Innovation

The Presidio Trust delivered on their commitment to Congress which was to save the Presidio and now they are actively stewarding the mission. They have rehabilitated many of the 800 buildings, 400 which are historic, and successfully turned the ratio of investment dollars received to a ratio of 4:1, with public investments far exceeding private dollars.

For the 350 employees across the Institute, they wake up each day knowing they helped save the Presidio. They are now challenged with finding innovative ways to sustain the organization, build strategic partnerships, as well as welcome and share the Presidio with others all while creating a positive impact.

In order to create a positive impact the Trust utilizes a creative approach which requires both public and private collaboration.

As part of the public collaboration the Trust has taken a cross-sector approach and formed a Fellowship Program. The Presidio Institute Fellows program is comprised of professionals working across the nation in business, non-profits, philanthropy, academia, and government. Leveraging the wisdom of the group, individuals from organizations such as Pepsi, Johnson & Johnson, and High Peaks Group come together to tackle live challenges. Through this Fellowship program, the Presidio, as well as organizations around the world, are benefiting.

The cohort is engaged in human centered design, starting by focusing on the people the solution is being designed for and ending with what the actual solution is. Through a shared desired to learn, experiences of the cohort, sharing of best practices, and an interactive dialogue innovative solutions are formed.

One of the highlights of the fellowship program is that the benefits are extending far beyond the Presidio. For example, one recent fellow applied the lessons he learned to the building of the new Sacramento Kings arena. Knowing how important public involvement and ownership is he negotiated public financing but ensured that local ownership and jobs were a top priority and outcome. In looking at how the Presidio was saved and being sustained he knew that the Kings arena needed to be incorporated into the community and be a staple for events in order for it to have a positive impact on the community.

Another positive outcome from the Presidio Trust Fellowship program that extended far beyond the park perimeter was led by a fellow who focused on the city of San Francisco. The focus was on building resilience in communities and sense of connectedness across San Francisco neighborhoods. The lessons and experience learned through this research were supported by the other fellows and could be applied to the challenges within the Presidio now or in the future, as well as other organizations.

One final example of an innovative solution that was an outcome of the Fellowship program was the engagement of veterans beyond disaster zones. By looking at how to engage veterans into the community on a regular basis and train Veterans to assist in civic events, beyond disaster zones, create a strong sense of community amongst the veterans and resulted in benefits for society as well. This concept has begun to scale. The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy research institute that conducts studies and projects on issues such as government, American federalism, and public management has gotten involved in order to scale this concept even further.

Inspiration

The cohort is engaged in human centered design, starting by focusing on the people the solution is being designed for and ending with what the actual solution is. Through a shared desired to learn, experiences of the cohort, sharing of best practices, and an interactive dialogue innovative solutions are formed.

One of the highlights of the fellowship program is that the benefits are extending far beyond the Presidio. For example, one recent fellow applied the lessons he learned to the building of the new Sacramento Kings arena. Knowing how important public involvement and ownership is he negotiated public financing but ensured that local ownership and jobs were a top priority and outcome. In looking at how the Presidio was saved and being sustained he knew that the Kings arena needed to be incorporated into the community and be a staple for events in order for it to have a positive and sustainable impact on the community.

Another positive outcome from the Presidio Trust Fellowship program that extended far beyond the park perimeter was a fellow who focused on the city of San Francisco. The focus was on building resilience in communities and sense of connectedness across San Francisco neighborhoods. The lessons and experience learned through this research were supported by the other fellows and could be applied to the challenges within the Presidio now or in the future, as well as other organizations.

One final example of an innovative solution that was an outcome of the Fellowship program was the engagement of veterans beyond disaster zones. By looking at how to engage veterans into the community on a regular basis and train Veterans to assist in civic events, beyond disaster zones, create a strong sense of community amongst the veterans and resulted in benefits for society as well. This concept has begun to scale. The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government, a public policy research institute that conducts studies and projects on issues such as government, American federalism, and public management has gotten involved in order to scale this concept even further.

All of the innovations or projects that fellows focused on applied lessons learned through the fellowship program or provided experiences for future challenges.

Overall impact

David Smith, Managing Director of the Presidio Institute encourages leaders to “not be afraid to reimagine the role your organization plays in making the world a more prosperous place both environmentally and financially.” He further encourages and challenges others to break industry specific stereotypes- there is no reason why a government related industry cannot make money, have a deep sense of purpose, and be powerful.

Business benefit

The Presidio Trust has challenged the way that we think about government and the perceptions of government resources. Through a public-private partnership and bringing brilliant minds together to create a strong conversation and commitment to the park, as well as communities both society and the environment has benefited.

Social and environmental benefit

The concept of an urban park has been challenged by residents, companies, environmental programs and events, and community members just enjoying the views and scenery. Smith views the Presidio Institute as “a three-legged stool that has the ability to drive business through financial gains, a deep sense of purpose, and the collective responsibility and power to make the world a better place through business.”

Interview

David B. Smith, Managing Director, Presidio Institute