Increased network capacity is a priority identified by the GNLCC and the RMPF Leadership Team to build on the organizational structure of LCC Partner Forums. Partner Forum organizations are intentionally inclusive collections of key decision-makers and stake-holders in the region who facilitate the flow of information and ideas, the delineation of shared priorities, and the advancement of projects leading to mutually beneficial outcomes. The ability of a Partner Forum to provide these services is directly related to the efficacy of its network. As the Partner Forum network improves, it successfully applies the outcomes of its work across the Rocky Mountain region and the greater GNLCC area.
The importance of building Partner Forum capacity is also demonstrated by the GNLCC in its Strategic Conservation Framework, a document that guides the projects, processes, and evolution of the GNLCC. In the section regarding next steps for successfully implementing the overall strategy, the very first measure is building organizational capacity by supporting the partner forums to work collaboratively and effectively to effect landscape conservation at the broadest scale (Chambers etal, 2013)). Thus, improved network capacity is a foundational requirement not just for the Partner Forums, but for the GNLCC as a whole.
FY2015and FY2016 Objectives:1. Expand the network to include more engaged decision-makers and stakeholders
2. Increase the connectedness of the network, such that interaction among members expands3. Establish multiple channels to efficiently and effectively transfer information among members4. Understand the opportunities, needs and gaps of the RMPF
