Is our community changing?

Gentrification - the process of renewal and rebuilding accompanying the influx of middle class or affluent people into deteriorating areas that often displaces earlier usually poorer residents*

Urban decline - Area falls into disrepair, involving deindustrialization, depopulation or changing population, economic restructuring, abandoned buildings, high local unemployment, disenfranchisement, and higher crime rates.

Population loss/gain - Significant changes in an areas population numbers.

Generational changes – Significant changes in the average age of an area’s residents. For example an aging population

Population diversity changes - Significant changes in the make up of residents. For example increased immigrant population or decreased traditional families.

* en.wiktionary.org /wiki/gentrification

Community - Organizational Fit

Is my organization still relevant to the community?

Do/will we have clients in need of our services?

Do/will we have donors that will support us?

Do/will we have enough volunteers to keep our programs running?

Is the community still relevant to the organization?

Will the organization be able to operate within the community’s written laws?

Will the organization be able to operate within the community’s culture?

What do we need to change?

Does what we do now work?

How do we replicate those successes?

What percent of the current population is involved in the organization?

Is that a change?

What percent do we need involved?

How do we find more successful methods?

Is there new peer experts or potential collaborations we can turn too?

Community sleuthing

Finding similar communities for comparison

Flexibility throughout organizational events

Board Actions

Articulate organizational mission and vision

Know your audienceo Get out into the communityo Be an ambassador

Ensure the board is representative of the community

o Recommend board recruits from new and old residents

Anticipate issues

Build relationships

Listen

Be honest

Frame discussions about the organization to the audience

o Stories, honest success and challenges o How will it affect new community

Identify common ground/identity

Identify new areas for new services

Identify areas for new collaborations

For More Information

• Chait, R., Ryan, W., & Taylor, B. (2005). Governance as leadership: Reframing the work of nonprofit boards. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

• Axelrod, N. (2007). Culture of inquiry: Healthy debate in the boardroom. Washington, DC: BoardSource.

• Gottlieb, H. (2006). FriendRaising: Community engagement strategies for boards who hate fundraising but love making friends. Tucson, AZ: Renaissance Press.

• Duquesne University SL-MSCL-513-55 201030 board resources: http://governforcommleadership2010.pbworks.com/

• Debra Beck’s identified web board resources : http://delicious.com/debbeck/sharing

• Maintaining community engagement through community transformation slideshow: http://www.slideshare.net/kgb2156/community-engagement-through-community-transformation

Maintaining Community Engagement through a

Community Transformation