We are thrilled to announce that our third City Shapers has officially launched! The catalyzing team in Holland, Michigan has begun to meet virtually and start the Assessment phase of their journey. These initial months are all about getting clarity on the current reality. This means doing an in-depth mapping of your neighborhood where you can see assets, partners, key leaders, and more. The Holland cohort will do a deep dive in neighborhood history and survey multiple angles of stakeholders in their area. It’s a lot! 

Along the way, they will gain valuable insights into the state of the Holland community through guided evaluation, personal coaching, and a set of data-rich, interactive maps that tell the unique story of their neighborhood. This phase often feels slow and analytical – it is! Gathering data and a clear picture of what’s happening lays the groundwork for meaningful alignment.

The allure of this phase is actually one of the pieces that attracted Holland to City Shapers. City Catalyst Jake Norris says, “ I have always been able to tell stories about what’s happening in the neighborhood, but I loved a tool that could capture what was happening in a thorough, methodical, and measurable way.” 

We’re excited to start this journey and make sure Jake, along with all other members of the City Shapers cohort, get that measurable data. It’s the first step to high-impact, lasting transformation. 

Join us in celebrating this new chapter for Holland Michigan. We cannot wait to see their holistic neighborhood development journey unfold. If you think City Shapers could be a good fit for your organization, click here to get started! We will be launching 10 more cohorts over the next few years. Your city could host one of them. 

About City Shapers 

City Shapers is a two year process of discovery, collaboration, and innovation that blends in-depth leadership, change, and partnership training and  tools. It has been uniquely designed for organizations who are working to change the way philanthropic programs are designed and delivered  in their organization and through their community. 

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