| Core
Strategies The Strategic Plan capitalizes on the energy,
momentum, and spirit of collaboration that was developed during
the planning initiative. Strategies were designed based on several
critical factors:
- The need to work together and collectively address poverty issues;
- The desire for a regional approach;
- The need for both preventive and rehabilitative poverty reduction
programs;
- The need to advocate systems change and the acknowledgement
of strength in numbers to affect change;
- The knowledge that comes from listening to the voices of people
in poverty;
- The link between knowledge and actions;
- The recognition of poverty reduction programs already in place
and existing resources that are a strength to the regional community;
- The need to build on existing resources by forming partnerships
that enable community members to address poverty more strategically;
and
- The power that comes from sharing.
Relationship building and partnership formation are the core strategies
that shape the foundation of the strategic plan. All programs and
actions are based on these strategies. Relationships and partnerships
are more than just “broad community improvement strategies.”
P4P believes they are critical to the success of any strategic effort
to reduce poverty.

Our model of collaboration is an innovative approach
to poverty reduction. How does collaboration equate to action?
P4P cultivates trust in the community by: 1) networking or exchanging
information such as poverty data; 2) coordinating with regional
partners to become an adaptable organization that alters activities
in response to community needs; 3) cooperating by sharing resources
such as knowledge, time and energy; and 4) collaborating by strengthening
the capacity of regional stakeholders. Poverty reduction will only
be achieved by partnerships and collaborative efforts. Such an approach
exemplifies the prosperity that comes from living, working, adapting
and celebrating together.
Collaboration Defined: a Continuum of Definitions
and Strategies
Networking is defined
as exchanging information for mutual benefit.
Coordination is defined as exchanging
information and altering activities for mutual benefit and to
achieve a common purpose.
Cooperation is defined as exchanging
information, altering activities, and sharing resources for mutual
benefit and to achieve a common purpose.
Collaboration is defined as exchanging
information, altering activities, sharing resources and enhancing
the capacity of another for mutual benefit and to achieve a common
purpose.
The Illustration
A popular children’s story provides an illustration of P4P’s
Strategic Plan to Reduce Poverty. Although there are several versions
of “Stone Soup,” they all focus on working together
to meet a need. In the story, a hungry traveler comes upon a village
and asks the villagers for food. When he is turned away from the
village, the traveler decides to make “stone soup”.
The villagers start bringing ingredients and before long they have
created a nutritious pot of soup. The moral is that by working together,
with everyone contributing what they can, a greater good is achieved.
P4P takes a similar approach to poverty reduction. We believe
that by working together, with everyone contributing what they can,
prosperity will be achieved. The following is an illustration of
how P4P will help the region achieve prosperity (make “soup”):
 
 
Prosperity for Eastern Idaho
P4P will research “soup” for the regional community:
What kind of soup
does the community need? What kind of soup does it want? What kinds
of ingredients are available to make soup?
P4P will help Eastern Idaho make “soup” by providing
an analysis of the research and coordinating a collaborative effort
among community stakeholders. Many of the ingredients will come
from the community and P4P will add to the pot of soup by providing
technical assistance, leveraging opportunities, and sharing recipes.
In partnership, Eastern Idaho will have prosperity!
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