Stage 1: Getting Together (envision results)

• Decide to act – assess the need for collaboration and your own readiness to collaborate
• Bring people together and involve the right people
• Set initial ground rules
• Begin to build trust
• Evaluate the progress 

Stage 2: Building Trust & Ownership (empower ourselves)

• Engage partners
• Confirm organizational roles & develop a common base of knowledge
• Define shared vision
• Commit to collaborate
• Revisit & revise ground rules, including how conflict will be resolved
• Identify planning resources
• Evaluate progress

Stage 3: Developing a Strategic Plan (ensure results)

• Develop a mission
• Assess the environment & collaborative capabilities
• Establish well-formed goals
• Examine & select strategies
• Develop a plan of action
• Create joint systems
• Evaluate progress 

Stage 4: Taking Action (endow continuity)

• Formalize interagency relationship – written agreements
• Implement plan of action
• Deepen collaborative culture
• Create visibility – involved the community
• Adapt & expand the initiative
• Evaluate progress