How we mitigate the pandemic’s impacts and understand its long-term effects is key to ensuring we do not simply return to “normal” after social distancing ends and a vaccine is available. We must center the communities most affected—communities of color, workers with low incomes, residents of subsidized housing, aging populations, rural areas, immigrants, and people with disabilities—and work in partnership with the local leaders and groups on the front lines of social service provision.

Urban Institute staff frequently collaborate with local partners: resident groups, service providers, state and local governments, community-based organizations, data providers, and funders. Amid so much uncertainty and upheaval, we are considering what it means to be a good partner and providing recommendations for other changemakers.

How can we show up in a meaningful way for the communities we work in? How can we think creatively and strategically about how to leverage our platform, connections to other organizations, and resources to best support the response and recovery of our partners, collaborators, and their communities? How can we structure our work to build a more just and equitable society?

Our partners are playing a variety of roles during the pandemic, from providing direct relief to heavily affected communities to crafting large-scale policy responses. As we support stronger, data-informed responses, resilience, and recovery, we are listening to partners, rather than assuming their needs, and respecting flexibility in timelines and requests.

Some strategies we’ve employed:

  • Leveraging resources and skills beyond traditional roles. 
  • Finding virtual ways to collaborate with community partners through social media, virtual meeting platforms, and other online engagement tools.
  • Serving as connectors, sharing best practices from across our national networks. 
  • Asking if and how we can help and providing suggestions or options.
  • Creating more responsive research. 

Read the full article about solidarity and good partnership by Elsa Falkenburger, Olivia Arena, Jessica Shakesprere at Urban Institute.