Organizational Development Projects in Santa Barbara, California [back to Organizational Development page]

As part of our work in creating innovation within communities, ISI works with local nonprofits to improve their organizational systems. Our nonprofit team includes Fielding faculty members, graduate students, and alumni. The goal is to have organizations participate in their own development by assessing their leadership capacity, program effectiveness, and strategy.

Some of the nonprofits we have worked with include:

• Women's Economic Ventures
• Community Environmental Council
• Transition House
• Santa Barbara Jewish Federation

In Santa Barbara, California, ISI is partnering with the Nonprofit Support Center of Santa Barbara County on a collaborative initiative. The Support Center and ISI are working with three nonprofits, La Casa de Maria, Good Samaritan Homeless Shelter, and Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), applying an Appreciative Inquiry model leading to a new strategic plan for each organization.

We also completed a program evaluation of the Health Program Education Center for Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics. The Education Center, housed in the new Eastside Clinic on Milpas Street in Santa Barbara, grew exponentially in response to the needs in the community. ISI worked with the Clinics to manage the by-products of rapid growth.

ISI has also worked with Women's Economic Ventures, Santa Barbara Community Environmental Council, the Jewish Community Federation, Transition House Homeless Shelter, and Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.

• Women's Economic Ventures: Team building and strategic planning
  
  
• Santa Barbara Community Environmental Council: Appreciative Inquiry leading to a board/staff summit to begin to develop a strategic plan - the first time Board and staff had met to discuss the Council's future together
  
  
• Jewish Community Federation: Team building and program planning
  
  
• Transition House Homeless Shelter: Appreciative Inquiry leading to a Board/Staff summit followed by facilitation of a board/staff strategic planning process