Abstract 

Many environmental nonprofit organizations (ENPOs) seek to create sustainability value by promoting environmental principles and influencing policymakers to support pro-environmental legislation. One strategy used by ENPOs to enhance the value creation process is the development of partnerships with businesses. Semi-structured interviews with leaders of six national ENPOs in the United States were conducted to examine the sources and types of value created by collaborations with renewable energy businesses, and the partnership processes and outcomes that are most desirable. The goal was to understand how and why ENPOs seek partnerships, what the potential benefits are, and whether or not ENPO leadership orientation, as characterized by their perceptions of the political opportunity structure, political ideology, and environmental philosophy, led to different views of partnerships for sustainability value creation. The finding that differences in the partnership perspectives of the ENPO leadership did not directly link to differences in the leadership orientations suggests that none of the orientations precluded partnering in general and may even have been enablers in some cases.

Gliedt T, Parker P, 2014, ?Green community entrepreneurship 2.0: Collective response or individual adaptation strategy to funding cuts in Canada 2006-2012? International Journal of Social Economics 41(7) 609-625

***Winner of the Highly Commended Paper of 2015 ***

The 2007 Mayoral Race is taking place at a time when 

Philadelphians are poised to embrace growth. They are proud 

to be recognized as America?s ?next great city,? according to 

National Geographic Traveller magazine. They also know that a lot has to 

be done to realize this potential. 

Sustainable economic growth is essential, and many of the city?s 

nonprofit organizations are committed to implementing ?greening? 

programs and initiatives that are contributing mightily to Philadelphia?s 

progress. It is critical for the next mayor to leverage the investments 

made in these programs and support their continued success.

 • A greener city is a stronger city, one better able to attract and 

 retain jobs and people 

 • Urban green spaces offer important aesthetic, economic, 

 environmental and social benefits. 

Over the last three decades, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society?s 

(PHS) Philadelphia Green program has served as both a catalyst and 

an advocate for quality open space, creating innovative ways to bring 

people, plants and places together. In partnership with government, 

residents and local organizations, Philadelphia Green has created a 

Green City Strategy that links greening to community redevelopment, 

– improving our streetscapes, and creating a vibrant environment for 

new businesses and housing. 

PHS will continue to utilize its strong track record and extensive 

network of members, community residents, and partner nonprofits 

and businesses to garner support for this bold Strategy: a vision for 

the greening of Philadelphia as a means to improve the quality of 

life, reduce crime and strengthen Philadelphia?s neighborhoods. 

The Green City Strategy is built upon PHS?s extensive experience in 

urban greening. It calls for significant improvements to the city?s open 

spaces as a means to stem population loss and attract new residents and 

investment.

Some of these improvements include:

 • Revitalizing municipal parks and public spaces 

 • Landscaping community gateways and key corridors

 • Tree plantings

 • ?Cleaning and Greening? vacant lots

 • Comprehensive planning for quality open space 

 • Education, training and volunteer management

G

reening contributes to rising property 

values, which in turn contribute to the city?s 

economic growth, according to research provided 

by The Wharton School?s study, Public Investment 

Strategies: How They Matter for Neighborhoods in 

Philadelphia. 

Property Values Increase by:

 • 9% with new tree plantings

 • 28% with improvements to streetscapes

 • 30% if they are located adjacent to 

 cleaned and greened lots 

Additional studies (conducted by the University 

of Washington) show that,

 • Landscaping adds to the dollar value 

 and sales appeal of commercial real 

 estate and boosts office occupancy rates

G

reening strategies can help reduce violence 

in our neighborhoods.

Criminologists James Q. Wilson and George 

Kelling warn of the ?broken window? theory. 

Left unmanaged, one vacant lot can lead to the 

perception of neighborhood abandonment, 

increasing crime and housing neglect.

Studies by the University of Illinois conclude, 

 • Exposure to trees and nature can 

 help reduce school violenceand 

 improve classroom concentration

USDA researchers in Davis, California found, 

 • Greening can change people?s 

 perceptions of their neighborhoods, 

 reduce violence and crime, and 

 increase neighborhood stability

Invest in Plans and Policies that Support Urban Revitalization 

 through Greening

• Implement GreenPlan Philadelphia, a comprehensive open space plan for the city.Philadelphia, one 

 of the only major cities in the country currently without a comprehensive plan for managing and supporting open space, is in the 

 process of completing its first-ever open space plan by fall, 2007. 

Support this important step toward a Green Philadelphia by providing vision and leadership.

• Manage vacant land as a significantly valuable asset. More than 40,000 derelict lots plague Philadelphia?s 

neighborhoods. Simple immediate steps such as removing debris and planting grass and trees have improved property values and stopped 

population loss and reduced crime while attracting new businesses, private investments, and residents. Over the past six years, nearly 

5 million square feet of land has been ?cleaned and greened.? The City of Philadelphia has invested nearly $12 million through the 

Neighborhood Transformation Initiative in vacant land management, the planting of trees, and the cleaning up of more than 5,500 

trash-filled lots. 

Leverage the public and private investments made to date by continuing the stabilization of derelict land and streamlining the 

acquisition and disposition process to facilitate redevelopment.

• Support development and preservation of community-managed green spaces. Community gardens, mini parks 

and the smaller open spaces that are used and maintained by neighborhood volunteers are a significant benefit to the city?s landscape. 

Most importantly, the neighborhood residents involved in these activities become the local eyes and ears of the community, fostering 

safety and security and enhancing the quality of life. 

Implement policies to support and protect the long-term viability of these spaces.

• Promote and invest in a localized approach to storm water management. Thousands of residents throughout 

the city experience regular flooding in their communities due to an archaic combined sewer system. Overflow from this system results 

in polluted rivers and streams. Test sites throughout Philadelphia are proving that open spaces such as parks, streetscapes and clean and 

green lots can in some cases be retrofitted to receive storm water and help relieve localized flooding problems. 

Leverage the expertise provided by PHS and the Water Department to implement best practices in storm water management.

• Develop the city park system through leadership, partnership and resources. Research consistently shows that 

investment in parks promotes economic revitalization, attracts new residents and makes cities more livable. Parks need vision, leadership, 

planning, resources, maintenance, and stewardship. 

Endorse the recent recommendations (December, 06) of the Parks Reform Task Force, which call for reform in the selection of 

Commissioners and provide options for increased and diversified funding for parks. 

• Plant trees in the city?s neighborhoods.In the past two decades, Philadelphia has lost over 200,000 trees degrading urban 

neighborhoods and increasing heat and pollution in the city. The current tree planting and management system is underfunded, 

inadequate, and falls short of protecting and improving the city?s ?urban forest.? A proactive new management system should partner 

with public and private organizations, businesses and community groups to sustain and expand Philadelphia?s tree canopy. 

Dedicate and leverage resources to establish and realize an ambitious tree planting goal. 

• Promote public and private investment in ?civic? landscapes. Investment in Center City?s most treasured open 

spaces, gateways and vital streetscapes such as Logan Square, the Parkway, the Azalea Garden and the Avenue of the Arts positions 

Philadelphia as a ?must-see? destination. 

Leverage and expand investment in these key civic assets. Their continued viability will provide Philadelphia with an extraordinary 

return on investment and renown as a world-class city