transportation, parks, tax reform and minority entrepreneurship.  The Caucus is now developing a Regional Civic Campaign Institute to organize and implement campaigns focus on priority regional issues.  Learn more at www.peleast.org/pelinnews.htm.
  
  
• Northeast Ohio and the Fund for the Future:  In Northeast Ohio, ARS worked with 68 community foundations including the Cleveland, Gund, GAR Foundations to organize the regional form that helped design and launch a landmark $30 million Fund for the Northeast Ohio?s Future that is now investing regional initiatives to promote economic and social vitality.
  
  
• Oklahoma City and Project Next:  The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber designed and implemented a comprehensive talent strategy that involves internships and incentives for retaining college graduates, an ?attract back? strategy to encourage former Oklahoma City residents to return, and a focused arts and culture strategy to develop, attract and retain creative talent. 
  
  
• Greater Washington :  A new Academy is being created in the Greater Washington DC region beginning with assistance in developing the February 2006 Potomac Conference, which focused on developing a regional growth strategy.  The Academy will help develop implementation plans to achieve breakthrough results based on civic campaigns focused on priority regional issues.

Key lessons learned from the Academies include the following:

1. Get the Right People Engaged; Organize a Strong Regional Leadership Team

It is essential to recruit the right people on a regional leadership team from different sectors who are committed to the principles of stewardship.  Providing them with examples of effective leadership from other regions as well as conducting a diagnosis of regional issues helps to provide a regional perspective.

2. Learn What Works from Others; Identify Appropriate Best Practices

Share best practice examples and tools from other regions to help the regional leadership team design the most effective regional strategy for addressing top priority issues.

3. Focus on Implementation; Create Roadmaps

While developing plans and visions for the region, it is important to create implementation roadmaps that outline specific roles and responsibilities for different public, private and civic stakeholders.

4. Achieve Breakthroughs; Success Leads to Success

By focusing on implementing innovative solutions to top priority issues, regional leadership teams can achieve breakthroughs that result in further success on other issues as the region demonstrates that it can successfully address major challenges.  Success leads to more success.

If you would like to learn more about how to participate in an Academy in your region, please contact Doug Henton, National Coordinator, John W. Gardner Academy at