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Global Cleveland

Posted on February 5th, by Kauser in Organizational Development, Portfolio, Project Management. No Comments

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 »



Jewish Federation of Cleveland

Posted on February 4th, by Kauser in Organizational Development, Portfolio, Project Management. No Comments

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



City of Chicago, Department of Children and Youth Services (now Family Support Services)

Posted on February 3rd, by Kauser in Portfolio, Technology Implementation. No Comments

The Chicago Out-of-School Time Project

The Wallace Foundation funded five major US cities in 2006 to develop comprehensive Out-of-School Time Systems for youth in their cities.  While each city had unique organizational, political and funding structures, one of the goals of the Wallace funding was to integrate data and develop a comprehensive view of out-of-school time programs and program quality available for youth in each city.  Strategic Urban was selected by the Department of Children and Family Services and After School Matters to help launch this Wallace funded project in Chicago.  Over four years, we helped Chicago with virtually every aspect of organizational and technical project management.   We helped the executive team develop their organizational and partnership structure, and developed a strategy to encourage and facilitate stakeholder engagement across the organizations through pilot programs and implementing shared technologies.



After School Matters

Posted on February 2nd, by Kauser in Portfolio. No Comments

After School Matters hired us to run the Chicago Out-of-School Time Project. See our City of Chicago portfolio piece for more information. Also, check out their programs at  afterschoolmatters.org



Lorain Community College

Posted on February 1st, by Frank in Organizational Development, Portfolio. No Comments

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.



Hive Learning Network

Posted on January 6th, by Kauser in Portfolio. No Comments

The HIVE Learning Network is a MacArthur funded program focusing on bringing together a variety of organizations that are leading the efforts of digital and experiential learning for youth in Chicago and New York.  We have helped the HIVE design and implement their customized program and participant tracking system that is being used by members to share program information and support efforts to gather quantitative data on participation.  We evaluated the technology used by each member organization focusing on the systems used, how program and participant demographics were tracked, and examined redundant processes and obstacles to adopting the new program and participant tracking system.  We provided technical and policy recommendations for the HIVE to consider as they began to organize and track their programs across a decentralized groups of organizations.



Neighborhood Progress, Inc.

Posted on November 15th, by Kauser in Portfolio, Project Management, Technology Implementation. No Comments

Cleveland is a city of neighborhoods and the community development corporations (CDCs) are often at the heart of helping to sustain and rebuild city neighborhoods.  As an intermediary, funder, and program partner to many CDCs, Neighborhood Progress Inc. wanted to look at the various programs funded in the city and managed by CDCs in relation to various demographic and geographic data (population growth/decline, vacant land, commercial space, etc.) to see if data could be collected more accurately and effectively and used for better programmatic decision making.  Our work included: the development of a survey to collect production data from non-profits, data collection and analysis, design of a map series with production data and current geographic and economic factors, and documentation of next steps for continued process and data collection improvement.



State of Illinois Department of Transportation

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.



Sisters of Charity Health System

Posted on November 7th, by Kauser in Portfolio, Project Management, Technology Implementation. No Comments

This was a smaller project, but the type we love to work on as it gets us on the ground floor of what’s happening in our communities. This project involved looking at how the Sisters of Charity Health Systems’ Building Healthy Communities program might be able to better organize and collect data to begin formal evaluations for their programs.  These wonderful Building Healthy Communities programs focus on increasing the health of Cleveland neighborhoods though participation in farmers markets, dance/exercise classes, and health education. It was a pleasure working with the staff at Building Healthy Communities, Sisters of Charity Health System, and St. Vincent Charity Medical Center.  Our final report included a comprehensive review of their program details and looked at how surveys, better attendance tracking, and using the hospital’s existing CRM could streamline what they needed for reporting, evaluation, and operations.



City of Shaker Heights

Posted on March 15th, by Kauser in Organizational Development, Portfolio, Project Management. No Comments

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.