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Our Clients
COMMUNITIES
Texas Low-Income Housing Forum
 Designed and facilitated this inclusive, statewide
meeting: ‘Working together to make affordable
housing and community development a priority in Texas’.
Multi-stakeholders included affordable housing consumers,
citizens and advocates, community institutions and
foundations, financial institutions, local government
leaders, nonprofit housing organizations, private industry
housing developers, state government leaders. Results
have included a new state mechanism for funding affordable
housing.
The Coming Together Conference: Assuring The Quality
Of Life In Lincoln County, NE
Designed and facilitated a 3-day meeting of 60 citizens
and officials to produce a community plan that prioritized
goals, assigned responsibilities and charted plans
of action in the areas of health, education, recreation,
economics and human services. This meeting catalyzed
positive actions in the community, including the establishment
of a Schools-as-Centers program that has garnered more
than $1 million in private and public grants and the
establishment of a Wal-Mart distribution center that
has created many jobs in the community.
Colorado Foundation for Families and Children, Denver,
CO.
Facilitated planning retreats for Board of Directors;
facilitated planning meeting to launch a national education
initiative; facilitated large-scale, whole-system community
and education planning events which resulted in establishment
of community organizations, community pride, economic
development, more inclusive educational programs, over
$1 million in grant awards.
Building Caring and Livable Communities for
All: The Boulder County Human Services Strategic
Plan
Led facilitation team for multi-stakeholder
community meeting that identified the common ground
for the county strategic plan. Consulted with and
coached community steering committee to ensure broad
participation and implementation. Consulted with
action planning group that developed specific implementation
plans. Results: Strategic Plan was approved by local
governments and is being implemented.
Conversation2007 (Colorado)
Co-designed and facilitated
a series of statewide meetings that provided an opportunity
for all Coloradans to help shape the future of preschool – grade
20 education. Consulted with legislators, educational
leaders, and citizens to ensure that statewide input
would be considered in legislation and policy. Results:
Strong influence on the education policies of the Governor
and his appointed education panel.
Poudre Fire Authority, Ft. Collins, CO.
Designed and facilitated a community-wide strategic
planning process for this large fire district: Citizens
for a Fire Safe Community: PFA Fire Prevention in
2013: The Next 10 Years. Stakeholders included fire
officials at all levels, businesses, local university
representatives, home owners, rural community, law
enforcement. New collaborations were formed among
many of the entities involved. The process provided
an opportunity for learning about others’ needs
and perceptions and to design fire services to meet
those needs.
Indonesia UNICEF: Future of Women & Children,
Jakarta, Indonesia
As part of UNICEF’S effort to involve community
members in a first decentralized planning effort, co-trained
45 Indonesian facilitators in a participative planning
methodology. Coached some of the newly trained facilitators
during district planning meeting on the future of women
and children. Participants included children, health
workers, teachers, religious leaders, and government
officials.
ENVIRONMENT
Water Quality in the Upper Colorado River Basin, Grand
County, Colorado
Designed and facilitated meeting of historically litigious
stakeholders involved in a struggle over water quality
in the Colorado Rockies. Stakeholders met for 3 days
to investigate whether they could find any way to work
together to produce a state-required water quality
plan. In this meeting, participants did discover common
ground and issues on which they could work collaboratively.
They collaboratively produced a strong water quality
plan and also established the Colorado River Headwater
Forum to continue to work together. Today, many years
after that initial conference, this group continues
to work together to sustain fresh-water quality and
quantity in northwestern Colorado.
Governor’s Front Range
Water Forum for Colorado
Designed and co-facilitated a meeting for a group of
diverse stakeholders who were stalled in an effort
to design and implement a mandated study on potentially
collaborative approaches to the use, storage, and
delivery of freshwater for Colorado’s Front
Range. After the 3-day meeting, these stakeholders
realized that they could work together. They quickly
mobilized to implement and successfully complete
their study that provided the basis for understanding
water delivery and storage strategies.
International Ecoagriculture Conference and Practitioners'
Fair, Nairobi, Kenya
Led the facilitation team for The International Ecoagriculture
Conference and Practitioners’ Fair, held in Nairobi
with more than 200 participants from at least 46 countries.
