Strategic Planning Committee Members
Sarah Trbovic, LC Executive Director
Dave Breingan, LU Executive Director
Kara Kimicata, LC Community Outreach Manager
Bryanna Johnson, LU Market Manager
Eric Kellar, LC Board Member
Dave Green, LC Board Member
Katie McAuley, LU Board Member
Ashley Varrato, LU Board Member
Will Bernstein, LC Board Member
Emily Howe, LU Board Member
LC & LU Joint Strategic Planning Process
Lawrenceville Corporation (LC) and Lawrenceville United (LU) were founded in the early 2000’s to respond, in different ways, to serious challenges facing the three City neighborhoods that comprise Lawrenceville: decades of disinvestment, major crime, widespread vacancy and blight, lack of employment and educational opportunities, failing public infrastructure, and a lack of consensus on how to confront and prioritize these compounding issues. Indeed, the very formation of the two community organizations is an illustration of this lack of consensus, as residents felt their interests and voices were being inadequately represented and addressed by the community development corporation, which was one factor that led to the creation of LU and its singular focus on the needs of residents.
If initial distrust was a factor in the formation of two separate non-profits, this organizational arrangement proved, in time, to be a highly effective way to confront the myriad issues challenging Lawrenceville. As the organizations focused on carrying out their unique missions and matured, LC and LU came to see the value in each other’s work and developed, step by step, year by year, an incredibly strong collaboration with clearly defined, distinct roles that intentionally complement each other. Out of this was born a working and constantly-evolving partnership that has led to tremendous outcomes within the community, the development of two high-capacity and respected organizations, and regional models for how to effectively confront neighborhood challenges and improve quality of life.
Never before in our history has there been more alignment between LC and LU’s mission, vision, and values of the organizations. That said, we know it will need to be managed extremely carefully, which is why professional and experienced consultants will be critical to lead us through the process and help us avoid possible pitfalls. Planning that focuses on a period of 3+ years, and contemplates big decisions and changes relative to organizational alignments and mergers, and the potential reinvestment in or disposition of significant real estate assets requires an organized, serious effort which takes time and energy, so as part of this request we are deliberately planning for:
- Community engagement
- Buy-in of leadership
- Capacity-building
- Sustainability
Despite having existing shared goals, objectives, and work plans relative to specific grant programs, and having jointly developed a number of community plans for Lawrenceville over the years, the organizations have never developed a joint strategic plan. In previous strategic plans that the organizations have completed, there has always been an outstanding question or task left related to how LC and LU pursue a future together, and that question has become all the more pressing as the organizations have grown more aligned related to mission, vision, values, and priorities in response to the changes underway in Lawrenceville.
