…Our People The partners and staff of Cedar River Group bring extensive insight into the challenges of helping people work together and get the results they want. We understand the needs of public and private leadership and the dynamics of coalitions because each of us has served as a leader in these arenas….
Creating Strategies Getting results Powerful partnerships accomplish more when they have a powerful game plan. We help organizations build usable strategic plans, based on our nearly 30 combined years of experience in government and nonprofits, and extensive work with community groups and funders. Our services include: facilitating strategic planning; developing feasibility studies and business plans for nonprofits; researching successful…
Our approach At Cedar River Group, we bring a wide perspective and fresh focus to approaching opportunities and challenges. We listen. We make sure people are heard. We might be talking with the Governor one day, and on the next with a family struggling to live day to day below the poverty line. We help find new ways to overcome old hurdles and transform them into a pathway for success. Our services include: Facilitation of meetings, retreats,…
Tacoma – Pierce County Clean Air Task Force Developing community-based solutions for a local challenge Challenge The Puget Sound Clean Air Agency needed to develop solutions to reduce fine particle air pollution in Tacoma-Pierce County in ways that community members would accept. In 2009 the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had classified parts of Tacoma and Pierce County as a containment area for this form of air pollution. In…
State Early Learning Plan Setting a path for early learning from prenatal to 3rd grade Challenge Public and private actions in 2006 brought Washington state’s early learning programs together, through creation of the Department of Early Learning (DEL) and the public-private partnership, Thrive by Five Washington. But early learning was still fragmented and not connected to kindergarten through 12th grade schooling. In 2009 DEL and Thrive…
Casa Latina Good Neighbor Agreement Overcoming siting concerns Challenge What do you do when a neighborhood doesn’t want your agency to move there? Casa Latina faced this challenge in 2007. Casa Latina provides educational and employment opportunities for immigrants in Seattle. Its day labor program dispatches workers to temporary jobs for contractors and homeowners. The program had outgrown its small location in a parking lot in…
Metro Transit: A chance for good sense to guide service cuts – Kathy Elias, co-chair of the Municipal League of King County, writes in Crosscut that the Regional Transit Task Force is an example of “smart, thoughtful people doing what is right.” She notes that the task force report repreesents a major shift in policy, and that all 28 members of the task force were in agreement about the new course for Metro Transit. Other news…
Hearing from the People: Lessons at the intersection of sustainability and social justice – American Institute of Architects Seattle’s Fall ’09 “Forum” article by Cedar River Group partner Tom Byers and Trang Tu of Trang D. Tu Consulting describes our work in helping to develop “green” housing options for seasonal farm workers. Led by the Seattle Archdiocesan Housing Authority and Mithun Architects, the…
Client: 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…
…Client: El Centro de la Raza Planned and produced a community-wide celebration for El Centro’s 30th anniversary of serving the Hispanic community in Seattle. (2002) Results: Event attracted 300 people and nationwide attention, as national public television host Bill Moyers broadcast his weekly program live from El Centro that night….
Client: City of Seattle Served as facilitator of a 28-member advisory committee appointed by the Mayor of Seattle to identify and evaluate policy options to create more available housing for people at all income levels. Worked closely with the two co-chairs to develop meeting agendas and to facilitate meetings, and prepared meeting summaries for each committee meeting. Prepared agendas and facilitated three public meetings; and summarized…
Client: City of Seattle Facilitated a planning workshop and provided advice for the Office of Sustainability and Environment to develop a vision for the Fresh Bucks program, and identify and evaluate potential long-term, sustainable funding options. Wrote a sustainability plan. Fresh Bucks aims to make healthy food accessible to all by doubling the purchasing power of people who use their federal food stamp benefits (Supplemental Nutrition…
Client: Other Have led retreats for various organizations, including the Arboretum Botanic Garden Committee, Arboretum Foundation, Bayview, Bellwether Housing, Burke Museum, Dunn Gardens, Fauntleroy Community Service Center, Greater Seattle Chamber of Commerce, Harborview Medical Center, History Link, Neighbor to Neighbor, St. Andrews Housing Group, San Juan County Land Bank, SBRI, Seattle Housing Authority, Seattle Parks Foundation, Town Hall…
Client: Pacific Northwest Salmon Center Conducted a business feasibility study for the creation of a new center on Hood Canal devoted to educating people about the importance of wild salmon and the preservation of the Hood Canal ecosystem. The report, Pacific Northwest Salmon Center, The Wonder of Wild Salmon: A Real-World Learning Experience, Environmental Learning and Research Center Business Feasibility Study found that the Center is…
…An article by Tom Byers and Trang D. Tu published in AIA Forum (Fall 2009, p. 17) about “green” seasonal housing for farmworkers that is proposed to replace the 60-year-old farm labor camps in western Washington’s Skagit Valley. Download (PDF)…
Clients: Thrive by Five Washington, Department of Early Learning, Office of Superintendent of Public Education Facilitated the process of developing a comprehensive, 10-year plan for a statewide early learning system, prenatal through third grade. Coordinated the work of a multiagency management team, an advisory council created by the Legislature, a 36-member steering committee, and five work groups involving 150 people. Served as primary…
Client: United Way of King County Conducted research to help United Way determine how to focus an effort to engage business leaders in supporting early learning. Conducted telephone interviews and literature review to research lessons learned from similar efforts nationwide. Identified and invited business managers and owners to attend focus groups. Facilitated four focus discussions to determine business people’s understanding of early…
Recommendations on preserving additional farmland in King County, and increasing market and distribution opportunities for local small and mid-sized farmers in King County, including means to aggregate local products. The Roundtable comprised 35 people experienced in local farming, food processing, distribution, marketing, financing and technical assistance. Sponsors: King County, City of Seattle, and Pike Place Market Preservation and…
Client: Washington State Child Care Resource and Referral Network Coordinated six state agencies and statewide organizations to convene the Washington School Readiness Summit on November 8, 2004, and to launch school readiness teams in communities across Washington. Recruited and coordinated speakers and panel moderators; developed conference materials; coordinated logistics. Coordinated regional meetings statewide. (2004 – 2005) Results:…