Verna P. Best, OEO Director NC DHHS/DSS/Economic & Family Services NASCSP Conference

1. CSBG:  The Partnership: State Community Action Associations & State Community Services Block Grant Offices (Part One) Verna P. Best, OEO Director NC DHHS/DSS/Economic & Family Services NASCSP Conference September 14, 2012

2. CSBG State Office & CAA Association…Is Partnership Necessary? • IM – 49 Program Challenges, Responsibilities and Strategies-FY 2001-2003 (February 2011) • IM 103– CSBG Final Strategic Plan (August 2007) • IM – 123 Reorganization of CSBG T/TA Resources – A New Strategy for Excellence (May 2011)

3. Partnership Defined • Amutually beneficial and well-defined relationship entered into by two or more organizations to sustain results they are not able to achieve alone. • An intense and complex process that gets people to work together in new ways. • A process that doesn’t end but spawns new collaborative activities. • A continuing effort with a wide range of results that empower people and systems to change.

4. Partnership Practiced(NC CSBG Office & NCCAA) Communication, Collaboration & Challenges

5. Communication…(Not Like Dilbert)

6. Communication is the foundation of partnership building! NCCAA copied on ALL sub-grantee communications OEO attends/provides reports during NCCAA CoEd Meetings OEO provides support letters for NCCAA grant opportunities NCCAA & OEO Directors meet as needed/frequently OEO participates in NCCAA Annual Conferences NCCAA participates in OEO Contractors’ Conference Both offices maintain current websites

7. Collaboration…(Not Like Dilbert)

8. Collaboration breeds TRUST & Shared Responsibility! Training & Technical Assistance ( Board Summit) Outreach & Advocacy (NC State Fair, Poverty Simulation, Face to Face w/Poverty) State Plan for Administering CSBG (Public & Legislative Hearings) Statewide Initiatives (The Revival of NC ROMA/co-facilitators for National P2P Certification)

9. ATTACHMENT BSCOPE OF WORKFY 2011-12 The Contractual Agreement To provide consistent, relevant and ongoing training and support to the OEO and sub-grantee agencies related to administrative, programmatic and fiscal operations. Coordinate logistics, meeting dates, trainers, training facilities, equipment, agendas and meeting materials for capacity building, board governance, fiscal management, employment law, customer service and ROMA training. CSBG Task Force support, Poverty Study, OEO Contractors’ Training Conference support, OEO staff Retreat support and Poverty Simulation training and Data Collection support. Design training brochure(s) to promote statewide training initiative Create training registration forms Develop training note books for each training curriculum Develop pre- and post evaluation forms, sign-in sheets Collect and record evaluations, agencies represented and participants Provide OEO with related evaluations, reports and information as necessary

10. Challenges…(Very MUCHLike Dilbert)

11. Challenges ”We must look for the opportunity in every difficulty instead of being paralyzed at the thought of the difficulty in every opportunity.” Defining Roles – “Staying In Your Lane” Escaping the PAST Demonstrating Accountability FUNDING through Transitions

12. On a POSITIVE Note The POWER of United Messaging

13. Think About It… “The necessity of the times, more than ever, calls for our utmost circumspection, deliberation, fortitude, and perseverance.”(and Partnership) – Samuel Butler

14. CSBG:  The Partnership: State Community Action Associations & State Community Services Block Grant Offices (Part One) Verna P. Best, OEO Director Verna.Best@dhhs.nc.gov 919-527-6251 (Let’s Work Together)