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Case Studies

Learning Communities Case Study The Mid South Delta Initiative Experience

Since 1996, our firm has been working extensively with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation on its Mid South Delta Initiative (MSDI), which entails an investment of more than $60 million in a 55-county region of Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. Involved from the beginning, our firm is a member of the core planning team that has shaped the Initiative and continues to shape its future using tools like scenario planning.

Mid South Delta Initiative Funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Conceptual Framework or Objectives

The MSDI key concepts describe learning communities as A group or alliance of groups who support one another through relationships and networking by sharing knowledge and capabilities to fulfill common goals and needs, and by practicing inquiry and confrontation.”

One of our objectives was to foster a culture of learning and sharing among a network of Kellogg grantees located in largely rural areas across three states.

Key Principles

  • Capacity building

  • Shared leadership

  • Collaboration and community participation

  • Moving from economic development to Impact

  • Creating learning communities

Key Assumptions

  • Grassroots community coalitions can generate economic improvement that leads to new civic and social leadership networks and healthy community-controlled institutions.

  • Traditional leaders, state agencies and veteran non-profits will be open to participating even if they are not controlling the strategy.

  • Investing in a long-term capacity building campaign and wide practitioner network is a critical intervention for long-term change.

Strategy

Through our ongoing work with MSDI, our firm has developed several tools and strategies to connect all participants within the Initiative to circles of learning.

  • We participated in a coaching network where each coach supported 1-2 community-based teams. This network met quarterly and accumulated learnings in an online space organized by KHA.

  • The coaches network coordinated and participated in semi-annual Cross Site meetings where grantees gathered to share learnings from the field and to connect with new resources.

  • Our firm developed the MSDI website at www.msdi.org, which housed an extensive intranet where MSDI participants could upload and download documents and reports and review meeting calendars and agendas via a password-protected portal.

  • KHA also supported Issue Related Networks where coaches and grantees could post information related to key topics such as policy change or regional infrastructure and conduct online discussions about each topic.

  • Our firm maintains monthly communication with each grantee. We send email newsletters highlighting new strategies grantees are developing to meet challenges within their communities, and we connect them to new resources and learning opportunities.

How KHA Tools Were Used in this Process

Change Mapping: Developed and designed impact maps, illustrated reports, and web environments of the Initiative's integrated theory of change:

  • Developing Careers and Supporting Workforce Education

  • Supporting Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses, Creating Jobs, Increasing Income and Building Assets

  • Promoting and Attracting Tourism

  • Building Homes and Renewing Neighborhoods

  • Developing Community Infrastructure

  • Crafting Public Policies for the Region

  • Investing in the Ideas of Young People

  • Expanding a Broad Base of Leaders

Results

Over the course of our work, we've witnessed a dramatic growth in the capacities of these organizations in the domains of collaboration, enterprise and entrepreneurial development, strategic planning, and communication. They are continuously adding to their own networks where individuals are constantly learning and sharing new techniques and strategies throughout their organizations.

  • Additional technical assistance evolved as peer-to-peer learning among 125 participants. These members formed a regional alliance (Delta Citizens Alliance) to build the capacities of Delta nonprofits and community development organizations across Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. The KHA team continues to coach this alliance.

  • Some community development corporations within MSDI are forming coalitions with other community and grassroots organization to create new policy agendas for the region.

  • Smaller, rural grantees are experimenting with new technologies like developing online fundraising campaigns and presenting PowerPoint presentations. Before, many were intimidated due to lack of experience, and because they hadn't used these technologies before, some didn't know how much it would impact their work. They are now also resources for other community organizations in their networks.

  • KHA incorporated the lessons about building and sustaining change in rual communities in two papers.

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