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Approach to Capacity Building

In my work as a consultant, trainer, or facilitator with the Community Resource Center, I take my role in helping shape the future direction of an organization very seriously.   I strive to use my influence to advance ideas and practices that will help an organization achieve greater effectiveness and improved mission impact. 

The following values drive all of my work with my clients:

 

  • Staying on the Leading Edge:  While many people are drawn to the nonprofit sector because of passion around a specific mission, I am drawn to the sector because I have a deep interest in capacity building and a strong passion for helping organizations address challenges or identify strategies to move to the next level.  To do this work successfully, I believe that it is essential to have direct experience in nonprofit leadership, a firm grounding in nonprofit best practices, and a commitment to integrating ideas from the leading edge of the field into practice.    

 

  • Partner in nonprofit success:  In working as an organizational development consultant with nonprofit organizations, I see myself as a partner in helping my clients improve their effectiveness, realize greater mission impact, confront difficult challenges, and achieve greater success.  Additionally, my priority is always to do what is right for a client, not what will get me another consulting contract (even though I have enjoyed working with many repeat clients). 

 

  • Meeting clients where they are: In building client relationships, I always work to meet clients where they are, recognizing that organizational lifecycle plays a strong role in the capacity building needs of all organizations.  While all of my work is informed by proven and emerging nonprofit best practices, I always strive to find solutions that will work within an organization and will help an organization get to its next level of evolution. 

 

  • Practical and realistic:  When working with clients, I always focus my role as a consultant on developing realistic, practical, and relevant solutions.  I also strongly believe that capacity building activities are successful only if they help move an organization forward or find solutions to organizational challenges; practical and realistic solutions are much more likely to be implemented than lofty ideas that do not fit within a particular culture, are out of sync with an organization’s lifecycle, or are not tailored to an organization’s specific needs. 

 

  • Respectful:  While I bring specialized expertise to all of my client projects, I have extensive experience working in and with nonprofit organizations and have a deep understanding of the pressures and challenges that nonprofit leaders face on a daily basis.  While a consultant’s role can include delivering difficult news or facilitating challenging conversations, I always approach my work with respect for my clients and their challenges.  Additionally, another of my goals is to actively exhibit cultural competence, and I have personally and professionally engaged in work around cultural competency and nonprofit inclusiveness. 

 

  • Customized:  My clients never receive a “cut-and-paste” solution, as I always seek the right solution for each client.  While I often use time-tested tools, resources, and templates, all of my work with client organizations is based directly on that organization’s needs and any work products are fully customized.

 

I provide all of my consulting services through the Community Resource Center.  If you would like to discuss how I could help your organization address its challenges or move to the next level, please contact me.