The activities listed below are planned for 2006:
- Establish Marketing and Communication Strategies for COO Counties
Through collaboration with the County Councils in each geographic site, a marketing and communications strategy will be established to update local citizens, partners, and donors on the work and successes of the County Council as the community change evolves.
- Develop a COO AmeriCorps*VISTA Project (initial strategy for local staff
development)
Six AmeriCorps*VISTA volunteers, three in each COO site, will be recruited to work collaboratively with priority area projects in each county. The County Council, partner organization representative(s), and the COO staff will establish job descriptions and schedules for workers.
- Provide Organizational Capacity Building Support to Community Development Corporations in COO Counties. LISC will continue to build the capacity of COO community development corporations throughout 2006.
- Provide Funding Opportunities for Priority Area Community Grants that Fulfill the Goals of each County's Strategic Plan.
- Provide Specialized Leadership Development Activities to Support Human Capacity Building for Community Change.
Develop new and emerging leaders (18-35 years of age) for future generations through LeadershipPlenty® /Civic Engagement training for community change.
Enhance the leadership skills of Certified LeadershipPlenty® Trainers, Community Liaisons, and County Council members through a review of the LeadershipPlenty® curriculum and a strategic plan for implementing best practices for Civic Engagement.
Provide opportunities for facilitated dialogue, by Study Circles Resource Center staff, on issues of racism, race relations, and other public problems and demonstrate how this process can help citizens answer questions and work together to create positive community change.
Build the capacity of County Councils through training in Nonprofit Organization Development, Board Development and Governance, Building Strategic Alliances, etc.
- Provide Learning Visit Site Opportunities to a Cadre of County Council and Partner Organization Representatives to Visit Regional and National Community Building Models
- Provide opportunities for community stakeholders to convene special assemblies to review and introduce new and innovative community change projects
- COO Data Collection and Analysis
The Center for Community & Economic Development at Delta State University has been contracted to document the history and progress of the Communities of Opportunity initiative. Additionally they will assist in collecting data for the Success Measures program
- Implement Success Measures
This program is designed to build capacity among community-based organizations to use participatory outcome measurement for program improvement, demonstrating results, and using those demonstrated results to leverage resources on multiple levels.
Metrics - Benchmark data have been established for each major component of the COO initiative. To be most effective, outcome evaluation must be a way of measuring success for each County Council and the Communities of Opportunity staff. Success Measures training is based on peer learning, it supports future networking and support among participants. Ultimately, Success Measures can be used to quantifiably demonstrate the impact that an organizations activities have on individuals, families, and communities and to share this information with stakeholders and funders. This information can be used to inform planning, program improvements, strategic investments and more.
Additional Information:
>>> Goals
>>> History
>>> COO Accomplishments
Download the entire document:
>>> Communities of Opportunity: Moving Forward in 2006
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