In 2018, CRE worked with six organizations that reach New Yorkers in all five boroughs. The 2018 CRE Rising Fund awardees were Black Agency Executives, The BLK Projek, Building Beats, F.Y. Eye, Kings Against Violence Initiative, and New Sanctuary Coalition.
Information on sample projects is available below. These examples describe the scope and size of projects that can be completed through the CRE Rising Fund. The key to success is a clear scope with specific deliverables, as well as staff and Board members at the awardee organization who are engaged and able to commit their own time to these projects.
- Project request: Retreat focused on visioning and strategy development
- CRE consulting services provided: Theory of change retreat
- Outcomes:
- Clarity and affirmation about the organization’s vision, mission, and core values
- Shared agreement on target population, long-term impact, and future opportunities
- Deliverables:
- Strategic blueprint outlining the organization’s theory of change to guide future actions and decisions
- Project steps:
- Needs assessment and kickoff
- Planning and design (over the course of 3 weeks, with client check-ins)
- Pre-retreat check-in
- Full-day retreat
- Post-retreat documentation of strategic blueprint
- Project request: Strategic planning
- CRE consulting services provided: Strategic planning
- Outcomes:
- Alignment on the organization’s mission, purpose, desired long term impact, and core program areas
- Clarity and agreement on goals & strategies for the next 3-5 years with indicators of success
- Clarity about how future strategies are screened and prioritized
- Deliverables:
- A high level three-year strategic plan with a description of chosen priorities and goals, and strategies
- Project steps:
- Needs assessment and kickoff
- Data collection (1 month): Three interviews plus a survey to the organization’s larger community of stakeholders
- Two 3-hour planning sessions with Board + staff
- One closeout meeting
- Project request: Partner engagement (to gather information about how clients and partners are currently engaging with the organization’s core program, assess potential options for the future, and evaluate next steps for expansion)
- CRE consulting services provided: Program planning
- Outcomes:
- Clarity and alignment on the desired impact of the organization’s core program
- Shared agreement about the core program’s goals and core strategies for the next 3 years
- Deliverables:
- A Program Strategy Plan that includes a stakeholder analysis, programmatic goals for improvement and expansion in the next three years, and an outline of implementation steps
- Project steps:
- Needs assessment and kickoff
- Data collection (1 month): Document review, three staff interviews, and one focus group
- Two 2-hour meetings with the organization’s team
- One closeout meeting
The 2017 CRE Rising Fund awardees were Council of Urban Professionals, Haiti Cultural Exchange, Hollaback!, Northern Manhattan Coalition for Immigrant Rights, READ 718, and Teens for Food Justice.
The 2016 CRE Rising Fund Awardees were Bronx Cooperative Development Initiative, Destination Tomorrow, Grace Outreach, The Knowledge House, and Turning Point for Women and Families.
The 2015 CRE Rising Fund Awardees were Bronx River Arts Center, Health People, Masa, South Bronx United, and Workers Center Federation.
The CRE Rising Fund is made possible by the generosity of individual and foundation donors. If you would like to be involved in sponsoring CRE’s efforts to provide pro bono consulting services to nonprofits in NYC, please reach out to Carlene Buccino at cbuccino@crenyc.org.