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