This study examines the effectiveness of collaborative platforms in supporting local collaborations for natural resource management. It also explores how governmental and non-governmental lead organizations adopt differing collaborative implementation approaches and how these variations influence outcomes. Utilizing a natural experiment and a difference-in-differences estimator, we evaluate if the Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program functions as a collaborative platform to foster local-level Clean Cities Collaborations across the U.S., thereby improving air quality. Our findings suggest that Clean Cities Collaborations have a substantial and enduring impact on reducing air pollution. A series of subgroup analyses suggests that these environmental improvements are most noticeable in collaborations led by nonprofits and regional government councils, rather than those directed by state and local governments. A complementary content analysis provides exploratory evidence that issue definition, collaborative group structure, and inclusive decision-making processes are crucial managerial factors that contribute to the environmental improvements. These insights pave the way for more effective management of collaborative governance on a larger scale.

中文翻译：

---

全力以赴：协作平台和牵头组织在实现环境目标中的作用

本研究探讨了协作平台在支持当地自然资源管理合作方面的有效性。它还探讨了政府和非政府牵头组织如何采用不同的协作实施方法以及这些差异如何影响结果。利用自然实验和双重差分估计器，我们评估了能源部的清洁城市计划是否作为一个协作平台来促进美国地方层面的清洁城市合作，从而改善空气质量。我们的研究结果表明，清洁城市合作对减少空气污染具有重大而持久的影响。一系列分组分析表明，这些环境改善在非营利组织和地方政府委员会领导的合作中最为明显，而不是在州和地方政府指导下的合作中。补充内容分析提供了探索性证据，表明问题定义、协作小组结构和包容性决策过程是有助于环境改善的关键管理因素。这些见解为更有效地管理更大规模的协作治理铺平了道路。