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.

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.

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.

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.