All consulting projects are tailored to meet the goals and resources of each client. Examples of projects include the following:
Assessment and Planning
The Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) is a membership based community development corporation dedicated to resident empowerment and sustainable community revitalization for current and future residents of Lowell. In 2006, CBA was facing an Executive transition and decided to engage in an organizational assessment and long range planning process to chart its future course. Working with a committee comprised of staff, board members, and community leaders, Diane conducted an extensive assessment to gain an objective perspective from both internal and external sources on CBA’s strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities. Diane then facilitated a strategic planning process that resulted in a clear vision, re-focused mission, and targeted strategies and measurable objectives that would carry the organization forward. Diane worked with the staff and Board of Directors to establish a system for regular evaluation of the plan to measure results. In total, 120 people participated in the assessment and planning process, ensuring that the final plan responded to community needs.
The Boston Center for Independent Living (BCIL) is a frontline civil rights organization led by people with disabilities that advocates to eliminate discrimination, isolation and segregation by empowering people with disabilities with the practical skills and self-confidence to freely determine their own life choices and by promoting access and change in society, making full and equal participation of individuals with disabilities a reality. With over 35 years of a successful track record, BCIL understood the importance of self-reflection and assessment as a means to even further strengthen their organization. In 2008, BCIL hired Diane Gordon to conduct a staff and management assessment which consisted of material review, group discussions, and individualized interviews with staff and board members. In total, Diane gathered data from 70% of the staff (over 20 individual interviews) and 60% of the board members. Her assessment culminated in a detailed workplan, designed and implemented by teams of staff and managers. A year later, BCIL re-engaged Diane to help them review the substantial progress they had made, and craft a new workplan for the following year. The end result was improved organizational dynamics and outcomes.
Outcome Measurement and Evaluation
Diane has facilitated the development of Logic Models and Outcome Measurement Systems for several organizations. Recent clients include Parents Helping Parents, the Mel King Institute for Community Building, and the Ricanne Hadrian Initiative for Community Organizing. In each of these projects, staff and leaders participated through interactive sessions to prioritize desired outcomes and create a logic model that reflects their theory of change. Measurable outputs and the necessary linkages between resources and activities are clearly outlined. With a logic model in hand, Diane assisted the groups to identify indicators and design data collection tools and methods to measure results. Piloting new systems and learning how to use the outcome measurement system for organizational learning and improvement are included in Diane’s services.
Health Care for All (HCFA) has over 25 years of experience as leaders in public policy, advocacy, education and service to consumers in Massachusetts, seeking to create a consumer-centered health care system that provides comprehensive, affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. In 2006, HCFA received a three-year grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to focus on reducing racial and ethnic health disparities in Massachusetts by bringing together grassroots community leaders, physicians of color, medical education and hospital leaders, health administrators, and public health activists. Diane Gordon was hired as the project evaluator. For each of the three years, Diane conducted extensive evaluations, interviewing leaders in Worcester and Springfield to gather data on HCFA’s efforts in those local communities, and through meetings and individual interviews with members of the statewide Disparities Action Network, public policy and government officials, and foundation representatives. Each report summarized major findings of successes, challenges and recommendations for the future. Reports were used to improve project design and outcomes.
Diane is currently the project evaluator for HCFA’s two-year federally funded project under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) to significantly reduce the number of children without health insurance in Massachusetts.
Other recent projects include an evaluation of the Hartford Collaborative for Community Organizing (HCCO), a grant making collaborative aimed at supporting the development of a high quality, citywide system of community organizing in Hartford. The initiative was sponsored by the Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Hartford and ten other local funders.
Leadership Development and Training
With roots in community organizing and leadership development, Diane has extensive experience in working with organizations to strengthen their leadership capacities through one-on-one coaching and group training sessions.
Coaching services are tailored to the individual needs of the client. Since 2008, Diane has supported the work of Chelsea Neighborhood Developer’s Community Engagement Director through one-on-one meetings and discussion of strategies for increasing social capital and civic engagement in Chelsea.
While an employee of NeighborWorks America, Diane led the effort to create regional Community Leadership Institutes (CLI) as a training forum for emerging resident leaders. It was a natural fit for her to serve in a consulting capacity to the CLIs in 2005 when she became an independent consultant. For five regional CLIs, Diane assisted in the design and facilitation of the Executive Director workshop. Through interviews with Directors from the local organizations and work with local staff, Diane ensured that each session was created to meet the needs of the participants.
Diane has also recently facilitated workshops on Logic Models for Community Vitality Summit sponsored by Mt. Wachusett Community College, and for the Community Leadership Institute sponsored by the Combined Jewish Philanthropy.
Services to Foundations
The Greater Worcester Community Foundation launched a pilot project in 2005 to support a select group of their grantees to reach greater impact in the community. Diane assisted the Foundation in the creation and implementation of the project and has worked alongside of the three current grantees (YWCA of Central Massachusetts, American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts, and Jewish Family Services of Worcester) in developing and carrying out five-year business plans. Diane coaches each grantee through regular meetings, reviews and analyzes outcomes, and helps the Foundation to assess progress.
Other recent projects working with Foundations included grant review for the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Family Foundation and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation of Boston.