Our nation is facing some of the greatest challenges in a generation.  And while our nonprofits, philanthropists and other social sector leaders have stepped-up to fill gaps, increase their impact and serve more people in need, we know that the social challenges we face today are too complex for any single actor to fully address on their own.  We know that dramatic, community-wide progress on a problem requires the engagement of all sectors in a community: nonprofits, business, philanthropy and government pulling together, in the same direction.

Successful community collaboratives require resources and support for their infrastructure needs, as well as the opportunity to engage with like-minded practitioners to share ideas that will amplify their collective impact.  To address this need, and build on the work of the White House Council, the Aspen Institute launched the “Aspen Forum for Community Solutions,” chaired by Melody Barnes, former Assistant to the President and Director of the Domestic Policy Council for President Obama. Stephen Patrick – formerly with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – is the Executive Director and drives the mission of The Aspen Forum for Community Solutions.  

There is an opportunity to put a spotlight on community success stories, inspire others to act, and take collective impact to the next level. The Aspen Forum for Community Solutions seeks to serve as a platform for sharing best practices across community collaborations, and it will enlist more communities to pull together for community-wide progress while providing them with the tools, support and resources necessary to achieve results.

Our nation is facing some of the greatest economic challenges in a generation	Next generation community collaboratives are making promising progress.