Serving as a bridge between the academic research community and practitioners, these two-day seminars hosted at Harvard University convened expert researchers, practitioners, and policymakers who shared their ideas and lessons from the field about how to build successful regional coalitions to bring about a lasting change in the way we tackle persistent poverty and inequality. The discussion focused on several themes including: What are the most effective strategies for building successful coalitions? What issues are important to consider in building cross-class and multiracial collaborations? What can current research tell us about the roles collaboration builders and important intermediaries play in creating the most enduring and successful coalitions? How do you translate research into actionable policies?
These were closed-door sessions, which allowed participants to talk openly and frankly about the issues they faced and to learn from one another about ways to solve problems.
The insights gleaned from these intensive sessions are as applicable today as they were then. The proceedings were summarized in a number of policy briefs, which provide an overview of key considerations.
