PROMISE PARTNERS: ORGANIZATION

Beginning in 2009, Promise Partners merged into one Promise Partners Governance Board following recommendations from joint community planning sessions. This integrated board oversees initiatives and funding for children 0-21 in Pottawattamie County.  This Governance Board includes Child Welfare Decategorization and Community Empowerment.

Decategorization is designed to redirect child welfare and juvenile justice funding to services which are more preventative, family-centered and community-based in order to reduce use of restrictive approaches that rely on institutional, out-of-home and out-of-community care. Iowa Code Section 232, which was initially enacted in 1993, states that the Governance Board must.

Promise Partners also includes an early childhood focus through the Community Empowerment Area (CEA). Community Empowerment was established by the state legislature in 1999. The legislature appropriated funds to support state and community partnerships and collaboration among education, health, and human services for children ages 0- 5. The vision of Community Empowerment is that “Every child, beginning at birth, will be healthy and successful.”

Our local board is comprised of the required health, education, human services, elected official, faith, business, consumer, citizen members, as well as representatives of the Department of Human Services and Juvenile Court Services respectively, and officials with the authority to represent county governments.

Funding and service decisions made by the board are recommended through the Promise Partners Planning Committee/Coalition.  This group is comprised of numerous community organizations, groups, churches, and volunteers.

Governance Board Roles and Responsibilities:

  1. Combine the fiduciary responsibilities of the existing local Decat and Empowerment Boards into a single entity, using the Promise Partners legal non-profit status.
  2. Membership will meet requirements of both Decat and Empowerment Boards and maintaining 51% citizen/elected officials. Total membership would be a minimum of 9 and maximum of 15.
  3. Responsible for final decisions on use of grant funds (including Decat allocation, carry forward, transfer dollars, Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning, Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, School Ready Funds, Early Childhood funds, and other grants) and oversees performance of contractors.
  4. Hires and supervises Promise Partners Director.
  5. Communicates with, seeks input, and receives recommendations from community planning committee and task teams or work groups.
  6. Analyze and report issue specific data and review performance of grant funded services and projects as appropriate.

Community Planning Coalition/Promise Partners Network Roles and Responsibilities:

  1. Large, informal group with open membership/participation to serve coordination and networking functions for all children, youth and family agencies and community partners.
  2. Focuses on “big picture” planning; resource assessments; gap analysis and prioritizing needs and issues.  Make recommendations for policy priorities to Governance Board.
  3. Creates Task Teams or work groups to address specific issues or complete short term projects.
  4. Develops and shares responsibility for implementing internal and external communication strategies to promote Promise Partners and generate community support and involvement.
  5. Communicates with and makes recommendations to the Governance Board and the appropriate Task Teams or work groups.
  6. Analyze and report issue specific data and review performance of grant funded services and projects as appropriate.

Implementation Task Teams or Work Groups Roles and Responsibilities:

  1. Standing or ad hoc (temporary) committees created to address specific issues or developmental stages, and to coordinate services for specific populations.  Membership will be determined on a case by case basis and will have deliberate overlap with Board and Planning groups when possible.
  2. Primary leadership from membership of the work group rather than relying solely on the Promise Partners Director.
  3. Develop and implement action plans to address issues and/or complete short-term projects,
  4. Make recommendations to both Promise Partners Planning Committee and Governance Board on policy priorities and use of resources.
  5. Analyze and report issue specific data and review performance of grant funded services and projects as appropriate.
  6. Communicate with and makes recommendations to the Promise Partners Planning Committee and Governance Board.

300 W. Broadway, Ste. 213 – Council Bluffs, IA 51503 – Office: 712.256.9920 – Fax: 712.322.8941