Gentrification Generational changes Effective Community Engag ement Population diversity changes Population loss/gain Urban decline Through Community Transformation
Gentrification
Generational changes
Effective Community Engagement
Population diversity changes
Population loss/gainUrban decline
Through Community Transformation
Is our community changing?
What is happening?
Identify community change Identify areas of concern
stemming from the change Identify stakeholders in the
new and the old communities
How fast will the effects be felt?
Organizational planning
Is the community and our organization still a good fit?
Is my organization still relevant to the community?
Do/will we have clients in need of our services?
Do/will we have donors that will support us?
Do/will we have enough volunteers to keep our programs running?
Is the community still relevant to the organization?
Will the organization be able to operate within the community’s written laws?
Will the organization be able to operate within the community’s culture?
Be honest about community/organizational/individuals roles
What differences will the transformation bring to our
organizations methods? Does what we do now
work?How do we replicate those
successes? What percent of the
current population is involved in the organization?
Is that a change? What percent do we need
involved?
How do we find more successful methods?Are there new peer
experts or potential collaborations we can turn too?
Finding similar communities for comparison
Flexibility throughout organizational events
What actions does the board need to take?
How do we balance the new with the old?
How do we engage the new community?
Shut-ins?Distributing the word?Creating community
feel
How do we keep our current stakeholders?
Not dismissing their contribution
Explaining the need for change
Set the Tone
Keeping a community - not an individual - engaged
During the transformation Believe in your mission
and vision Create a teamFind residents
commonalities
After the transformationBelieve in your mission
and vision Mold the community
into organizational stakeholders
Recruit from new and old residential groups
Recognize and acknowledge community connections and contributions
An ongoing relationship between an organization and individuals in a community. Individuals and
organization are active change agents and mutually supportive toward a common goal.
Community Engagement:
The process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle class or
affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces earlier usually poorer residents*
Gentrification:
* en.wiktionary.org/wiki/gentrification
Potential Areas of Concern
Serviced personnel no longer in local areaLack of residents “connection” to the organization
Potential Areas of Concern
Loss of donorsIncreased need for servicesIncreased crime rate decreases visitation to physical locations
Area falls into disrepair, involving deindustrialization, depopulation or changing population, economic restructuring, abandoned buildings, high local
unemployment, disenfranchisement, and higher crime rates.
Urban decline:
Potential Areas of Concern
Lack of stakeholdersCommunity feels ‘someone else’ is taking care of the organizationGetting lost in the crowdCommunity feels smaller community will no longer have the same issues
Population loss/gain:
Significant changes in an areas population numbers.
Potential Areas of Concern
Disconnection to the organization’s goalsResidents not understanding how the mission will affect them
Significant changes in the average age of an area’s residents. For example an aging population.
Generational changes:
Potential Areas of Concern
Language barriersCultural barriers
Significant changes in the make up of residents. For example increased
immigrant population or decreased traditional families.
Population diversity changes:
Organizational Planning
Have a systematic planning process Identify common ground/identity between old and
new Identify future changes Anticipate issues Adjust future plans Be accountable
Assess group/individual board affects in regards to outreach efforts
Identify common ground/identity
Roles through transformation
Define traditional and new roles and interaction honestly Community Organization Clients Donors Volunteers Board members
Board Action Checklist Know your audience
Get out into the community Be an ambassador Community sleuthing
Articulate organizational mission and vision
Frame discussions about the organization to the audience Be honest about both
successes and challenges How the organization will affect
new community
Build relationships Listen to each other and the
community Ensure the board is representative
of the community Recommend board recruits
from new and old residents Identify areas for new services Identify areas for new
collaborations
Set the Tone
Be responsive to the community View change as an opportunity Welcome newcomers Peer learning – find the new experts Share concerns and knowledge
Community connections
Be present at community events Public relations/advertising
Audiences preferred communication methods Collaboration opportunities Be honest on the organizations affect on the
community
Additional Resources
• Chait, R., Ryan, W., & Taylor, B. (2005). Governance as leadership: Reframing the work of nonprofit boards. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
• Axelrod, N. (2007). Culture of inquiry: Healthy debate in the boardroom. Washington, DC: BoardSource.
• Gottlieb, H. (2006). FriendRaising: Community engagement strategies for boards who hate fundraising but love making friends. Tucson, AZ: Renaissance Press.
• Duquesne University SL-MSCL-513-55 201030 board resources
• Debra Beck’s identified web board resources