THE COMMONGROUND PROJECT
Conceived and launched through a partnership between MCS, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay, the CommonGround Project was a comprehensive capacity-building initiative that ran from 1996–1999. The project provided 14 Greater Boston multi-service organizations with a forum to become more flexible, democratic and responsive to their communities. Based in a learning community model where organizations, consultants, and funders approached the process of organizational transformation as co-learners, it gave them an opportunity for open discussion regarding effective ways for reorganizing both internally and across agencies.
Participants were afforded the time and space to reflect on their own management systems while experimenting with successful for-profit management and organizational development practices. Organizations were also able to utilize strategies of community and progressive grassroots political organizations that had already effectively and meaningfully involved constituents.
The 14 participating organizations included:
• Cambridge Economic Opportunity Committee
• Casa Myrna Vasquez
• Centro Presente
• Concilio Hispano de Cambridge
• Ecumenical Social Action Committee
• Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses
• Haitian American Public Health Initiative
• JFK Family Service Center
• La Alianza Hispana
• Latino Health Institute
• Mattapan Community Health Center
• Roxbury Multi-Service Center
• Roxbury Youthworks
• Sociedad Latina
The United Way Outcomes Measurement Project
In 1999, MCS worked in conjunction with seven child care agencies affiliated with the United Way to help them evaluate outcomes their programs achieve for the community and make necessary changes to further improve service delivery systems.
Management Training For Grantees of The Boston Foundation and The United Way of Massachusetts Bay
MCS has facilitated specialized, collaborative learning efforts that have included training and networking sessions for grantees of The Boston Foundation during fiscal years 2000 and 2001, and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay during fiscal year 2000.
