About the Alliance for Regional Stewardship

The Alliance for Regional Stewardship (ARS) is a national, peer-to-peer network of regional leaders working across boundaries to solve tough community problems.  They come from business, government, education, and the civic sectors, but they share a common commitment to collaborative action and achieving results.

The ARS Network is for proven leaders who recognize that economic competitiveness, a sustainable quality of life, and strong communities are all connected.  ARS supports these leaders and their efforts by helping them learn about effective practices from other regions, develop their own civic leadership skills, and design and carry out strategies for breakthrough results.

How We Help

Board, Staff, Members

Our Principles

ARS is committed to the idea that strong and vibrant regional communities are built on an innovative economy, livable communities, social inclusion, and collaborative style of governance. Learn More

Our Mission

The mission of the Alliance for Regional Stewardship is to develop regional leaders and support regional initiatives that advance economic, social, and environmental progress in America?s metropolitan regions.

Our History

In May 2000, 50 leaders from regions around the US gathered in Kohler, Wisconsin to explore the creation of a national network that would support regional initiatives and regional results.

A principal inspiration for the creation of the Alliance was the life and legacy of John W. Gardner, former HEW Secretary, founder of Common Cause and civic leader and author for more than 5 decades.  In a tribute to Gardner on his death in 2002, national columnist Neal Peirce noted Gardner?s interest in regional organizing and initiatives ?Gardner saw limits both in federal power and local activism. He became intrigued with metropolitan regions as the arena in which critical collaborations--for the economy, environment, social issues--must be forged, through expanded networks of responsibility.''

Gardner had a clear vision for the future of metropolitan leadership.  To succeed, regional efforts would have to

 ??keep business leaders and their self-interest involved--civic good will is insufficient. Translate global issues into real-life regional issues people can understand. Communicate more vividly, to much broader audiences, the importance of region wide alliances to build better, shared futures--economic, environmental, social.?  And, said Gardner, as tough and honest as ever:  ?No more regionalism for its own sake.? The future demands tough, pragmatic regionalism--clear purposes, strong strategies.?

Launched on the tide of Gardner?s life and inspiration, in its first six years the Alliance achieved notable success in helping regional leaders drive regional solutions.  With seed funding from several national foundations, including Packard, Heinz, and MacArthur, the Alliance has brought together more than 1,500 regional leaders in 13 National Forums, published 11 monographs on subjects ranging from achieving regional equity to strengthening regional governance, developed new platforms of web-based networking for regional leaders, and provided consulting and advice to initiatives and civic campaigns in 16 regions across the country.  In a remarkably short period of time, ARS has become the nation?s leading voice for and advisor to collaborative regional problem-solving.

Confident that the organization had established proof of concept in its first few years; in 2005 the ARS Board undertook the development of a Strategic Roadmap that articulated an aggressive expansion of the organization and its impact.  As the Roadmap took shape, the Board recognized that the organization would need a seasoned and entrepreneurial CEO to lead the effort.  After a national search, the Board hired David Thornburgh as the organization?s first full-time President and CEO.  Thornburgh had served for 12 years as the Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Economy League in Philadelphia, a long-established business-led civic organization regarded as one of the nation?s finest ?think and do tanks? focused on driving regional competitiveness and regional solutions.

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• How We Help

Alliance for Regional Stewardship
Alexandria VA 22304     
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