Community

Watch the Leadership DeKalb Community Service Project NPO Open House from July 28th, 2021. The Leadership DeKalb CSP Co-Chairs discuss the benefits of the program and details of the application process with liasons and LD staff.

Through the Community Service Projects (CSP), the current class assists local nonprofit organizations (NPO) with projects relating to marketing strategy development, key messaging development, membership strategy development, growth strategy development, operation effectiveness, business & strategy planning, environmental scanning (e.g., trend/pattern analysis and opportunity/threat assessment. Does not refer to sustainability), organizational design and use of resources.

The class will break into small teams to work on the projects; a liaison from the CSP Committee will facilitate the meetings between the class and the NPO. Selected projects will span from fall to late spring and consist of 20 – 35 consulting hours. Applications for next year's CSP program will be available in June.

Since beginning the CSP program in 2014, Leadership DeKalb has partnered with 54 different Non-profit organizations on a variety of projects.

Class of 2014

• Day League – Developed a marketing communications plan to announce the rebranding of Day League from the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center
• DeKalb Symphony Orchestra – Developed a plan for increasing attendance and audience affinity with young adults and families
• Friends of Disabled Adults & Children (FODAC) – Helped the organization become more efficient in the way they executed their process
• Habitat for Humanity DeKalb – Developed a marketing plan to make the organization more visible to county stakeholders and expand its identity within the county
• Mountain View Personal Care Home – Developed a marketing communications plan and created tools and templates to execute it
• Senior Connections – Developed a marketing plan for the expansion of their Connections Catering program
• Whitefoord – Developed a plan for identifying and recruiting new nonprofit partners in DeKalb and Fulton Counties

Class of 2015

• The Frazer Center – Developed a communications/outreach plan to attract local businesses and residents to the Frazer Center
• Literacy Action – Helped the organization revamp its volunteer management process
• HomeAid Atlanta – Developed a marketing plan to help reach potential volunteers and donors
• Atlanta Legal Aid – Developed a strategic marketing plan to help increase community awareness of its program in an effort to raise local support and funding
• Metropolitan Counseling Services – Helped the organization explore, research and propose alternative business models to consider as the landscape of mental health treatment changes
• Citizen Advocacy of Atlanta & DeKalb – Helped increase community awareness by developing new models to be used to help raise awareness of the problems faced by developmentally disabled citizens and how citizens can become advocates.
• Resident Services Corporation of DeKalb – Developed a marketing plan to engage key stakeholders and potential participants and assisted with the creation of key messaging for the Family Self-Sufficiency Program’s sustainability.

Class of 2016

• I Will Survive - Provided a Logic Model, identifying the organization’s inputs, outputs, and short- and long-term goals, which helped clarify its mission and will aid its efforts to apply for grants.
• Side by Side Clubhouse – Provided a branding plan that tells the story of Side by Side Clubhouse and its members through traditional and social media and helps increase attendance at the annual fundraising basketball game
• ICARE – Developed a marketing plan to recruit volunteer drivers to enable them to serve more constituents.
• Atlanta Women for Equality - Developed strategic planning tools designed to support development and sustainable growth of the organization; consulted on how to use those tools to prioritize needs and plan for implementation
• Breakthru House - Identified additional potential referral agencies and examples of mixed funding, long-term addiction treatment centers; fostered the understanding of the need and steps for CARF certification, and provided a detailed, multi-faceted marketing communications plan
• Youth Entrepreneurs Georgia - Delivered marketing plan designed to educate and create awareness.

Class of 2017

• Senior Connections – Reviewed and studied fundraising trends that affect landscape of future campaigns
• DeKalb County CASA – Developed robust plan for marketing and outreach, including creation of new tagline, improved annual event and plan for increased volunteer recruitment and retention.
• Brighter DeKalb Foundation – Developed marketing plan with improved web/internet presence to increase visibility and brand recognition, community awareness to engage and inspire audiences, generate support and increase volunteer engagement.
• DeKalb History Center – Developed plan to increase membership focusing on business members and increased diversity
• Habitat for Humanity Doraville ReStore – Created marketing plan to establish association between ReStore donations and purchases and housing solutions
• Clarkston Community Center – Developed strategies for growth that included engagement, community outreach and review of fundraising strategies
• Positive Growth, Inc. – Developed marketing plan to increase growth potential

