Collective Impact
The world’s most urgent issues are bound up in complex, entrenched patterns that require complex, adaptive solutions. These solutions don’t reside in any one organization or person but rather in collective impact: coalitions, ecosystems, and networks of community members, organizations, and institutions that leverage their combined experience and resources for systemic change.
Coalition and Ecosystem Design and Support
Community Allies provides facilitation and governance models that coordinate the efforts of nonprofits, government agencies, learning institutions, social enterprises, funders, impacted communities, and other stakeholders, amplifying their impact and bridging historic divides of race, economics and power.
Communities of Practice
Community Allies convenes leaders of social change efforts to build capacity by exchanging knowledge, identifying opportunities for coordinated action, and establishing a trusted circle of peers for ongoing support.
Strategic Planning and Facilitation
Community Allies creates processes for organizations to make data-informed, community-driven decisions about strategies and objectives. We invite strategic thinking from a broad range of partners so that our plans are both visionary and grounded and everyone feels ownership of the results. Our plans are prioritized and backed with tactics for implementation. Because we welcome dissent and facilitate the important discussions, our strategic planning processes leave organizations more trusting, communicative, and aligned.
“Community Allies creates environments where stakeholders can come together to share their perspectives on important issues like income inequality, access to capital, and power dynamics.”
– Rudy Espinoza, Inclusive Action for the City
“Ellen has a talent for moving communities and organizations forward by combining an inspiring long-range vision with immediate, practical steps for making change.”
– Stacy Mitchell, Director, Institute for Local Self-Reliance
“Ellen was a great thought partner in developing the agenda for and facilitating a complex meeting among grantees, funders, and evaluators.”
– Kathryn Pettit, Principal Research Associate, The Urban Institute
"Community Allies crafts experiences that lead teams to sound strategy, stronger relationships, and more equitable outcomes."
– Elissa Sangalli, CEO, Northern Initiatives
“I highly recommend Ellen for her ability to navigate complex issues and multiple personalities as a facilitator.”
–Margaret O’Conor, Executive Director, Common Pantry
“Ellen has an ability to ‘hold space’ for difficult and nuanced conversations.”
– Peter Durand, Board Member, The Value Web
“Ellen is one of the most adept team leaders I have ever met.”
– Martin Sorge, Executive Director, Uptown United
“Ellen couldn't have been a better facilitator. There was an immediate sense of trust that allowed people to open to a conversation they might not have otherwise had."
– Kelli Wefenstette, Executive Director, Six Corners Association and Special Service Area #28
Community Allies supports a statewide CDFI coalition in aligning around a common mission and purpose and identifying the organizational structure to meet their aspirations.
Community Allies helps a venerable CDFI to develop a strategic plan that supports a transition to new leadership and sets ambitious goals in the face of instability in political and funding environments.
Community Allies designs and facilities a nationwide convening of systems-change leaders that elicits important lessons for the field.
