Development of Business Plan, Interim Executive Director, Program Development and Project Management

Organization: Global Cleveland (under the Fiscal Sponsorship of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland)

Over the course of 18 months Strategic Urban developed an original business plan for Global Cleveland through the process of community engagement, various stakeholder groups, and the management of an executive committee and advisory committee. Using the business plan as a guiding foundation, we worked with the Jewish Federation as the fiscal sponsor to help secure $500,000 in grant funding for the initial startup of the organization.  In addition, we worked with a pro-bono legal team from Case Western Reserve University and the Federation to secure the organization’s non-profit status and helped design and develop the organizational and program structure for the organization.  We did our usual work; setting up the infrastructure as well to support client … Read More »

The Jewish Federation of Cleveland hired us to draft the business plan of Global Cleveland. See our Global Cleveland portfolio piece for more information.

Speed To Market Accelerator Project

As part of a multi-organization grant, to help growing sustainable energy and flexible electronics companies grow in the region, Lorain Community College had the task in the partnership to look at how these growing industries would find the talent they needed in all phases of development, from start-up to production, to grow and expand in Northeast Ohio.  Our work was to help them frame the current issues around talent, work with partners to design talent management support for companies, and frame the conversation around talent with local educational partners so the workforce was not only educated for but also understood the potential market for their talents.

The Bureau of Information Processing of the Illinois DOT has taken the lead in developing and maintaining GIS data and applications for the DOT. In this project, the goals are to review existing conditions and develop a strategic plan to create a more enterprise wide model/framework for GIS use within the DOT, including the 9 District Offices. The strategic plan focuses on all the various aspects of GIS implementation: organization, data, architecture, applications, maintenance, and integration with other DOT systems and state departments.

Project Planner for Recreation and Leisure Assessment

Together with the Department of Planning and Development Strategic Urban gathered community input and desires for short, medium, and long-term initiatives and facilities for recreation and leisure within Shaker Heights. We coordinated public meetings, managing the Taskforce for Recreation and Leisure appointed by the Mayor, and worked with hired consultants to develop the Recreation Study.  In addition, we supported the Horseshoe Lake Master Plan developing a Request for Proposal for the Shaker Swimming Pool and Recreational Center. Additional responsibilities included grant research and writing for additional funding for recreation projects.

Strategy for non-profit coalition to provide low income tax counseling services

The Enterprise Foundation is a national non-profit organization that focuses on the social and economic redevelopment of urban areas. The Enterprise Foundation along with the Cleveland Legal Aid Society, United Way and other local non-profits have worked to develop a framework for establishing a more comprehensive program for providing tax-counseling services especially focused on the Earned Income Tax Credit, within Cuyahoga County. The goal is to increase the number of County residents receiving the tax credit and to help alleviate poverty in the County. Work has included the development and implementation of the program strategy as well as the implementation of technology to help manage the coalition. The Coalition website can be found at refundohio.org.

Our work with Enterprise Community included:

Design and management of Coalition committees
Implementation of key initiatives to increase … Read More »