Economic Partnership Alliance Playbook
A practical guide and resource hub for leaders working at the intersection of community and economic development.
Built for Long-Term Impact
Stronger Partnerships. Stronger Economies.
The Economic Partnership Alliance Playbook is a practical guide and resource hub for leaders working at the intersection of community and economic development. Community based organizations (CBOs) are trusted local entities with deep knowledge of neighborhood needs and relationships. Economic development organizations (EDOs) are regional or municipal bodies responsible for competitiveness, infrastructure, and job creation. This Playbook draws on the experience of pairing these two types of organizations as equal partners, creating coalitions that join technical expertise with community credibility.
The Playbook was developed through the Economic Partnership Alliance, a national initiative led by the New Growth Innovation Network (NGIN) in partnership with the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC), and the HBCU Community Development Action Coalition (HBCU CDAC), with support from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA).
Four Core Sections
What's Inside the Playbook?
The Economic Partnership Alliance Playbook distills the experience of these partnerships into a set of lessons, tools, and examples that others can learn from and apply. It is organized into three sections:
core insights
Four Building Blocks of Durable Partnerships
Trust, Shared Narrative, Facilitation & Project Management, and Structure & Shared Practice — practical patterns from 24 coalitions.
Resource bank
15 Tools & Templates
Continuity frameworks, action planning templates, MOA packs, conflict protocols, and more — all free to download and adapt.
case studies
9 Communities. 9 Stories.
From rural Maine to urban Detroit to coastal Hawaiʻi — profiles of how partnerships formed and what they learned.
About the Alliance
The National Initiative Behind This Playbook
Led by NGIN with IEDC, LISC, and HBCU CDAC, with support from the U.S. EDA —Learn more about Economic Partnership Alliance.
The Alliance by the Numbers
Program at a Glance
Since 2023, the Economic Partnership Alliance has connected communities across the country with the training, tools, and peer networks they need to build durable cross-sector partnerships. Here's the impact so far.
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Coalitions
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Communities
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Core Organizations
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Orgs Trained
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Tools
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Case Studies
Progress Starts Here
Start Where You Are
Whether you're launching a new coalition or strengthening an existing one, the Playbook meets you where you are.
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New to partnerships?
Start with Core Insights to learn the four building blocks of durable cross-sector collaboration.
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Looking for Practical Tools?
Go to the Resource Bank for 15 downloadable templates, worksheets, and guides you can adapt today.
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Want to See Real Examples?
Explore 9 City Case Studies from communities across the country that have built alliances.
Take the Next Step
Turn shared vision into lasting community impact.
Use the Playbook to strengthen collaboration across sectors, align around common goals, and build the foundation for progress that lasts beyond any single initiative.