Collaborative Processes

A well-executed collaborative process brings together the right people, talking about the right topics, with the right information and process structure to drive informed, insightful, and durable outcomes. Ross Strategic brings deep expertise in collaborative process design and facilitation as well as substantive experience and knowledge of energy, climate, health, and natural resources to tailor solutions for each client's needs. We help clients maximize opportunities from collaborative processes (and minimize risk) by:

• Ensuring objectives are clear
• Characterizing the situation
• Identifying and connecting interested parties
• Designing and managing a credible process
• Facilitating engaging and productive meetings
• Driving progress through cogent documentation
• Sweating the details

Related Projects

Least-Conflict Solar Siting on Washington’s Columbia Plateau

Ross Strategic is leading support of virtual public meetings for Washington State University Energy Program’s Least-Conflict Solar Siting Project. This project identifies areas in Washington state that minimize land use conflicts over the siting and development of utility-scale solar power facilities. The Ross team is designing, facilitating, and documenting public meetings to identify issues, inform ongoing work of technical mapping groups, interpret outcomes of least-conflict mapping, and develop recommendations for how this information should be used.

Washington State Low-Carbon Energy Facility Siting Project

Working with Washington State’s departments of Ecology and Commerce, Ross Strategic led stakeholder engagement to inform development of the Low-Carbon Energy Project Siting Improvement Legislative Report. This report provides recommendations to the Governor, state legislature, and state agencies for reforming the process of siting, environmental review, and permitting of low-carbon energy facilities in Washington to help the state achieve ambitious climate goals. Over the course of this year-long project, Ross Strategic worked to engage stakeholders, Tribes, members of the public, and state agency staff to ensure the recommendations advanced the state’s energy goals and provided protection to the environment, Tribal treaty rights, and vulnerable communities. The final legislative report identified 73 potential recommendations.

Pacific Coast Collaborative Governors’ Announcement of Statement of Cooperation

Recently the Governors of California, Oregon, and Washington and the Premier of British Columbia signed a renewed agreement to work together through the Pacific Coast Collaborative to fight climate change and build a resilient West Coast. The announcement was the culmination of months of work by the Ross Strategic team and partners to engage the jurisdictions and help them find common ground on a future agenda that emphasizes equity, infrastructure investment, and climate resilience while strengthening physical, social, and natural infrastructure. The “Statement of Cooperation on Leading the Transition to an Equitable and Prosperous Low-carbon, Climate-resilient Future” is available to read here. A video of the announcement, which took place in Presidio Park in San Francisco, is available here.

Water Utilities as Anchor Institutions

Starting in 2019, Ross Strategic began work with EPA’s Office of Water and Office of Community Revitalization to explore the ways in which utilities are able to positively impact the social, economic, and environmental context of their communities. From conversations with utility leaders across the country, the team developed a new report, “Water Utilities as Anchor Institutions: Impacting the social and economic fabric of communities and regions,” detailing how utilities are leveraging operations and investments to increase economic health, inviting community involvement, and providing active civic leadership to meaningfully contribute to the wellbeing and character of the community. In addition to the report, Ross helped EPA plan and host a webinar on April 30, 2020 with utility leaders sharing their experiences as anchor institutions. To watch the webinar click here, or view the slides here.

Incorporating Sustainability Criteria into Decision Making

Working with the EPA Office of Water, Ross Strategic developed an Augmented Alternatives Analysis process (AAA) for small to medium size water utilities faced with making large capital investments that represent a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to impact the fabric of their communities. This process builds on a conventional analysis and incorporates a systematic and transparent process for a utility to consider a broader range of social, environmental, and economic benefits that investments can create. Ross Strategic has tested and refined this process with Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority (NJ), Highline Canal Conservancy (CO), Saco Wastewater Resource Recovery Department (ME), and EPA’s USMCA Tijuana River Watershed Evaluation process. Additional information on the AAA process can be found on EPA’s website.

Collaborative Chehalis Basin Ecosystem Enhancement and Flood Damage Reduction Strategy

Ross Strategic supports collaboration among local, state, and tribal elected officials and other partners in the Washington State Governor’s Chehalis Basin Work Group and the Chehalis Basin Board to develop and implement alternatives to restore salmon and mitigate adverse impacts from flooding in Washington's Chehalis River. As part of this work, Ross provides design and facilitation support for workshops, workgroup meetings, public meetings, and coordinated technical analysis.

Peer-to-Peer Networks for Local Energy Efficiency and Climate Programs

Through work with the U.S. Department of Energy and the Environmental Protection Agency, Ross created robust peer-to-peer networks among local government officials and partners collaborating on the design and operation of local climate and energy projects. The Better Buildings Residential Network engages over 2,000 partners through regular, interactive web-enabled calls to share lessons and best practices. The Climate Showcase Communities program made a video highlighting the power of peer exchange catalyzed by Ross Strategic.

Alliance for a Healthy South Sound

Ross Strategic is the lead coordinator for the Alliance for a Healthy South Sound (AHSS). AHSS is a coalition of local governments, non-profits, tribes, and businesses that supports coordinated and collaborative decision-making aimed at restoring and protecting the ecological and socio-economic health of South Puget Sound.