Organizational Assessment for a Not-For-Profit Civic Organization

Their chairperson of the commission for a jointly sponsored recreation center wanted to reduce tension and strain that had developed among certain individuals within the commission.  

The commission was created as a separate entity by a local school district and city aldermanic group and consisted of representatives from each of these parental bodies plus members at large from the community.  When the new recreation center was being built, the commission members worked well together.  When the focus of the commission shifted from construction to operations, tension and strain developed and increased between the representatives of the sponsoring entities.  This created a very risky situation to the commission.  

The chairperson of the commission wanted to reduce the tension and strain that had developed so it could better execute its mission.  In addition, all commission members needed to take a total commission- focus rather than a school district or city-focus while doing commission work.  

CMA provided him with the services to reduce the tension and strain and redirect the focus of the commission members by conducting an organizational assessment and making recommendations for change.

Based on CMA’s report and work with the commission, the head of the local school district and city, who were both on the commission, jointly endorsed a method to manage resources provided by each sponsoring entity to the recreation facility.  The commission continued to make progress in meeting its goals and is expanding and changing the recreation facility to better serve its constituency. Because of the success of the new working relationship, the commission has recently considered expanding its mission.  This approach to a collaborative effort between a school district and a local municipality developed under CMA’s guidance is recognized nationwide as a unique model for promoting intergovernmental collaboration.