West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition

Since 2015, Lee Institute has had the honor of partnering with the West Boulevard Neighborhood Coalition (WBNC), a grassroots nonprofit organization representing 19 communities along the West Boulevard corridor and led by passionate community leaders on the West Side, to build collective community impact and influence.

In August 2016, Lee Institute was engaged by the Coalition to focus efforts specifically on organizational development for long term sustainability of the group. This work included the facilitation of board training, the development of a 3-year strategic plan, the completion of a needs assessment to fill the gaps needed to achieve the plan and consultation around community engagement efforts validating board ideas.

Lee Institute was engaged again in 2017 to begin phase two of the Coalition’s overall plan for community building. This effort focused on creating a foundation for collective community decision-making by implementing the community engagement strategy developed during strategic planning. During this process, Lee Institute worked with the WBNC to present the newly developed plan to community stakeholders (residents, business leaders and funders) to gain input on corridor needs, strengths and opportunities. One goal of this engagement was to build resident stakeholders’ commitment to participating in education and economic development endeavors that would drive the community-led, -owned and -managed initiatives. Designed as an iterative process, strategies were developed by the Coalition and communicated to the community for validation and input before moving on to the next steps, with an understanding that plans may change based on where the community interests direct the process.

The work with the WBNC continues as the organization works to open Three Sisters Market, a food co-op that will serve the West Boulevard Corridor. It will be the first functional grocery store in the area in over 30 years.