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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