Stakeholders represented diverse sectors, including
farmers, community members, scientists, conservationists,
policy makers, land-use planners, technical advisors,
and the private sector. Participants were able to assess
the state of international ecoagriculture practices
and systems and to develop strategies, partnerships,
and networks to promote and support ecoagriculture
around the world. Outputs from this conference include
the Nairobi Declaration, a summary in the Earth Negotiations
Bulletin, and numerous partnerships and action plans.
Washington Summit for Communications Initiative on
Global Sustainability at the National Geographic Society
in Washington, D. C.
Designed and facilitated meeting of international environmental
and communication leaders who were launching a global
communications initiative to change attitudes and stimulate
action and solutions to environmental challenges.
Vail Environmental Plan, Vail, CO.
 Designed and facilitated a community, participative
process to develop an environmental strategic plan
for this exclusive mountain resort town that had
neglected environmental planning. The 50 public and
corporate stakeholders agreed that strong action
was needed to protect the environment from further
degradation. The town council adopted the plan that
has served as the blueprint for a sustainable environment
and continues to be implemented after 10 years.
Implementation Conference at
the United Nation’s
World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg,
South Africa
Facilitated a meeting to implement actions related
to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Specific
assignment produced a UN-sponsored partnership which
continues to work on the goals of increasing agriculture
production and rural livelihoods while protecting the
environment.
EDUCATION
University of Florida College of Dentistry, Gainsville,
FL.
Co-designed and facilitated multi-stakeholder 3-day
participative strategic planning process, Creating
an Integrated, Comprehensive, Contemporary Clinical
Dental EducationModel and Practice for the Future. In the months following the meeting, the planning was
brought to fruition with full implementation of the
new clinical dental education model created at the
conference. The creativity, energy and enthusiasm for
implementing the new curriculum and the following recommendations
flowed directly from the Future Search Conference:
- Customer service month, enhanced communication
efforts and work towards improved internal patient
referrals
- Number of patients seen increased, providing
access to dental care for the county’s working
poor; pediatric dental services and training of
pediatric dental residents
- integration of research and clinical science
continues to be a strategic priority;
- College
continues to diversity its revenue streams to ensure
the current and future financial health of the
organization
Ute Mountain Utes, Cortez, CO.
Designed and facilitated a strategic planning process
for The Ute Mountain Ute tribe to create a better
future for their youth who mainly had unsuccessful
experiences in the larger community school system.
Stakeholders included tribal leaders, parents, youth,
educators, criminal justice staff, elders.
Immediate outcomes from the future search included
- Regular monthly meetings between the school district
and the tribe
- School officials attend tribal events
Coordination within the judicial department to better
serve youth in trouble
- School success
- Establishment of a truancy plan and agreed to support
mandatory school attendance
The future search prompted participants to dream
about providing a healthy atmosphere for children
and youth on the reservation. They hoped for
a youth center, a tutoring program, a jobs program,
field trips, and positive expectations for all
youth on the reservation. Some of the tribal
leaders realized that they would need significant
funding to reach their desired outcomes. When
a member of another tribe visited, she became
intrigued with the strategic planning dream. She
enlisted a few tribal members who together applied
for and received a $10,000,000 five-year grant
from the Department of Labor. The tribe established
a Youth Opportunity Program with counselors meeting
with each student once/week and with parents
every other week. Also, the tribe has established
a Teen Center which is fully staffed and equipped.
Dreams have become reality.
Alamosa 2020: Creating our Vision for the
Future, CO.
Facilitated a large, community-wide strategic planning
process. Participants included youth, adults, educators,
political leaders, and businesses. In addition to building
new understanding and relationships, community members
agreed to focus on life-long learning and staying technologically
current.
University of North Florida, Division of Engineering,
Jacksonville, FL.
Co-designed and facilitated a 3-day participative
strategic planning process for the Division of Engineering: ”Superior
Engineering Education to Drive Economic Development
in Northeast Florida." The outputs of this meeting
were formally accepted by the University and serve
as the blueprint for growth and development. Additionally,
new partnerships greater enthusiasm for the future
resulted.
