PROJECT GUIDE

The BEST Project has been a true collaboration from the very beginning. Local, regional and national experts from many fields willingly shared knowledge and experience that led to creation of the Pilot Project. Many of the same people have remained engaged from the beginning. Although we cannot list everyone, some individuals must be recognized for significant contributions. Flint and Genesee County: Each of the four funders contributed many staff hours to both the planning and implementation of BEST. Individual contributors include:

Charles Stewart Mott Foundation: Karen Aldridge-Eason, Ann Richards, Kimberly Roberson, Kevin Walker, Patrick Naswell, Mary Gailbreath, Duane Elling, Tina Anderson.
Community Foundation of Greater Flint: Victor Papale, Tanya Jefferson, Kathi Horton, Bev Tippett, Mary Ittigson, Julie Ebert.
Ruth Mott Foundation: Susan Pool, Denise Holaly, Jeff Mansour.
United Way of Genesee County: Ron Butler, Diana Kelly, Amy Meister, Ted Yockey, Theresa Swanson, Janet Cotton.

Hundreds of Genesee County nonprofits provided information during the research phase. In addition, first and second cohort agencies gave invaluable feedback and input regarding program design and implementation. Regional consultants and technical assistance providers have demonstrated a strong commitment to Flint and Genesee County; they have made multiple contributions to the project including feedback and expertise. Particular recognition must go to the pioneers who participated in the Pilot Project, all of whom are listed on the BEST website at www.bestprojectonline.org.

National colleagues include Peter York and Paul Connolly of TCC Group who assisted with creating a logic model for the project and went on to develop and implement the evaluation plan. Barbara Blumenthal’s research on capacity building in New York City nonprofits helped inform our early thinking. Sonia Plata at New Detroit brought insights about building readiness among small and emerging community groups. Peggy Morrison Outon, founding Executive Director at the Bayer Center in Pittsburgh shared experiences with creating a Management Support Organization in another former “rustbelt city” that is reinventing itself with the help of the nonprofit sector. Carol Lukas, now President of Fieldstone Alliance and former colleagues at the Wilder Foundation brought a national perspective about capacity building to the table. Similarly, Jim Vaillancourt, Lewis Lavine and Debb Wilcox at the Center for Nonprofit Management in Nashville shared their experience in using quantitative assessment tools in organizational development. We also thank Debbie Strauss of the IT Resource Center in Chicago for her insights regarding technology use in nonprofits. We acknowledge the ground-breaking research and thinking on capacity building in the nonprofit sector done by colleagues around the country. We extend special recognition to Jan Masaoka, Jude Kaye and Mike Allison of CompassPoint; Denice R. Hinden of Managance Consulting; Bryan Barry and Emil Angelica of the Wilder Foundation; Tom Backer of Human Interaction Resource Institute; Tom Adams, Transition Guides; Katherine Fulton of the Monitor Group; Paul Light, Brookings Institution; Deborah Linnell, Third Sector New England; Brooke Mahoney, Volunteer Consulting Network.

We would like to extend our appreciation and gratitude to the original “staff” of the BEST Project: Pat Schwertner served as the administrative assistant for the BEST Project from 2003-2005. Alice Hart began as Vice President at the Community Foundation of Greater Flint and was a founding member of the Flint Funders Collaborative, adding her many years of experience as a researcher at the University of Michigan to the project. Alice subsequently joined the project as the Associate Director in 2004 and “graduated” to the consulting pool in late 2005. Her skills and expertise were critical to implementing the CNM and TCC evaluations and professional development sessions. Anne Glendon, Principal of Glendon Associates, has served as an important steward of the BEST Project. Her expertise in capacity building and organizational development were essential to the initial research and documentation. Over the past five years, she has provided primary facilitation and consulting support to the FFC, coordinated planning and implementation for the Pilot Project as a whole, and become a vocal champion for participating agencies and the Flint community. We would also like to recognize her for developing the concept of “place-based” capacity building.

Finally, we must acknowledge Julie Lubbers of Mind over Marketing, and Cynthia Koch of CK Consulting. Julie and Cynthia took a mountain of documentation and turned it into this succinct document through multiple editing sessions without losing either their objectivity or sense of humor. We couldn’t have done it without their talents and expertise.

--Project Guide Table of Contents--

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