Thiving Neighborhoods Lab

What is the Thriving Neighborhoods Lab?

In response to communities around the country desiring comprehensive, holistic and inclusive growth in their neighborhoods, we created the Thriving Neighborhoods Lab. Through the Lab we have pulled together expertise addressing the key competencies needed for communities to drive toward thriving and inclusively grown neighborhoods.

With the Thriving Neighborhoods Lab, communities can obtain the expertise they need at all the various stages of the work. From vision formation to driving toward impact, the Thriving Neighborhoods Lab has the tools required to help community leaders advance their vision

Phases

Supporting communities in assessing alignment, developing a vision and creating the scope and possibility to drive equitable growth and giving the community a sense of what the "lift" would be along with providing a view of a menu of paths forward
Building out the community lead entity or expanding its capacity as well as creating a coalition of partners, service agreements and organizing structures to move the work forward
Supporting the lead entity to move forward with the plan of action

Our Services

- Community Quarterback/project leadership identification and organization formation support
- Project vision, scope, target population identification and theory of change development
- Community Quarterback formation advisement
- Authentic community engagement advisement and planning
- Asset mapping, needs assessment and market analysis
- Strategic planning for holistic development that drives toward alignment of education, housing, community development and inclusive economic growth
- Communication and public relations planning
- Brand development
- Leadership development and coaching
- Resident leadership development and support
- Organizational gap analysis and scenario planning
- Resource development, analysis and capitalization planning (funding analysis, identification and investment strategies)
- General advisory and project management support
- Board and governance role mapping and skill development
- Inclusive economic growth strategy development
- Community-based small business development
- Commercial real estate development and financial modeling
- Loan fund/Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) formation and development
- Housing strategy development
- Land use and site planning
- Housing conditions mapping
- Elevation modeling
- Real estate development and financial modeling
- Education strategy development
- Education policy advisement
- School transformation strategy advisement
- Education and student data mapping
- Youth OST program design advisement
- Creation of impact measurement strategy and plan of action
- Local government policy strategy development and support
  - Zoning, code and public funding opportunities for local governments to support
- Partnership development and strategic funding analysis