The Coming Together Conference: Assuring The Quality
Of Life In Lincoln County, NE
 Planned and facilitated a 3-day meeting of 60 citizens
and officials to produce a community plan that prioritized
goals, assigned responsibilities and charted plans
of action in the areas of health, education, recreation,
economics, and human services. This meeting catalyzed
positive actions in the community. One example is the
establishment of a Schools-as-Centers program that
has garnered more than $1 million in private and public
grants. The superintendent of schools enlisted community
members to establish a joint effort to pass a school
bond to build a new high school, after 2 bond initiatives
has previously failed to gain the support of the voters.
The new school will open at the beginning of the school
year in 2003.
International
United Nations Population Fund Y-PEER Global
Youth Advisory Board
Design and facilitate
annual planning meetings for the Global Youth Advisory
Board of Y-Peer, a UN sponsored network of peers
that educates youth on health & reproductive
issues, HIV/AIDS prevention, and sexual and human rights.
Consult with and coach developing leaders. Results:
youth have taken greater ownership for process, governance,
and results of this organization.
Washington Summit for Communications Initiative on
Global Sustainability at the National Geographic Society
in Washington, D. C.
Designed and facilitated meeting of international environmental
and communication leaders who were launching a global
communications initiative to change attitudes and stimulate
action and solutions to environmental challenges.
Council for the Parliament of
the World’s Religions,
Barcelona, Spain
Helped design and facilitate this international, inter-religious
experience that encouraged participants to commit to ‘simple
and profound acts’ to address the issues of supporting
refugees, access to safe water, reducing third world
debt and overcoming religiously motivated violence.
Indonesia UNICEF: Future of Women & Children,
Jakarta, Indonesia
As part of UNICEF’S effort to involve community
members in a first decentralized planning effort, co-trained
45 Indonesian facilitators in a participative planning
methodology. Coached some of the newly trained facilitators
during district planning meeting on the future of women
and children. Participants included children, health
workers, teachers, religious leaders, and government
officials.
Implementation Conference at
the United Nation’s
World Summit on Sustainable Development, Johannesburg,
South Africa
Facilitated a meeting to implement actions related
to the World Summit on Sustainable Development. Specific
assignment produced a UN-sponsored partnership which
continues to work on the goals of increasing agriculture
production and rural livelihoods while protecting the
environment.
International Ecoagriculture Conference and Practitioners'
Fair, Nairobi, Kenya
Led the facilitation team for The International Ecoagriculture
Conference and Practitioners’ Fair, held in Nairobi
with more than 200 participants from at least 46 countries.
Stakeholders represented diverse sectors, including
farmers, community members, scientists, conservationists,
policy makers, land-use planners, technical advisors,
and the private sector. Participants were able to assess
the state of international ecoagriculture practices
and systems and to develop strategies, partnerships,
and networks to promote and support ecoagriculture
around the world. Outputs from this conference include
the Nairobi Declaration, a summary in the Earth Negotiations
Bulletin, and numerous other reports.
RELIGION/SPIRITUAL
Columbine Unity Church, Boulder, CO.
Designed and facilitated a participative strategic
planning process to help this community church affirm
their beliefs, visions, activities and relationships.
They found agreement on their spiritual focus, fellowship,
their sacred home, youth education, music, volunteering,
prosperity, and growth potential. They agreed on how
to move forward to build their new church.
Council for the Parliament of
the World’s Religions,
Barcelona, Spain
Helped design and facilitate this international, inter-religious
experience that encouraged participants to commit to ‘simple
and profound acts’ to address the issues of supporting
refugees, access to safe water, reducing third world
debt and overcoming religiously motivated violence.
Generations of Giving, Aspen, CO.
Facilitated a conference of women philanthropists who
explored the interconnections among three key topics—women,
philanthropy, and faith—with the goal of increasing
the effectiveness of their public and private philanthropy.
Additionally, the women considered intergenerational
issues that arise between mothers and daughters.
The seeds of the conference were planted at the Women's
Studies in Religion Program at Harvard Divinity School.
The women explored the connection between their religious
and spiritual beliefs and their philanthropy.
Rita Schweitz Facilitating & Consulting
800 Washington Street #909
Denver, CO 80203
303-300-2200
303-756-0307 fax
rita@schweitzfacilitating.com
www.schweitzfacilitating.com
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