Class of 2018

• Callanwolde – Developed marketing/communication plan to expand participation in arts classes and school field trips with the goal of increasing diversity
• DeKalb Library Foundation – Developed a plan to address engagement and cultivation section of organization’s strategic plan to meet goals of increased visibility of Library’s services and programming
• Georgia Community Support & Solutions/ INCommunity- Strengthened merger of two organizations by helping to develop Volunteer Handbook and Recruiting material
• Kate’s Club – Delivered an environmental scan of data from surveys of memberships, trends and efficacy of programming in preparation for organization’s full strategic planning
• Lifeline Animal Project – Helped identify ways to prevent animals from entering shelters in DeKalb County
• NETworks Cooperative Ministry – Developed logistics and program structure to help grocery co-op grow to meet needs of the community
• PAL-PLUS – Helped solidify the foundational structure of PAL – PLUS for perpetual sustainability and continued community impact by creating a plan for board recruitment, internet/web presence, fundraising toolkit and measuring success.
• DeKalb County Felony Mental Health Court Foundation – Provided strategic guidance and resources to strengthen DeKalb County Accountability Court Foundation (DCACF) to determine solutions for issues such as obtaining and storing critical items, confront transportation challenges, locate additional entertainment options and suggest administrative improvements

Class of 2019

• Atlanta Master Chorale – Developed plan for increased community engagement, staffing and support - providing specific Resource Guide and Tool Box for immediate implementation
• Decatur Book Festival – Expanded current model beyond geographic boundaries, upping the cool factor, increasing celebratory component and including extensive outreach to involve more young people
• Decatur Education Foundation – Developed survey tool and recommended best practices and alumni management platforms to discover and involve alumni and friends in order to increase financial support and volunteer efforts
• Helping Mamas – Developed comprehensive communications plan with custom media outreach deliverables to share message, expand reach, and connect Helping Mamas to Mamas needing help
• JF&CS – Developed questionnaire and assessment tool that identified two specific DeKalb zip codes for expanded agency services and will be used for future targeting of new partnerships and expansion of inclusion and diversity
• Little Creek Farm Conservancy - A SWOT analysis led to a plan to increase awareness, growth and sustainability to enable this hidden gem to expand capacity of programs that excite passion in the varied stakeholders
• SeedWorks: PushPush Film & Theatre – Created a plan for a sustainable foundation as conduit and advocate for artists in metro Atlanta - providing connection, expansion and collaboration among partners.
• Woodlands Garden of Decatur – Developed a plan for increased awareness and expanded community engagement in order to increase opportunities for neighborhood support.

Class of 2020

• Atlanta Hospital Hospitality House – Created Board Development and Partnership Tool Kit that ensures continued future of providing a comfort zone for guests in order to lower anxieties and stress to focus on health issues..
• Clarkston Development Foundation – CDF Action – Developed a plan for enhanced marketing and successful expansion of Clarkston Tell Me a Story Festival to significantly impact early learning literacy in the community.
• Georgia Tree Council – Developed strategies to assist the organization with growing its membership, program attendees, and sponsors.
• Kyle Pease Foundation – Created a comprehensive Operational Handbook to capture fundamental principles and practices to guide future growth and expansion of the organization.
• NAMI-DeKalb – Developed strategies for both the engagement and retention of volunteers, and improved marketing efforts.for the organization’s community offerings.
• Partners in Action for Healthy Living – Developed a realistic roadmap to chart the organization’s future course of growth as a healthy and sustainable community resource.
• Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance – Developed a volunteer strategy to address limited human resources and strengthen the organization as it prepares to enhance staffing.
• Thanks Mom and Dad – Updated messaging, modernized website and developed comprehensive Fundraising Tool Kit to be easily tailored and implemented by diverse organizations in support of the organization’s mission.

Class of 2021

• Georgia Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing - Conducted surveys with nationwide organizations and performed a SWOT analysis focused on expanding GCDHH community support program.
• The Elain Clark Center - Conducted detailed surveys with key stakeholders to inform future developments and programing for the organization.
• The Museum School - Developed an overall marketing strategy and key messaging that showcases the school's local and national leadership in quality public education.

Class of 2022

• 3 Keys
• Clarkston Community Health Center
• Clubhouse Atlanta
• I Will Survive
• Funeral Consumers Alliance