Kingslow Associates

Over Three Decades of Service

Community Development and Community Change

The ability of residents of disinvested communities to influence the development process and secure widespread economic and social benefits is substantially increased when communities are organized and committed to solving their own problems. Whether the approach is a community change initiative, an issue-specific action or a targeted intervention, the elements of success depend on the strength of the social networks that draw people together, the vision and assessments that shape the strategy and ongoing community capacity building.

Our community development work focuses on innovative and inclusive strategies that help communities and organizations manage the change process, build capacity to influence development and systems and strengthen ties to economic activity. In addition to offering technical expertise in community economic development models, our front-end support involves conducting local assessments, strategic planning and providing support to partnerships. Our evaluation services includes general evaluation and evaluation planning, systems change evaluation, participatory evaluation and project monitoring.

Selected Projects

Family-Centered Community Change
Client: Annie E. Casey Foundation
Conducted pre-site selection assessments of 11 sites being considered for newly-created Family-Centered Community Change Initiative, a two-generation approach to poverty alleviation. Assessed collective impact potential and organizational capacity in multiple areas, including adult family economic success, workforce development, housing, early childhood education, civic leadership, and resident engagement. Examined local and regional economic context and made recommendations for site suitability.

Evaluation of Living Cities Integration Initiative
Client: Mt. Auburn Associates and Mathematica Policy Research
Member of team assembled to evaluate an $80 million, five-city investment in community revitalization strategies and innovations designed to improve access to opportunity for residents of disinvested neighborhoods in the areas of education, housing, health care, transit, and jobs. The evaluation design was formative and summative and focused on project- and systems-level outcomes.

Community Economic Development Learning Network
Client: John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
Provided technical assistance to create multi-disciplinary learning networks. Developed strategies for convening multiple groups of economic development and workforce development researchers, practitioners and policymakers to promote interdisciplinary understanding, programming and feedback about community economic development initiatives in Chicago. Conducted interviews and literature reviews and developed analytic framework and information dissemination options.

Surdna Foundation's Community Revitalization Program
Client: Mt. Auburn Associates
Member of the team assembled to evaluate the Surdna Foundation's Community Revitalization Program, which used a strong market-weak market framework to advance equitable, environmentally sustainable strategies for low- and moderate-income communities. Assessed weak market strategies, activities, emerging themes and innovations. Examined the impact of Surdna's grantmaking and other investments on the community revitalization field. Designed cross-site learning activities.

Community Change Initiatives
Clients: Various
Worked on various CCIs in multiple capacities, including initiative design, evaluation, technical assistance, best practice documentation and assessing the economic opportunity and workforce development components. Initiatives includes: Annie E. Casey Foundation's Making Connections; Surdna Foundation's Community Revitalization Program;  Edna McConnell Clark Foundation's Neighborhood Progress Initiative; Enterprise Foundation's Community Building in Partnership; Ford Foundation's Neighborhood and Family Initiative; John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation's Fund for Community Redevelopment and Revitalization; and the Ms. Foundation for Women's Education and Action for Neighborhood and Economic Development.




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