Building Trust for Inclusive Economic Development: Lessons from Three Regional Collaboratives

Ever wonder what it takes to make economic development work for everyone? Over the past year, our team at Ground Works supported three regions in tackling this challenge. Through our work with two regional collaboratives in California's San Joaquin Valley and a funder collaborative in St. Louis, one thing has become clear: we need new ways of working together. But what does meaningful collaboration actually look like in practice?

Starting with Shared Learning in the Northern San Joaquin Valley

Key Lesson: Build a foundation of shared understanding before making decisions

In California's Northern San Joaquin Valley, leaders of North Valley THRIVE asked us to design and deliver "THRIVE School" - a shared learning journey for their diverse steering committee, as they set out to chart an investment plan as part of the California Jobs First initiative.

Rather than jumping straight into decision-making about how to allocate millions in state funding, we created a structured space for committee members to develop shared language around economic concepts, examine existing conditions and inequities, and explore alternative frameworks for creating quality jobs.

This foundation of shared learning proved crucial. As one committee member noted:

"Having everyone start from the same baseline of information, rather than assuming we all define terms the same way, helped level the playing field for our discussions."

Finding Common Ground Across Geography in Kern County

Key Lesson: Use structured processes and relationship building to identify shared values

Further south in California’s San Joaquin Valley, we were asked to support the Kern Coalition as they launched their steering committee. When we first arrived, we heard some worry about potential conflicts between sub-regions competing for resources. Through a series of virtual and in-person workshops, we watched committee members move beyond these concerns to work together as a team.

The key was creating spaces for authentic relationship-building while maintaining clear frameworks for decision-making. We designed structured activities that allowed the committee to have productive conversations about challenging trade-offs while staying grounded in their shared commitment to equity and sustainability. Through this process, participants identified shared values and developed decision-making processes while building muscle memory for working together effectively. As one participant reflected:

"I feel better equipped to participate and more confident in our ability to accomplish tasks together." 

The Power and Challenge of Principled Conflict in St. Louis

Key Lesson: Create the infrastructure for lasting collaboration

St. Louis shows both the costs of fragmentation and the potential for transformation through collaborative action. Working with Professors Chris Benner and Manuel Pastor, we supported a funder collaborative seeking to chart a new path toward equitable growth. With over 88 municipalities in St. Louis County alone, the region has long struggled with fragmentation, racial segregation, and economic inequality.

The Ferguson Commission process, sparked by the killing of Michael Brown, showed how crisis could create openings for authentic cross-sector collaboration and even principled conflict. However, as implementation proved challenging and private sector engagement waned, initial momentum dissipated, and stakeholders began to avoid conflict rather than work through differences, undermining collaborative efforts.  

Building on these experiences, we recommended several ways to build trust and strengthen civic infrastructure by increasing meaningful and inclusive collaboration in economic development planning and processes, deepening civic commitment to equity, and building a shared learning infrastructure that, together, create the foundation for the kind of sustained collaboration needed to drive lasting change. 

Moving Forward Together

The path to inclusive economic development isn't easy or straightforward. While there's no perfect formula, we've seen how intentional collaborative processes and well-designed tools can help diverse stakeholders find common ground and work together toward shared prosperity. 

Success requires more than just getting people in the same room - it takes careful attention to power dynamics, sustained investment in relationship-building, and concrete frameworks for moving from dialogue to action. 

We'd love to hear examples of how you're building trust for inclusive economic development in your region. What approaches have helped bridge traditional divides? What tools have you found most useful for moving from talk to action?