Working with Strategic Initiatives

Community Partners has served as an intermediary and strategic partner to a host of foundations, established organizations, networks and others as they work to effect social change. And though each and every group comes with its own unique approaches and its own set of challenges, we have come to see particular needs common to all groups as they grow.

Community Partners uses this understanding to address certain key issues on a long-term basis across the state, on projects sometimes initiated and funded by foundations. Strengthening organizations individually, and then coordinating and supporting larger networks of groups around a particular issue on an on-going basis, have proven effective in furthering the causes of violence prevention, community technology and youth development.

Managing Complex Initiatives

Community Partners manages major, multi-faceted initiatives to meet pressing community needs for foundations and other institutions. Initiatives draw on our unique combination of strengths, which include:

• Collaborative development of creative, multi-faceted responses.

• Direct staffing or extensive multi-year program counsel and guidance for initiatives.

• Strengthening group and individual organizational capacity through management assistance, planning counsel, peer learning networks and evaluation coordination.

• Fiscal and administrative functions, such as grant and contract oversight, large-scale personnel administration, risk management, and budget planning and management.

Supporting Peer Learning Groups

Bringing people together through peer learning groups and networks has come to be seen as one of the most powerful capabilities that Community Partners offers. The benefits are enormous, as participants learn from one another, find support for common goals, and initiate collaborations to have a greater impact in the community. Our report Peer Learning: A Partnership for Growth (available to read, download or print as PDF, 369KB) provides a good introduction to this concept.

You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open a PDF. Click the icon to download the free plugin.

Example of Peer Learning
Community Partners brings together leaders of projects at similar stages of development and facilitates bi-monthly sessions where project leaders can network and exchange ideas for growth and insights about entrepreneurial management. Discussion topics are determined by the peer learning group while Community Partners provides the space, facilitator, relevant readings and other topical resources.

Facilitating Networks

Community Partners provides leadership and organizational development training and technical assistance for organizations and networks. This allows network members to focus on their goals while Community Partners ensures that the project moves forward smoothly.

Example of Network Facilitation
California Community Technology Policy Group (CCTPG) is a statewide consortium that advocates for policies that assure underserved communities reap the economic, educational, health and civic benefits offered by technology. Community Partners played a key facilitative role in the formation of CCTPG and we continue to help guide the group’s community outreach and policy advocacy activities.

Advancing Policy and Bettering Communities

Community Partners uses its expertise in addressing key issues on a long-term basis across the state.

An expertise in organizational capacity-building combined with Community Partners’ extensive connection to policymakers, governmental agencies, and academics and other thought-leaders, provides a sound launching pad for projects.

Example of Policy Advancement and Community Betterment
In the 2003 Fire Recovery Initiative Community Partners worked with survivors of devastating California wildfires to rebuild their homes, lives and, perhaps most importantly, their communities. In the process the survivors built long-lasting ties to their neighbors and developed their civic involvement skills – many have become local leaders and continue educating and mobilizing their neighbors. See Special Reports [Special Reports] to read and/or print the publications that describe the process and what Community Partners has learned.

Consulting with Established Nonprofits

Community Partners also helps established nonprofits embarking on major organizational or programmatic changes that will improve their ability to respond to community needs.

• Consulting services include:
• Strategic planning
• Establishing and facilitating peer learning networks
• Building organizational capacity
• Technical support and training to grantee organizations

Example of Consulting
In 2005 Community Partners provided 80 workshops and learning opportunities. Of those, 26 worked specifically with projects in Strategic Initiatives, covering everything from peer learning to working with elected officials.

Learn about Community Partners’ core competencies and extensive experience forming networks and collaborations. For other information, consult Frequently Asked Questions.

Back to top