Putting Community First: A Promising Approach to Federal Collaboration for Environmental Improvement: An Evaluation of the Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Demonstration Program

This report is an independent evaluation of the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Community Action for a Renewed Environment (CARE) Demonstration Program, a community-driven process that uses the best available data to help communities set priorities and take action on their greatest environmental risks. CARE fosters local partnerships that seek participation from business, government, organizations, residents and EPA staff. It also supports a public, transparent planning and implementation process based on collaborative decision-making and shared action.Key FindingsThe National Academy Panel overseeing this effort was impressed by the dedication of the EPA staff to this unique initiative and commended the EPA for its efforts to partner with communities in achieving important long-term and sustainable environmental improvements at the local level. Recommended actions for the CARE Program include: (1) develop and implement a multifaceted information sharing approach; (2) coordinate and refine internal program management activities; and (3) develop a strategic plan and a business plan for CARE

What is the Payoff of HiPo Programs, and Are Companies De-Investing in Them?

[Excerpt] The average firm spends 27% of its learning and development budget on its high-potential (HiPo) programs, and two-thirds of companies divert budget away from other talent investments to fund HiPo initiatives. Companies believe in the value of HiPos and are thus heavily investing in them, however many are struggling to generate a return on investment. In fact, research from the Corporate Executive Board shows that 73% of HiPo programs show no return on investment. Bleak ROIs are resulting in some companies reevaluating their strategies for these formal programs or considering de-investing in these programs altogether. Prior to de-investing it’s essential to weigh the options of modifying the program in place versus reallocating the budget for investments in alternative talent development practices

Integrated urban water management in Texas: a review to inform a one water approach for the future

Texas has considerable experience grappling with historic droughts as well as flooding associated with tropical storms and hurricanes, yet the State’s water management challenges are projected to increase. Urban densification, increased frequency and severity of droughts and floods, aging infrastructure, and a management system that is not reflective of the true cost of water all influence water risk. Integrated urban water management strategies, like ‘One Water’, represent an emerging management paradigm that emphasizes the interconnectedness of water throughout the water cycle and capitalizes on opportunities that arise from this holistic viewpoint. Here, we review water management practices in five Texas cities and examine how the One Water approach could represent a viable framework to maintain a reliable, sustainable, and affordable water supply for the future. We also examine financial and business models that establish a foundational pathway towards the ‘utility of the future’ and the One Water paradigm more broadly

Identifying Social Entrepreneurs Serving the Poor at the BoP

The concept of social entrepreneurship as a characterization of social responsibility for business organizations has gained considerable popularity. There is growing belief in international development and donor communities that this form of for-profit activity might be the long-sought panacea for solving poverty at the so-called Base of the Pyramid (BoP) -- the poorest segment of the society. Yet, there is no consensus within these communities as to what constitutes social entrepreneurship, and how the BoP is defined. Confusion arises from the absence of generally accepted definitions for both terms, leaving much scope for some conventional for-profit activities to assert a higher social service status. This paper attempts to clarify what constitutes social entrepreneurship serving the BOP segment of the population, and how the BoP may be defined to better represent the poor.social entrepreneurship, bottom of the pyramid, poverty alleviation

Beyond the Numbers: Data Use for Continuous Improvement of Programs Serving Disconnected Youth

The American Youth Policy Forum (AYPF) conducted a series of in-depth case studies to examine how three programs which serve a disconnected youth population are utilizing data as a tool for continuous program improvement and ongoing accountability. The resulting publication, Beyond the Numbers: Data Use for Continuous Improvement of Programs Serving Disconnected Youth, describes data collection and use at three successful programs, and distills the key lessons learned and issues to consider both for practitioners and policymakers aiming to improve outcomes for the disconnected youth population

Meaning Management: A Framework for Leadership Ontology

Leadership is a multifaceted and complex subject of research and demands a sound ontological stance that guides studies for the development of more integrative leadership theories. In this paper, I propose the leadership ontology PVA (perception formation – value creation – achievement realization) and associate it with the two existing leadership ontologies: TRIPOD (leader – member – shared goals) and DAC (direction – alignment – commitment). The leadership ontology PVA, based on a new theory called “meaning management,” consists of three circularly supporting functions: cognitive function to form perception, creative function to generate value, and communicative function to realize higher levels of achievement. The PVA is an epistemology-laden ontology since the meaning management theory allows one to make propositions that explicitly link its three functions with the leadership outcomes: perception, value, and achievement. Moreover, the PVA leadership ontology transcends and includes both the conventional TRIPOD ontology and the DAC ontology

Investing in Broadband Evaluation: Guiding Policy & Innovation for the Future

How we address the broadband challenge has been called the most important infrastructure challenge of the new century by the National Broadband Plan. High-speed Internet can connect remote communities, help coordinate and streamline health care services, enable our children with unparalleled access to learning opportunities, and spark and support innovation in numerous fields. The challenge, however, is understanding what works and why across all of these important uses of broadband technology. Program evaluation can answer this need, especially if it is built into new programs and policies from the start

Health-industry linkages for local health: reframing policies for African health system strengthening

The benefits of local production of pharmaceuticals in Africa for local access to medicines and to effective treatment remain contested. There is scepticism among health systems experts internationally that production of pharmaceuticals in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) can provide competitive prices, quality and reliability of supply. Meanwhile low-income African populations continue to suffer poor access to a broad range of medicines, despite major international funding efforts. A current wave of pharmaceutical industry investment in SSA is associated with active African government promotion of pharmaceuticals as a key sector in industrialization strategies. We present evidence from interviews in 2013–15 and 2017 in East Africa that health system actors perceive these investments in local production as an opportunity to improve access to medicines and supplies. We then identify key policies that can ensure that local health systems benefit from the investments. We argue for a ‘local health’ policy perspective, framed by concepts of proximity and positionality, which works with local priorities and distinct policy time scales and identifies scope for incentive alignment to generate mutually beneficial health–industry linkages and strengthening of both sectors. We argue that this local health perspective represents a distinctive shift in policy framing: it is not necessarily in conflict with ‘global health’ frameworks but poses a challenge to some of its underlying assumptions