Principles Guiding Making Connections Des Moines

A set of principles guides the work of Making Connections Des Moines as we attempt to close the gap on results, to strengthen community capacities, and to sustain change.

Learning Culture

• Share information and knowledge broadly
• Reflect upon our work
• Apply learnings to our work

Accountability for Results

• Use results- based accountability as the framework to make better decisions in setting targets,
  shaping strategies, allocating resources and tracking progress
• Use performance measures to increase accountability

Bias for Action for Results

• Be responsive to the community
• Balance process and action
• Balance acting and reacting

Build on Community Strengths and Structures

• Build relationships and ownership through cultivating local leadership
• Engage and work across all sectors and stakeholder groups
• Promote development of new community assets and capacities

Partnerships

• Include residents in decision making
• Support the community in building its local decision-making capacity
• Create opportunities for new partnerships and build ownership of the agenda by the community
• Support families and neighborhoods in tackling issues that are important to them
• Keep our partners informed