When the Congress of Neighboring Communities (CONNECT) launched as an initiative of the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in 2008, it received national attention for its innovative, voluntary, and effective facilitation model – and still does today. CONNECT convenes over 43 neighboring municipalities, including the City of Pittsburgh, that share borders, challenges, and opportunities and its leadership represents nearly 900,000 residents of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Serving as a local government policy and program innovation and incubator, the CONNECT network provides resources, research, relationships, and the trust to act together

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