America has faced defining infrastructure moments before. Decades ago, public officials and private sector innovators worked together to build the interstate highway system, modern airports, water systems, power networks, ports, and public facilities that fueled the nation’s economic growth and global leadership. Those investments shaped generations of prosperity. Today, however, much of that infrastructure is aging rapidly, public funding sources are strained, and the nation faces trillions of dollars in unmet infrastructure needs. Once again, collaboration between government and private industry is no longer optional — it is essential.
Over a decade ago, I authored a book called Collaboration Nation and the message was that government officials and private sector companies will be needed very soon if we are going to keep America healthy, safe, and competitive globally. I was a little ahead of my time in saying that, but from the vantage point of where my team works, it was easy to see that trend emerging. Public funding was beginning to dwindle significantly, and infrastructure needs of all kinds were escalating.
Relief came when Congress moved to allocate billions in funding for infrastructure projects. Those programs have been great and many critical infrastructure needs have been addressed over the last several years. Almost all that funding, however, is now gone and the country’s needs related to water, power, transportation, cybersecurity, housing, healthcare, airports, public safety, and the sustainability of all types of public assets are still escalating throughout the country.
Today, the message is even clearer. Federal, state, and local governmental entities do not have the revenue, resources, or expertise to remedy the country’s infrastructure needs or provide the safety nets for citizens, business operations, our environment, and healthcare. Collaborations between public and private sector partners will be required.
America remains behind many other countries when it comes to public-private partnerships and especially private sector investments. There’s a reason for that, and it is because most other countries needed private sector capital for infrastructure needs sooner than we did in America. But we are there now!
To respond to this time in history, and to aid public officials, the Strategic Partnerships Team will soon begin a series of podcasts that feature public officials and private sector partners to discuss how they succeeded in collaborating on successful endeavors. We plan to interview the parties and ask them to explain to others how they navigated the hurdles such as the messaging provided to citizens and taxpayers, the structure they developed in the partnership, and the way they managed a successful collaboration for the greater good.
There are, of course, hurdles to overcome when public officials enter partnerships with private sector partners. But visionary and innovative public executives are what America needs, and if they are to be successful, they need experienced partners of all kinds who are also innovative and visionary. That’s what will keep America great.
Both government leaders and corporate executives may already be thinking about how to solve some of the country’s greatest needs in ways that ensure success. We want to join that group and schedule podcasts so that other public officials and corporate leaders can see and hear about what is required for success.
We will begin reaching out to public officials throughout the U.S. soon to invite podcast guests and schedule programs. Stay tuned for scheduling announcements and in the meantime, we hope to hear from others interested in participating. We will welcome input recommending conversations about specific types of collaborative initiatives. We intend to put a very large marketing effort behind the programming, and we hope to provide a forum for both sectors to see what is possible, what is needed, and how success is achieved.
The Strategic Partnership Team now operates in 25 states, and we are adding more states regularly. Our mission since 199 has been to serve as the connection between government officials and companies that partner with them. Collaboration between the two sectors was necessary hundreds of years ago, and that trend is gaining strength quickly again throughout America.
The reality is that America’s next era of progress will not be built by government alone or by private enterprise alone. It will be built through partnerships grounded in innovation, trust, expertise, and shared commitment to the public good. The challenges are enormous, but so are the opportunities.
Across the country, visionary public officials and forward-thinking private sector leaders are already proving that collaboration works. Their successes deserve to be highlighted, shared, and replicated.
That is why we are committed to creating a national forum for these conversations through our upcoming podcast series. We believe the exchange of ideas, lessons learned, and successful models can help communities throughout America move forward with greater confidence and greater success.
The future of America’s infrastructure and perhaps America’s competitiveness will depend on how effectively we collaborate in the years ahead.
Photo by Canva
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