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August, 25, 2004
Dear Community Members, Volunteers and Others,
For three years, we have been working to build world-class communities.
And it is because of your work that we have been able to accomplish
so much. With your help, CWCC programs like Bridges to Digital Excellence,
Community-Wide Diversity Training, Law Enforcement Diversity Training,
smART (Southwest Michigan Arts for Real-World Training), Connecting
the Communities events and others have impacted many residents throughout
Southwest Michigan.
We have been able to establish countless relationships with businesses,
organizations and individuals in our region. And it is these collaborations
that have furthered our efforts to build an inclusive community that
leaves no one behind. Three organizations that the CWCC has a history
of collaborating with are the Citizens for Progressive Change, the
Community Partnership for Lifelong Learning, and Cornerstone Alliance.
In the coming months and years, we will be strengthening that relationship.
An important announcement will be made today at noon concerning an
alignment involving our four organizations. The chairpersons of CPC,
CPLL, Cornerstone and CWCC will announce the formation of a new entity,
The Alliance for World-Class Communities. This new Alliance will focus
on civic involvement as well as economic, educational, and community
development across Michigan's Great Southwest. The Alliance will provide
a shared vision and strategic direction for all four organizations
as well as provide a means for collaboration on major issues and projects.
The Alliance has a collective board consisting of representatives
from all four organizations. At the collective board's last meeting,
CWCC Chairman Dave Whitwam was nominated and accepted the position
of chairman of The Alliance board. Due to his nomination, Dave will
soon be stepping down as chairman of the CWCC board. However, his
commitment to the CWCC and to building a region where diversity and
inclusion are the foundation will continue, as will his support and
involvement.
Also this morning, at a regularly scheduled planning meeting of The
Alliance board, I was nominated and elected to serve as president
and CEO of The Alliance. This nomination means that I, too, must soon
step down from my responsibilities at the CWCC. However, as president
and CEO of The Alliance, I will continue to be actively involved in
the CWCC's programs and work closely with the CWCC board. I am confident
that we will be able to find a strong president and executive director
to lead the CWCC through its next stages.
What does this mean for CWCC?
In large part, CWCC will continue to function as it has for the last
three years. We will continue to provide diversity education and training
as well as deliver meaningful programs in our domain and alliance
team focus areas.
In fact, all of the member organizations of the Alliance for World-Class
Communities will maintain their separate, visible, established identities.
Each organization will also continue to have a president or executive
director, its own board of directors and autonomy over its day-to-day
operations. By working collaboratively on large strategic projects,
each organization will be able to hone and focus its work for greater
impact in its area of expertise.
One notable change will be that Bridges to Digital Excellence (BDE)
will no longer function as a part of the CWCC. BDE, an education-focused
program will be joining with the CPLL, currently an operating unit
of Cornerstone Alliance.
As part of the alignment process, CPLL will gain more autonomy and
no longer be an operating unit of Cornerstone Alliance. We at the
CWCC have enjoyed working to provide a foundation for the BDE program
and will continue to support its efforts, along with those of other
member organizations and programs involved in The Alliance.
What type of staffing and board changes will there be?
We do not anticipate any layoffs. However, some employees may be working
in different functions. The Alliance will act as a management service
organization and will provide financial and accounting services, fundraising
support, human resources functions, and technical support to the CPLL,
CWCC, and Cornerstone and as needed for initial capacity development
to the CPC. The Alliance president and CEO will oversee the planning
and operation of shared services and personnel.
Each organization will retain its current identity and focus, which
includes its board of directors and management of day-to-day operations
and execution of strategic initiatives. Some of the organizations
may choose to change the structure of their board to better reflect
the focus of the respective organizations.
The CWCC has four representatives serving on The Alliance board. They
are Dave Whitwam, Mark Mitchell, Mabel Johnson Mayfield, and Isiah
Newson.
What other types of changes will there be?
The staff of the CWCC will be relocating to 38 West Wall Street, the
current Cornerstone offices, where The Alliance will also be located.
For now, the plan is for BDE classes to continue operating out of
the current CWCC building until fall classes are over. At some point,
however, it is hoped that the BDE program, Homeownership Institute,
diversity training programs, and possibly a family literacy center
will all be housed under one roof near the Alliance offices.
The alignment process will take several months to complete. The target
is by the beginning of 2005, with physical consolidation of staff
to begin in the later part of this year.
Why are these organizations merging?
The organizations are not merging. They are embarking on a strategy
to align their visioning processes into a common collaborative effort.
They will remain independent with an autonomous board and separate
operating structure. Operational execution will remain the same.
What is the benefit of the alignment process?
All of the organizations involved in this process are very important
to the future of our communities. Each truly complements the other.
You cannot have successful economic development without successful
community and educational development as well as citizen involvement.
By these organizations working together, it will create an organization
with the ability and commitment to implement the strategies to truly
improve the quality of life in our region.
The new integrated structure will allow for better focus and higher
levels of accountability at the staff and board levels of all the
respective member organizations. Other benefits include:
• A structured mechanism to integrate the strategies of each organization
within the framed overarching vision of the community.
• Mechanisms to collectively define the opportunities sought as a
community and recognize the obstacles that exist.
• Each organization will become more focused on its specialized area.
• Better use and leveraging of resources.
• Eliminate duplication and overlapping goals and projects.
What about funding?
Funding will continue to come from the traditional sources: Whirlpool
Corporation, other business partners, individual investors, foundations,
and grant sources as well as state and federal funding for specific
projects.
What's next?
At our next domain meeting, I will be happy to discuss the alignment
further with you and answer any other questions you may have. If you
have any immediate questions, please feel free to contact the CWCC
office at 269-934-9286.
Again thank you for all that you have done over the years and all
the lives you have helped us touch due to the work and dedication
you have committed to the CWCC.
Sincerely,
Mark S. Mitchell
President and Executive Director
Council for World-Class Communities
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