Collaborations, Coalitions, Partnerships

We design, initiate and manage multi-stakeholder collaborations and coalitions, strategic partnerships and service integration efforts. Our work with collaborations is grounded in original research on intergroup dynamics and best practices, and ongoing literature review.

Our clients include coalitions and collaborations, as well as technical assistance providers, foundations and government agencies invested in collaboration success. We support staff working with collaborations, providing guidelines, training materials, organizing and evaluation. We also coach collaboration leaders, convene peer support networks and offer training to increase skills and knowledge.

In addition to creating and assisting emerging collaborations, we address the distinct concerns of mature coalitions and partnerships. Years old, these groups have already achieved their initial goals, weathered changes in membership and funding, and established effective means of coordinating and transforming assets to address new terrain. Some have created entirely new approaches and perspectives on social issues, and others have gained real power. Sustaining the effort, managing complex relationships and going to scale pose new demands which entail different approaches and resources.

Sample projects:

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE: Co-authored an eight-session national training manual, Engaging America, on leadership, coalition-building and advocacy to guide intergroup work of AJC’s local chapters (2004-5)
SUPPORTIVE HOUSING NETWORK OF NY: Assisted this statewide network of 200 non-profit organizations spanning low-income housing, mental health and poverty issues. Helped refine plans for leadership development, member services, advocacy and public education (2002)
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY: Developed a strategy for ACS to incorporate collaborative approaches to fighting cancer throughout its departments and local chapters. Created workshops, written materials and interactive tools; trained core staff and volunteers. (1999-2000).
MEDICAL AND HEALTH RESEARCH ASSOCIATION OF NYC, INC.: Designed models for collaboration among NYC’s federally-funded HIV/AIDS organizations; assessed support needs; prepared technical assistance staff to cultivate and sustain collaborations. (1997).
NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, Division of HIV Education, Outreach and Community Development: Redesigned and convened a citywide coalition of adolescent service providers, government agencies, youth and people with HIV/ AIDS (1993).

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Community Organizing and Planning

Our research-based, experiential approach engages communities in envisioning and creating change. We facilitate organizing projects and comprehensive community planning efforts, and design strategies and campaigns. To deepen community capacity, we prepare new organizers, and develop grassroots leaders for community-building, organizing around specific issues, and advocacy efforts. We also conduct research to inform the field of organizing.

Beth Rosenthal, Collaboration and Change principal, has over 30 years experience as an organizer and trainer of other organizers. She cultivated dozens of organizers working on housing, youth and community safety, during her tenure as Director of the Washington Heights-Inwood Coalition in the 1980s. She has been a field instructor for 28 social work student organizers from five universities, and has created and taught organizing courses at the City University of NY (York and Hostos Community Colleges), and New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service.

Sample Projects:

NORTHERN MANHATTAN COLLABORATES!, a Neighborhood Based Alliance of over 500 organizations, led by Alianza Dominicana, evolved from five years of inter-sector organizing and bridge-building. This NY State-funded comprehensive research, planning and development initiative coordinated efforts for housing, economic development, early childhood resources, education, health, immigration, family issues, mental health, environment, safety, substance abuse, youth, and seniors, creating ongoing committees to sustain the effort. The collaborative’s work led to a Neighborhood Strategies Project grant for economic development from the NY Community Trust, and inclusion in a federal Empowerment Zone. (1994)
COMPREHENSIVE COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION PROGRAM / THE SURDNA FOUNDATION: Prepared staff of six community development corporations to implement community organizing, outreach and collaboration efforts in a national demonstration project in the South Bronx (1992 – 1993).
STRYCKER’S BAY NEIGHBORHOOD COUNCIL. Coordinated a 10 month strategic planning project involving community residents and service providers of the Upper West Side Urban Renewal Area in Manhattan. (1995-1996)
NYC COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AGENCY (now DYCD):Helped the Commissioner to restructure the agency’s design for community participation in NYC’s 44 low income districts. (1993)

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Organizational Development and Capacity-Building

Collaboration and Change creates non-profit organizations working on diverse issues, and strengthens them through multiple approaches, over the full spectrum of their development. Our capacity-building services include a flexible mix of consulting, coaching, training and facilitation, customized for maximum fit with client needs.

Emerging Organizations
We help to shape mission, vision and goals; determine their role and niche within their field and community; establish an organizational framework; initiate programs and processes; prepare leadership and staff. In building the capacity of new organizations we:

Incorporate and establish a new organizations
Facilitate visioning and planning sessions
Coach founders
Explore the field/environment to inform program priorities and approaches
Develop governance structures and processes
Research potential funders and provide grant writing assistance
Assist with initial marketing and outreach
Develop internal operating systems
Design programs

Established Organizations

We assist executive directors, management and board members to tackle challenges and achieve new goals, and work with staff and volunteers to develop new skills and implement effective programs. Assessment, participatory processes and application of best practices inform all of our interventions.

