Community Connects Consulting, LLC

Team-building and leadership development through experiential learning and collaborative problem-solving

Examples:  We provide strategic planning that is inclusive, actionable, measurable, and aligned with an organization mission vision in values, organizational assessment tools for internal assessment or on-site external assessment via one of our teammates. We organize and facilitate board retreats, staff retreats, and professional development planning as well as training within our areas of expertise. We have helped nonprofit transition from being fiscally sponsored to becoming an independent 501(c). We have helped organizations develop an entire suite of organizational policies and procedures. We also have team members that specialize in program design and evaluation. 

Community engagement design and facilitation in small and large groups

Examples:  Community Connects has designed comprehensive community outreach plans, providing technical assistance to  people within governing or advisory bodies, designing and implementing communitywide surveys, guided interviews, storytelling, photo surveys of community strengths and challenges, focus groups, town halls, project management,  facilitation of coalition and task forces to develop policy recommendations, advocacy plans, and implementation plans.  

Conflict management, restorative and transformative justice, circle keeping, mediation, and conferencing

Examples:  We have conducted mediations within organizations between staff experiencing conflict or have had a rupture in their relationship. We have conducted mediations with board members. We have conducted mediation between board members and executive directors. We have conducted mediations between philanthropic funders and grantees. We have conducted mediations between community-based organizations. We have conducted family mediations. We've conducted victim, offender mediations. We have held community circles about gun violence, police and community tension. We have conduced mediations concerning a wide range of public health topics and  behavioral health concerns, as well as environmental, economic, and educational issues. Community Connects is trained and experienced in circle-keeping, healing, talking, and learning circles.  

Consensus building with diverse stakeholders on complex community development issues

Examples:  Community Connects provides balanced research and information presented in clear and accessible ways, inclusive and expertly-facilitated dialogue, accurate and comprehensive documentation of agreements as well as areas of ongoing difference.

Prepare experts to convey technical information effectively to diverse audiences

Examples:  The president and vice presidents provide a variety of coaching packages to executives, supervisors, policy makers, and front-line staff. Typically, we meet with our clients virtually or in person as frequently as an hour a week or as infrequently as once a month. Coaching sessions are designed to give people space to process complex community work in a safe, respectful, and confidential relationship.  

Community engagement outreach, recruitment, strategic communication, implementation reporting, and evaluation

Examples:  Community Connects specializes in high touch, culturally, relevant, and linguistically, responsive community outreach. From speech writing, talking point development, and press releases to training/coaching board, staff, and volunteer spokespeople, we support our clients in all their community outreach efforts.  

Curriculum design, training, and train-the-trainer development and delivery with specialized skills in deploying leading-edge adult learning practices

Examples:  We have designed self-guided online training materials, train-the-trainer materials, curriculum development, and delivered sessions ranging from workshops, keynotes, and intensive learning institutes to two-year leadership development programs and facilitated communities of practice. 

Plan and oversee events, including, but not limited to, budgeting, outreach, design, and execution

Examples:  Community Connects Consulting, LLC has organized conferences, week-long retreats, community gatherings, information fairs, and fundraisers, including project management, design, outreach, registration, content development, on-site registration, hospitality for participants and speakers, room and travel coordination, acting as the liaison with venues, managing volunteers, organizing silent auctions and raffles, and emceeing events. 

Action-research and needs assessments including, but not limited to, guided interviews, focus group design and facilitation, survey development, distribution, and data analysis 

Examples:  Community Consulting specializes in qualitative research, researching public policy solutions and gathering community perspective on policy preferences, including researching and documentation of services for resource directories to build virtual or physical community resource directories. 

Evaluation and quality assurance, including program and organizational assessment and development as well as coaching using evidence-based tools in culturally responsive and people-centered ways

Examples:  We facilitate data retreats for organizations and programs. We provide training on quality improvement, models, and practices. We help organizations develop internal and external data tools, including data collection and reporting and communication materials. We also provide technical assistance to staff who have data collection and management responsibilities. 

Engage, prepare and manage translation and interpretation services

Examples:  We work with professional translators and interpreters to provide culturally and logistically accessible community Initiatives.