- Three Reservations Facilitation, Northwest Area Foundation
Facilitated a three-day conference of three Indian tribes carrying out poverty reduction programs: Cheyenne River Sioux, Lummi Nation, and Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians. The tribes shared successes, challenges and opportunities. (2011)
Results: Provided a written summary of the discussion and recommendations.
- Strategic Planning, Social Venture Partners (SVP)
Facilitated a process of developing recommendations regarding SVP’s role in advocacy. Work included conducting a survey of members, facilitating four focus groups, developing alternative scenarios for SVP’s advocacy roles, and presenting results and final recommendations to Board committees. (2010)
Results: The Board adopted the recommendations for advocacy work.
- Bands of Green III, Seattle Parks Foundation
Updated the 2007 Bands of Green plan and assisted the Foundation in developing priorities for which projects in the plan should be implemented next. A major concept that emerged was the creation of neighborhood green streets. (2010 - 2011)
Results: The Foundation’s Board adopted the plan. The City of Seattle is proceeding with developing neighborhood greenways.
View link ›- Parks Funding Study, Seattle Parks Foundation
Conducted a study of options to create a dedicated funding source for parks operation and maintenance. In recent years, the Seattle park system has grown as a result of public support for parks levies, but the funding for operation and maintenance has not. The CRG team’s tasks included surveying parks systems in cities nationwide to identify funding options, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, and recommending solutions. (2010 - 2011)
Results: The Foundation conducted extensive public review of the recommended solutions, including dozens of neighborhood meetings and thousands of comments. The Foundation’s Board adopted the recommendation to establish a “Seattle Metropolitan Parks District” to provide a new source of dedicated funding.
View link ›- Access to Benefits, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Worked with the foundation and the state to reach agreement on and plan an electronic (Web) portal to make it easier for people to get access to such benefits as tax credits, food stamps and college scholarships. Researched the state of the art across the nation. Made recommendations to the Governor for a partnership with philanthropy and community-based organizations to develop the access-to-benefits portal. An estimated $640 million in benefits go unclaimed each year in Washington because residents don’t know about the benefits, whether they are eligible or how to apply. (2009 - 2010)
Results: Governor Gregoire decided to support the project. Cedar River Group worked with legislators on a bill commiting the state to support the broadest possible array of benefits to be available through the Web portal. This legislation passed in the 2010 session. The portal, called Washington Connection, is now operating.
View link ›- Fundraising Agreement, University of Washington, Arboretum Foundation and City of Seattle
Facilitated a three-party mediation, including the Arboretum Foundation, the University of Washington and the City of Seattle, to identify a mutually agreeable process for fundraising for the Washington Park Arboretum and outline the role of each party. (2009)
Results: The organizations reached agreement on an approach to fundraising and are proceeding under that structure.
- Arboretum Foundation
The Arboretum Foundation is a membership organization that manages member and volunteer programs and raises funds for Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum. Cedar River Group assisted the Foundation’s Board in developing a multi-year strategic plan. Worked with the Foundation in several phases over a three-year period. Facilitated several Board retreats; conducted stakeholder interviews; worked with the Board to craft mission and vision statements; helped clarify and articulate the roles and responsibilities of the Board, staff and volunteers; and worked with a Board committee to create the draft and final strategic plan. (2006 - 2009)
Results: The Foundation’s Board unanimously approved the strategic plan.
- Bands of Green II, Seattle Parks Foundation
- Created a visionary plan for linear parks, boulevards and trails in the City of Seattle to be in place by 2025. The plan includes recommendations for trails and boulevard designations and improvements to create open space networks for the city, with two major new open-space systems: the Lakes to Sound, and Duwamish River. (2005 - 2007)
Results: Parks Foundation adopted Bands of Green as part of their long-range plan, with the Lake Union loop trail as the initial project. Mayor Nickels embraced Bands of Green and instructed City departments to implement the plan. The Seattle Parks and Green Spaces Levy, which voters approved in November 2008, included three Bands of Green trails. View link ›
- The Venture [To Reduce Poverty in Five Communities], Northwest Area Foundation
- Led a team of community leaders to craft a 10-year strategic plan to reduce poverty in five King County communities. Conducted key-person interviews and stakeholder meetings; facilitated Steering Committee; helped identify strategies and partners; wrote the strategic plan. (2003 - 2004)
Results: Northwest Area Foundation approved a $10.2 million dollar grant to the communities.
- Strengthening Early Learning in King County Communities, Foundation for Early Learning
- Served as the project manager for this federal $945,000 grant to carry out countywide strategies and a pilot project in South King County to help parents, informal caregivers, child care providers and educators provide high-quality early learning to children in underserved and ethnically diverse communities. (2001 - 2003)
Results: Strategies met their ambitious goals in the grant period. Project partners are continuing much of the work. Partners have reprinted the Getting School Ready materials, developed by the project, several times, with translations into new languages in 2010. View link ›
- King County School Readiness Action Agenda, Foundation for Early Learning
- Staffed development of a community-wide plan for the best steps that local governments, agencies, funders and individuals can take to improve the school readiness of every child in the county. (2003 - 2004)
Results: Countywide plan was adopted by SOAR, helping kids reach for the sky, and is being carried out by collaborative Action Teams. Sub-regional groups are carrying out local plans. View link ›
- Early Care and Education Coalition, Foundation for Early Learning
- Provided staff leadership to a coalition of public/private funders to build public and political will to enact policies and investments promoting the healthy development and early learning of children in Washington state. Led a statewide network of groups to mount “Born Learning,” a public engagement campaign; used Web-based messaging to gain champions who communicated with local and state policy makers. (2004 - 2007)
Results: Built a statewide network of early learning champions; and galvanized support for recommendations of the Early Learning Council, which led to legislation creating a state Department of Early Learning and a public-private early learning partnership (Thrive by Five Washington). The Born Learning campaign helped launch several regional early learning coalitions.
- Sound Families, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
- Worked with the City of Seattle and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop a proposal for a sustaining fund to assist formerly homeless families in transitional housing. Researched funding options, conducted key-person interviews, and reviewed best practices nationwide. (2002 - 2004)
Results: State Legislature approved the plan in 2004, and appropriated more than $2 million to start the Fund.
