Massachusetts Smart Growth Alliance
Here is a good example of collaborating for strategic
purposes. In 2003 seven leading, diverse organizations—
the Boston Society of Architects, the Citizens’
Housing and Planning Association, the Conservation
Law Foundation, the Environmental League of
Massachusetts, the Fair Housing Center of Greater
Boston, the Massachusetts Association of Community
Development Corporations, and the Metropolitan
Area Planning Council—joined forces to integrate
their separate efforts in policy, planning, and practical
action. Their combined mission is “to encourage
development and environmental preservation that
offers all Commonwealth residents choices, prosperity,
opportunity and environmental health, in well-
designed communities.” MSGA promotes affordable
housing, economic and workforce development,
transportation options, social equity, and environmental
protection. By collaborating, each organization
gains diverse technical expertise at much lower cost
than hiring outside consultants. The Alliance first held
regional meetings with 200 civic leaders statewide, to
identify and prioritize the major growth and development
challenges facing Massachusetts. By building
broad advocacy coalitions around specific issues,
MSGA has catalyzed $30 million for transit support,
$30 million for cleaning-up brownfields (previously-
developed parcels); extension and reform of the
brownfields tax credit for Community Development
Corporations; and a higher cap on historic renovation
tax credits. Their efforts produce thousands of homes
and hundreds of jobs, and you can support them.

|