I am heading to Williamsburg, VA for the Alliance for Innovation Board Meeting and the Big Ideas Conference. I recently joined the Alliance for Innovation Board of Directors.
Arizona State University (ASU) is a core member of the Alliance for Innovation (AFI), and houses the administrative offices of the AFI at the College of Public Programs. The AFI brings together leading city and county managers who have an appetite for innovation. It serves as a platform for local governments who are passionate about nurturing an innovative culture and building better communities throughout the US and Canada. The Alliance maintains a loyal membership of approximately 400 local governments who employ more than 9,000 employees who take advantage of AFI on-line and in-person services. It hosts two annual conferences every year – Transforming Local government (TLG) which features case studies of the most innovative programs introduced in member governments and the BIG Ideas event where a select group of 100 “thought leaders” come together in a provocative venue to explore emerging issues facing local communities. It operates with another strategic partner, the International City County Manager Association (ICMA), the on-line Knowledge Network which currently has more than 35,000 local government users that provide content, create groups of interest and query one another about best practices. AFI also has a robust learning program through regular webinars and regional workshops. The AFI network can be mobilized to test out innovations that arise from the research, provide seek feedback on research outcomes, and even in the securing of complementary resources. The AFI will also serve as a valuable conduit for disseminating the findings from the research project.