Urban Strategies Inc

Leadership development & sustainability: capacity building - the organization provides technical support and assistance to other organizations in the communities where it works. The goal of this assistance is to help build the capacity of those smaller organizations to serve more residents and improve the quality of their programs, making the community more self-sustaining. Examples of such capacity-building projects include working with small social service not-for-profit organizations to help them increase the quality of their programs and working with a business enterprise started by a group of residents to help them scale that business up.(continued on schedule o...)community services liaisons - community services liaisons are the organization's social service specialists who support residents and neighborhoods across the country. Liaisons work with residents to develop community awareness and participation in activities on the property and within the larger community. They also assist residents in self-improvement, self-sufficiency and community building. The organization developed the community services liaison position to support the success of residents in new mixed-income communities.fund development - funding is critical to the work of rebuilding communities. In conjunction with community planning efforts, the organization develops strategies for building human capital and economic development plans.the organization also designs innovative funding strategies that combine public and private resources. By leveraging and reallocating existing resources, identifying key partnerships and locating new sources of funds, the organization seeks to improve the access of children and adults to high-quality facilities and programs without placing major new burdens on cities that may be facing scarcities of resources.literacy initiatives - strong reading skills are vital to success in school and the workplace. The organization has begun to develop and implement specialized programs for child and adult literacy that are integrated with other community support services or human capital programming.resident leadership - a sustainable community must have empowered residents who have the ability to assist in the planning and implementation process. The organization works directly with residents representing past and emerging community leadership to ensure that the local voice is broad and deep. The organization engages and cultivates prospective resident leaders to build their capacity to lead through targeted training programs, and it achieves its goals by building relationships with residents, earning trust and demonstrating excellence in its product.workforce development - residents of low-income communities often have multiple barriers to employment. The organization works directly with residents seeking to re-enter the workforce, connecting them to appropriate job and entrepreneurial opportunities, supporting the development of good work habits and professional conduct and providing a set of supportive services to help them manage other areas of their lives that may impact their success at work.

Planning:community planning and human capital development - the organization works with current and former residents, public housing authorities (pha), city government officials, community organizations, foundations and other stakeholders to facilitate community engagement processes around neighborhood conditions and human services needs. The process typically includes gathering data from existing sources, both formally and informally, surveying residents, assessing service and amenity needs, holding facility town hall meetings and facilitating focus groups with key stakeholders.(continued on schedule o...)through the community engagement process, stakeholders' priorities are identified, and the organization develops a human capital plan that is integrated with the planned physical revitalization based on the community's vision. Because the organization is mindful of the existing and authentic strengths of a community, its human capital plans focus on collaboration, building on community assets and strengthening capacity while avoiding duplication of services.early project development - the organization is sometimes engaged by one of the developers, municipalities and housing authorities to assist with early development of projects. This work includes traveling to potential project sites to assess the suitability of the community for a mixed-income redevelopment, assess the human capital needs that must be addressed as part of that redevelopment, meet with local officials to engage in preliminary discussion about the type of scope of the potential redevelopment project and project costs and conduct early investigation of potential funding sources.economic development - residents in revitalizing communities desire nearby neighborhood amenities such as commercial, green, and communal spaces for convenience. These amenities also attract new residents. Communities engage the organization to develop neighborhood-based economic development plans, including new commercial enterprises and enhancements to existing commercial and retail efforts. The organization has the expertise to design business and implementation plans, capacity studies and funding/capital access plans to help communities build vibrant commercial corridors. The organization also supports the design and implementation of social enterprises that empower residents economically by connecting them to business development opportunities.enhanced schools - the organization believes that improving schools is central to every re-emerging community. For more than 10 years, the organization has worked in neighborhood elementary schools to establish and maintain mixed-income communities and support social, economic and racial integration. The organization has worked in partnership with st. Louis, memphis, baltimore, san francisco, sacramento, san antonio, pittsburgh, columbus, miami, louisville, tulsa, and minneapolis to lead improvements in physical infrastructure, governance, curriculum, technology and community engagement in neighborhood schools and support academic achievement as a tool for ensuring positive economic mobility. The organization also recognizes that setting or changing school policy is beyond its control, which is why it is critical that it not only support schools by working within the system, but also supporting the development or implementation of ancillary programming outside of school hours to support high academic achievement.supportive housing - certain populations require additional services or physical accommodations due to physical disability, developmental limitations or homelessness, and the organization is committed to maximizing opportunities for all to live successfully and to achieve the greatest possible degree of self-sufficiency where they live.the organization works with organizations representing populations with special housing needs to design frameworks and financial structures that help residents to live independently with both pride and appropriate support systems.