Other Initiatives

THE COMMONGROUND PROJECT

Conceived and launched through a partnership between MCS, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the CommonGround Project was a comprehensive capacity-building initiative that ran from 1996–1999. The project provided 14 Greater Boston multi-service organizations with a forum to become more flexible, democratic and responsive to their communities. Based in a learning community model where organizations, consultants, and funders approached the process of organizational transformation as co-learners, it gave them an opportunity for open discussion regarding effective ways for reorganizing both internally and across agencies.

Participants were afforded the time and space to reflect on their own management systems while experimenting with successful for-profit management and organizational development practices. Organizations were also able to utilize strategies of community and progressive grassroots political organizations that had already effectively and meaningfully involved constituents.

The 14 participating organizations included:
• Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee
• Casa Myrna Vasquez
• Centro Presente
• Concilio Hispano de Cambridge
• Ecumenical Social Action Committee
• Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses
• Haitian American Public Health Initiative
• JFK Family Service Center
• La Alianza Hispana
• Latino Health Institute
• Mattapan Community Health Center
• Roxbury Multi-Service Center
• Roxbury Youthworks
• Sociedad Latina

The United Way Outcomes Measurement Project

In 1999, MCS worked in conjunction with seven child care agencies affiliated with the United Way to help them evaluate outcomes their programs achieve for the community and make necessary changes to further improve service delivery systems.

Management Training For Grantees of The Boston Foundation and The United Way of Massachusetts Bay

MCS has facilitated specialized, collaborative learning efforts that have included training and networking sessions for grantees of The Boston Foundation during fiscal years 2000 and 2001, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay during fiscal year 2000.

The After School Initiative

Since 2002 MCS has worked to enhance the capacity of a cohort of after-school agencies providing services to lower income Boston youth. With funding from the Balfour Foundation and the Nellie Mae Education Foundation, MCS has begun to provide focused services to a cluster of after-school agencies.

• The Balfour Foundation's contribution as part of the Boston for All After-School Partnership is targeted to organizations in the faith-based community that provide services to lower income Boston youth.

• The generouse support of the Nellie Mae Education Foundation has enabled MCS to enhance the capacity of eight after-school agencies in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Our program includes a combination of individualized technical assistance, peer networking, and collaborative learning workshops and seminars. The ultimate objective is to assist organizations to strengthen their capacities in order to achieve higher program-related outcomes.

The Executive Leadership Network

MCS sponsors peer learning groups for executive directors of non-profit organizations. These groups provide an informal forum to network with peers and share ideas about best practices for building successful organizations. These groups are led by an experienced consultant who works directly with a group of executive directors over a three to four month period. MCS also holds seminars for board members of non-profit organizations.

If you're interested in participating in the Executive Leadership Network, please contact Maureen Pompeo at (617) 372-9400 x206.

The Immigrant and Refugee Leadership Development Initiative

Phase 2

In December of 2003, MCS - in collaboration with the Center to Support Immigrant Organizing - kicked off Phase 2 of the Immigrant and Refugee Leadership Development Initiative. Phase 1, which ran from January 2001 through December 2002, provided consulting and group training to six community-based organizations in Boston led by immigrants and refugees. Phase 2 was developed based on the evaluation and lessons learned from Phase 1. It will run through December of 2005. The Hyams Foundation is the lead funder with support also provided by the Boston Foundation and the State Street Foundation.

The goal of Phase 2 is to develop strong constituent leadership within immigrant-led organizations in order to increase the power of immigrant communities to improve the conditions in which they live. Five organizations in Boston and one in Cambridge will receive technical assistance and funding to support the development and implementation of a constituent leadership development plan, those organizations are:

· Association of Haitian Women
· Brazilian Immigrant Center
· Cape Verdean Community Task Force
· Centro Presente
· Chinese Progressive Association
· City Life/ Vida Urbana

By building the capacity of their constituents to lead, these organizations will enhance their ability to organize for social change, advocate for immigrants, and provide education and services in ways that build power for immigrant communities.

The Workforce Development Capacity Building Program

In 2001, MCS launched the Workforce Development Capacity Building Program. In 2002, six community-based organizations were selected to participate in the project that is designed to enhance organizational and programmatic capacity in the area of workforce development over a three-year period. The six organizations are: Asian American Civic Association, Jamaica Plain Neighborhood Development Corporation, La Alianza Hispana in collaboration with Oficina Hispana, Project Place, and the Vietnamese American Civic Association.

The Capacity Building Program is funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, Fleet Charitable Trusts, The Boston Foundation, and the Fireman Charitable Foundation. It is linked with a larger Boston-area initiative of local and national funders seeking to strengthen the effectiveness of community organizations engaged in providing workforce development services, foster workforce development partnerships, and advocacy and public policies in support of workforce development. The program is also part of a national, three-city effort (other sites are located in Fort Worth and Nashville) sponsored by the Rockefeller Foundation.

The MCS Capacity Building Program is designed to assist each organization to build its capacity in order to increase job placement rates, retention and wage progression. Our services to members of the cohort include:

• Organizational and programmatic assessments

• Strategic workplan development

• Identification of resources, including consultants, needed to implement the workplan

• Individualized technical assistance

• Structured training workshops

• Peer to peer networking

• Funding for organizational support and consulting assistance

MCS is participating in the evaluation of the project, which is being conducted by ABT Associates on behalf of the Rockefeller Foundation.