Assistance includes:

Strategic planning, including research on conditions, populations, issues, and engagement of community members and other stakeholders
Updating mission, vision and goals
Enhancing organizational alignment and focus commitment
Board development for effective governance and community impact
Program design, development and retooling
Financial planning and fundraising strategy development
Staff and leadership development; enhancing supervision skills
Evaluation (program, process, impact)
Communication, teamwork and service integration
Designing advocacy approaches to advance mission and constituency
Designing strategies for marketing, outreach and community participation
Restructuring and change management
Training of trainers, strategies for continuous learning

Intermediary Organizations, Coalitions,
Networks and Government Agencies

We approach the inter-agency entity as the client, working with them directly and also providing customized training and consulting for member organizations.

Assistance includes:

Customize services for groups of organizations engaged in joint efforts or linked by common grants or membership in a larger network
Design and coordinate shared resources and services
Design organizing campaigns involving multiple organizations
Implement joint advocacy initiatives: public education, policy and legislative change
Initiate and manage collaborations, networks, and partnerships

Short Term Assistance:

Project management
Write reports and proposals
Facilitate meetings and retreats
In-service or community training (see Workshops for list of topics)

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Organizational Change

We facilitate strategic planning processes; design and expand programs; lead efforts for organizational restructuring; create systems for teamwork, program integration, and enhancing diversity; develop boards, leaders and external partnerships; coach management; evaluate results and opportunities.

Sample efforts:

JUST FOOD: Formalized a loose network of food, hunger, rural and educational advocacy groups into a not-for-profit regional organization (1996). Organized FOOD JUSTICE for the PUBLIC GOOD: A NYC SUMMIT ON FARMS AND FOOD, involving diverse stakeholders in the regional food system to promote integrated advocacy strategies (2004).
COMPREHENSIVE DEVELOPMENT, INC.: Coached and facilitated a year-long organizational development effort involving staff and collaboration partners, to rethink priorities, integrate services and streamline operations for high school support resources (1999-2000).
ST. VINCENTS HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL CENTER, Patient and Family Relations & Human Resources Departments Developed inservice training and policy review to increase cultural competence in the delivery of health care (1997).
LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL and TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY CENTER: Board development and organizational planning for transition to their new facility (1996).
NEW YORK IMMIGRATION COALITION: Improved board communication and decision-making processes (1996) .
Office of Homeless and Hungry, CATHOLIC CHARITIES, ARCHDIOCESE OF NY: Initiated a community center in East Harlem (1995).
Spanish-Speaking Elderly Council / RAICES: Assisted board and senior staff to plan for acquiring additional senior centers and establishing an income-producing mental health clinic (1994).

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Applied Research

Conduct policy analysis, literature reviews and environmental scans on emerging issues and approaches
Lead comprehensive, participatory community needs and resource assessments
Conduct targeted market research, focus groups, interviews and surveys
Write concept papers and proposals
Create curricula for distance learning, academic courses and on-site training

Selected efforts:

INSTITUTE FOR EDUCATION AND SOCIAL POLICY, NYU Steinhardt School of Education. Field research, interviews, and writing for The Implications of Community Organizing For Public Education Reform, a study of eight exemplar Mott Foundation grantees (2003 - 2005).
http:www.nyu.edu/iesp
RESEARCH CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP IN ACTION, NYU Wagner School of Public Service (2003 – ) Participate in RCLA’s research, cooperative inquiry and consulting to strengthen public sector leadership. Efforts included writing for LEADERSHIP FOR A CHANGING WORLD, a joint program with The Ford Foundation and the Advocacy Institute.
http://wagner.nyu.edu/leadership/
THE HEALTHCARE FORUM, San Francisco, CA: Created curricula for Creating Healthier Communities Fellowship Program distance learning module, Collaboration, Facilitation, Organizing and Diversity. Convened on-line computer conference and a national learning intensive using the curricula (1996-1997)
NEW YORK FOUNDATION: Studied grantees’ knowledge of community organizing and planning, and created training series to address identified skills and issues (1994-1995). Findings were published in an article in Journal of Community Practice. Vol. 5(4) (see publications).
CHILD WELFARE FUND: Assessed consumer advocacy in child welfare. Study led to the formation of the Child Welfare Organizing Project, a citywide consumer-led advocacy initiative (1994).
EDNA McCONNELL CLARK FOUNDATION: Conducted ethnographic fieldwork with relocated homeless families, to design an intensive case management program and inform national policy (1989-90).
THE WOMEN ORGANIZERS PROJECT c/o Education Center for Community Organizing at Hunter College Graduate School of Social Work, CUNY, was co-founded by ten activist women including Beth Rosenthal. The project conducts research on feminist organizing practice and principles, coordinates conferences, and produces articles, curricula, and videos. (1987 - ongoing).
http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/socwork/ecco/