About - CONNECT

Neighboring communities share a wide range of issues.

With the CONNECT model, they’re sharing solutions, too. Serving as a local government policy and program innovation and incubator, the CONNECT network provides resources, research, relationships, and the trust to act together.

Our Board and Staff

Our Origins

Lifelong CONNECTers

Media Kit

“CONNECT has an excellent platform to address issues on a regional level, as opposed to individual municipalities attempting to tackle projects alone.

They provide validity to the framework, and the resources necessary for member municipalities to model and adapt, to meet the needs of the community. I am happy that Oakmont is a member of CONNECT.”

— Phyllis J. Anderson, MPPM, Assistant Borough Manager of Oakmont

“Through CONNECT, Etna has addressed policy issues that we may not have had the capacity to tackle on our own. We are proud to be part of an organization that is affecting real change in the urban core.”

— Mary Ellen Ramage, Manager, Etna Borough

FAQS

Who are our members and partners?

CONNECT members are municipalities, not individuals. Each member municipality designates 1-3 elected and appointed officials to be representatives of the municipality to CONNECT.

We partner with nonprofits, authorities, and businesses whose missions align with our work. We also work with governments and governmental agencies at the county and state levels.

Can I become a member?

To be a member of CONNECT, your municipality must share a border with a current member. Meanwhile, we welcome many partners and “friends of CONNECT” that attend our meetings and events.

Municipalities become members by paying a modest annual dues amount relative to their population. For many, this is a way to show the value they feel they receive from being a member of CONNECT.

Request our membership packet

Can I become a partner?

Email us to inquire about becoming a sponsor
Email us to inquire about collaborating as an NGO

If you are an individual or organization whose mission aligns with ours, and you would like to attend a working group meeting, please refer to the following links:

Get in contact with Public Safety & Wellbeing (LEAD, Future of Fire)
Get in contact with Infrastructure & Resilience (Climate Resilience, Solar, Composting)
Get in contact with CONNECT

How do meetings work?

While every meeting will have an agenda with key speakers or moderators, we encourage as much participation as possible to hear a variety of municipal perspectives. The substance of our work comes from hard questions and candid conversation with one another.

Executive Committee meetings are bimonthly and working group meetings are quarterly. Our meetings move around the region and are hosted by a different municipality each time so that we may become more familiar with each other and our region. If we are unable to meet in person, we meet via Zoom.

What will I get out of CONNECT?

CONNECT provides a framework for continued interaction and collaboration between neighboring municipalities while respecting the borders in place. We understand that our fragmentation causes unique challenges that sometimes can be addressed through innovative, cross-boundary solutions and communication, and we work together towards finding and implementing those solutions.

Change happens at the speed of trust, and ultimately, CONNECT builds trusting relationships between the leaders who make those changes, through shared knowledge and experiences.