The organizational assessment for Cleveland Neighborhood Progress has recently been completed. This report, titled “Cleveland Neighborhood Progress: External Role, Relationships, and Impact”, comes at an important time for the organization. It follows a similar process that was completed in 2012, when the organization was pushing forward on a new strategic plan and approaching an innovative merger with two other community development organizations.
Now, in 2016, Neighborhood Progress is 2+ years past its successful merger and gearing up for its 2017-2020 Strategic Plan. This was an ideal time to engage partners, supporters, and stakeholders and receive candid feedback on how the organization is performing and in what areas it can be improved.
Case Western Reserve University’s Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences performed this assessment. The MSASS team, led by Dr. Mark Joseph and Dr. Mark Chupp, examined the current effectiveness and future role of Cleveland Neighborhood Progress from the perspective of various community development stakeholders in Greater Cleveland. This report is a synthesis of feedback collected through interviews, focus groups, and an online survey from approximately 300 individuals who represent funders, board members, community development corporation leadership and staff, and other partners. This assessment is intended to initiate a renewed phase of dialogue, strategizing and action to enhance our organization’s effectiveness and impact.
This assessment was sponsored by the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, and the Jack, Joseph and Morton L. Mandel Foundation and was initiated with enthusiastic support by the organization’s board and staff.
The 2015 Organizational Assessment is linked at the bottom of this article. Neighborhood Progress is also hosting three open sessions to discuss the findings and implications noted in the report. Stakeholders are invited to attend any one of the following sessions:
• Tuesday March 1st – 4:00 p.m. at Mitchell’s Ice Cream (snacks provided)
• Tuesday March 8th – 12:00 p.m. at Cleveland Neighborhood Progress (light lunch provided)
• Friday March 11th – 8:30 a.m. at Trinity Commons (light breakfast provided)
Please RSVP to Rae Shea if you desire to attend one of the above review sessions.
