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TOOLS and GUIDES

Tools and guides provide hands-on techniques and essential information, derived from experience, to help partnerships thrive. The tools and guides on this page address a range of topics to benefit many types of partnerships. Some are focused for Forest Service partners and employees, while others are intended for a broader audience.

For Forest Service Partnerships

• Partnership Guide. (National Forest Foundation, Forest Service National Partnership Office). This reference tool helps Forest Service employees, experienced partners, and first-time or potential partners work together more effectively and efficiently.

• The Forest Service "Hand-Over Memo" is a template for staff to use when changes in leadership occur and a smooth transition is needed between current Agency leadership, the partners they have been working with, and the new leadership the partnering groups will soon rely on.
  • Leadership Transition Process Memo (PDF document, 2 pages)
  • Transition Management of Agency Personnel (PDF document, 2 pages)

• Several tools from the Forest Service address legal authorities and partnership paperwork that are specific to the agency:
  • Implementation Tools: compile existing legislation and administrative forms to help the agency and its partners identify how to implement the following types of projects:
    • Hazardous Fuels Treatments
    • Stewardship Contracts
  • Grants and Agreements Desk Guide [PDF document, 193 pages, 2.35 MB]: provides examples and detailed information for understanding the full range of Forest Service partnership authorities and related agreement types.
  • Agreements Templates: templates for common types of partnerships.

• Partnership Capacity Assessment Tool (Forest Service National Partnership Office) [MS Word format] [RTF format]. A group exercise, this tool enables teams to assess and grow their partnership and collaboration skills.
• See this Fact Sheet for more information.

• Stewardship Contracting and Collaboration: Best Practices Handbook [PDF document, 24 pages], a guide created by Sustainable Northwest, assists Forest Service and non-agency representatives anticipating involvement in, or already participating in, stewardship contracting collaborative groups. It includes information on opportunities for collaboration throughout the stewardship contracting process, offers suggestions of best practices for each step, and includes links to a wealth of additional resource.

• TOOLKIT I: Promoting Health and Sustainability (Watershed, People, Sustainability) - A Stewardship Approach to Ecosystem Management [PDF document, 116 pages] (Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region and partners). The toolkit focuses on improving the linkages between local socio-economic needs and natural resource management.

• TOOLKIT II:Reaching Out: A USDA Forest Service Toolkit for Equal Participation [PDF document, 24 pages] (Forest Service - State & Private Forestry - Economic Action Programs). This guide helps community liaisons understand the goals and requirements for outreach to traditionally underserved populations.

• Don's Toolbox: This toolbox provides unique resources such as examples of watershed analyses, biological assessments, partnership proposals, marketing examples, environmental education curriculums, interpretive signs, and more.

For a Broad Audience

• BLM 2007 Collaboration Desk Guide
  In December 2006, the BLM released its "Collaboration Desk Guide" to highlight recommendations for working collaboratively with communities. The guide represents a comprehensive collection of principles, guidelines, outcomes and practices detailing how to engage the public in a collaborative process. The guide is especially useful to managers and employees embarking upon a major planning effort, while also helpful to any employee who works with the public. It has been field-tested, provides real-life examples and is written in plain language.

• CEQ Handbook on Collaboration in NEPA. In October 2007, the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) completed a handbook that helps describe the role and value of Collaboration within the NEPA process. The handbook covers the benefits of collaboration, opportunities within NEPA, tips on how to design a collaborative process, and ways in which challenges can be overcome. [Download the handbook - PDF, 104 pages]

• Partnership Self Assessment Tool (Center for the Advancement of Collaborative Strategies in Health). Designed for any type of partnership, this assessment uses an online questionnaire to collect partnership members’ perspectives and analyze strengths and weaknesses.

• Community Toolbox for Public Participation (National Park Service's Rivers, Trails, and Conservation Assistance Program). This website details hands-on techniques for effective teams, meetings, outreach, communications, and more.

• Natural Resources Conservation Service provides web-based Interactive Evaluations to help groups assess their partnership development skills from a social science standpoint. For example:
  • Locally Led Conservation Self-Evaluation Tool. Helps partnerships measure how well they are involving stakeholders, defining community issues, and managing conflict.
  • Additional Interactive Evaluations help partnership leaders assess their efforts and identify needed skills and resources.

• The Community Tool Box - Bringing Solutions to Light
  The Tool Box provides skill-building information to promote community health and development by connecting people, ideas and resources.

• Partnership Questions and Answers (National Landscape Conservation System, Bureau of Land Management). This Q&A provides a wealth of information relevant to partners and employees of any public lands agency.