Community Trustee projects

Requests for Community Trustee Projects are made available in June and are due in July of each year.

To learn more about the CTP selection process, please contact Sarah Abel at 616.771.0334.

2007/2008 Community Trustee Projects

Reentry Employment Resource Center

Project Overview
Craft a marketing strategy that recruits employers from hospitality, health care, manufacturing and construction to utilize the center.

Project Results
The CTP group reviewed current marketing materials and concluded the a specific, employer-focused message was needed.  RERC developed a new brochure targeted to the needs and questions of potential employee partners.  Additionally, RERC determined to use a one-on-one approach with the executive director as the mores effective recruiter; identify current business partners and recruit within their circles of influence; and to use large group settings for general public awareness, broad appeals and validation of the need to reentry services.

Special Olympics

Project Overview
To increase participation of qualified individuals within the Grand Rapids city limits and to raise awareness of Special Olympics and its mission.

Project Results
The CTP team evaluated the current strategies used to recruit athletes, and developed recommendations to tackle current barriers, including a simplified eligibility chart, development of key community relationships and a more focused website.

Greater Grand Rapids Reads

Project Overview
Identify key audiences (media, government, general public, literacy providers, etc); identify best communication vehicles to share messages; build a marketing/communications plan to roll our messages; and help identify committee members who can help implement the plan.

Project Results
Following an intensive review of the current organization and messages, the CTP group identified seven comprehensive key steps needed to support the marketing strategy the group developed.

Mixed Greens

Project Overview
Develop a marketing plan and long range strategy to help sustain Blanford/Mixed Greens, and to help connect it with the community.

Project Results
To assist in stabilizing the organization, the CTP team worked to develop a plan that would allow the organization to seek community input to ensure its growth as a community asset.  In addition, the group researched other nature center models across the county to establish best practices.

Senior Neighbors

Project Overview
Assess and develop new marketing strategies that would help attract and retain new clients and volunteers to help the program reach its contractual obligations. In addition, to develop an ongoing outreach and marketing strategy that is workable, productive and enables the program to increase and maintain the number of volunteers and clients involved with the program.

Project Results
The CTP group proposed augmenting the current strategy with a more active marketing strategy focusing on two areas in the community, the Kent County and Grand Rapids Library system as well as the Kent County Independent Living Retirement Communities. Additionally, strategic recommendations were made in regard to the program's internet presence, as well as, demographic tracking. Along with research and advice about printing costs and procedures, the form letters and brochures were updated and a Spanish language brochure was added.

Kids Food Basket

Project Overview
To assist Kids Food Basket in determining how to best expand their services in Grand Rapids and eventually surrounding areas.

Project Results
As a result of the inconsistency in determining student need and the importance of getting younger children the required nutrition, as new schools are entered into the program, the process for parents to opt-in to the program would be simplified. Additionally, the group recommended creating a role for a volunteer(s) to work in the role of an implementation specialist who would be responsible for assisting the school in the process of rolling out the program.

MSU College of Medicine

Project Overview
Engage with the community in developing new curriculum as the medical school expands to Grand Rapids.

Project Results
The CTP group developed a strategy for MSU to best reach the community including contacting populations identified as key stakeholders, use the stakeholders feedback to engage them and revise curriculum to include a non-medical service learning component.

2006/2007 Community Trustee Projects  

Child & Family Resource Council

Project Overview
Leadership Grand Rapids was asked to develop and implement a community audit for the Council's Connections program as well as improve marketing efforts to promote the program. The Connections program provides a free service to parents in the community to identify development issues for children with limited/no health insurance.

Project Results
Through many meetings and discussions the CTP group created a unified plan for gathering information to give recommendations to Connections based on real world insights. The task was fulfilled through different methods from focus groups to telephone calls and getting outside information from our colleagues in LGR. With this input, the group provided information and recommendations back to Connections to assist the organization with its future marketing plan.

Sabaoth Ministries

Project Overview
The team's mission was to build community awareness of the ministry through strategic planning. Specifics included a review of the organizations marketing materials and the development of a fundraising plan.

Project Results
CTP team members for this project worked closely with Sabaoth Ministries board of directors to provide practical tools to help the organization grow and prosper. Deliverables included a 3-phase development plan, board training on development, fundraising and mission building, a learning styles inventory, draft marketing materials, and an "Elevator Story" for board and staff members to use in marketing and fundraising. As a direct result of their efforts, Sabaoth's first House Party fundraiser, an idea developed by the team, was a huge success.

Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS)

Project Overview
The project objectives were to establish and implement a comprehensive database of all activities conducted during or after school by non-GRPS employees for students in the school system. The group was asked to evaluate the current data and offer suggestions to increase the effectiveness and outcomes of the programs.

Project Results
Throughout the project, the team learned that there was a significant effort underway through the Kent County Family and Children's Coordinating Council to implement a program for providing schools with a person or entity to contact for easy access to all public and non-profit services available to students in GRPS. Since the program was not yet in place, the team transitioned their project focus to address the content and format of the database. The finished product lists all non-GRPS programs offered at each school, a United Way web address and information about 211. Recommendations from the team suggested that GRPS provide a paper copy to each school, include the information online, and designate a "go to"person who has working command of this information until the Coordinating Council implements its program.

Project Safe 4 Kidz

Project Objectives
The CTP team was asked to assist in creating a community-wide prevention model that for integration into schools and other social environments that teach children and adults. Project partners included the Child & Family Resource Council, Children's Assessment Center, DeVos Children's Hospital Child Protection Team, Grand Rapids Public Schools, Kent County Health Department Sexual Assault Team, KISD, Life Guidance Services and the YWCA.

Project Results
Early on, the CTP team determined that the Grand Rapids Public Schools should be a focus for this project. The group developed a comprehensive survey for use as a model to collect data from other school systems. In the future, several members of the CTP team will conduct additional research to determine the effectiveness of the program, educate the State of Michigan about this need, and increase the level of participation of all schools state-wide in a "Kidz Have Rights"program.

Community Revitalization and Economic Development Center (CREDC)

Project Overview
The Community Revitalization and Economic Development Center (CREDC) is a new non-profit with a mission of "implementing outcome based health, economic, social and educational programs to address and effect positive and systemic changes in the lives of youth, adults and families that reside in the inner city of Southeast Grand Rapids." CTP team members were asked to assist CREDC with developing board member job descriptions, recruitment strategies, and strategic planning.

Project Results
Early on in the process, the team understood that there was no need for to "reinvent the wheel". Each member of the team had served on non-profit boards, and had access to other examples of the necessary materials as well as the knowledge of what works well and what doesn't't. Individual members tracked down relevant materials and modified them to fit the needs of CREDC. As a result of the team's efforts, CREDC now has a comprehensive Board binder to assist them in the development of their organization.

Kent District Library (KDL)

Project Overview
The CTP group was asked to identify and conduct an analysis of tax-supported agencies/organizations in West Michigan that have secured perpetual funding. The group's findings and recommendations will be utilized by KDL's leadership team for future strategic planning.

Project Results

As the group began work on the project, the focus shifted to determine if a perpetual millage was legal for KDL to undertake. After some research and inquiries with other, the team determined that a single, simplistic solution for funding does not exist. As a result, the team presented recommendations to the KDL management team to assist them in their strategic planning process.