Timeline
April 2023: Meetings began with a small group of individuals. People in the meetings were volunteers with the sponsoring organization, a catalyst who works for the sponsoring organization, consultants with aha! Process, Getting Ahead graduates, and people interested in the model.
April to August 2023: Weekly meetings with representatives from agencies/organizations to explain the model and the Getting Ahead classes.
August 2023: Two-day retreat that resulted in a vision statement, mission statement, budget, and five-year plan.
September to November 2023: Planning committee met to get ready for November kickoff. Grants submitted for funding.
October 2023: One person completed the Bridges certified training
November 2023: Two kickoff meetings. Asked people to complete interest forms.
December 2023: Follow-up information session; personal follow-up to everyone that attended workshops and information session. The coordinator and catalyst scheduled meetings with agency/organization representatives.
January 2024: Steering committee formed. Spring Getting Ahead classes began. The coordinator and catalyst scheduled meetings with agency/organization representatives.
February 2024: Ten people completed the Getting Ahead facilitator training; one person completed the Bridges Out of Poverty certified training. The coordinator and catalyst scheduled meetings with agency/organization representatives.
February to April 2024: Weekly meetings with representatives from agencies/organizations held to explain the model and the Getting Ahead classes. Steering committee held monthly meetings. Pillars held monthly meetings.
April 2024: First quarterly gathering for Getting Ahead facilitators.
May 2024: Getting Ahead graduations.
May to June 2024: Strategic plan revised; funding sources identified. Decision on going under the umbrella of the fiscal organization or becoming a 501(c)3. Head of Getting Ahead pillar meeting with groups wanting to provide a Getting Ahead class in August.
June 2024: Mary Cacioppi presented “Poverty Reduction for Community and Economic Development” workshop; 10 people completed Getting Ahead facilitator training; one person completed the Bridges Out of Poverty certified training; began to identify organizations/people that needed to be invited to hear about Bridges ICT; solidified national consultant to provide a Bridges workshop in October 2024 for county east of Wichita. Helped to schedule a COPE (cost of poverty experience) for September 2024.
July 2024: Monthly pillar meetings; all-day planning for Staying Ahead plan; certified trainer meeting to discuss strengthening workshop; quarterly Getting Ahead facilitator gathering with Phil DeVol as special guest (virtual); budget set for 2025 with decision of what new positions to hire.
What has made for success
- Strong backbone organization (well thought of in the community).
- Strong catalyst (this person is well-known).
- A volunteer giving 20-plus hours per week to coordinate.
- The planning retreat.
- Consultant that keeps to the model and continues to push for next steps.
- Follow up with agencies/organizations by catalyst and coordinator.
- A community that wants collaboration and is open to working together.
What do you get when a Getting Ahead facilitator states that Staying Ahead resources are a must for graduates and that resourced individuals need to be educated on different economic environments? You get a small group of like-minded individuals wanting to bring change in their community. That is what is happening in Wichita, Kansas.
I’ve been blessed to be working with visionaries here in my home community that want to put together a comprehensive plan to educate the community about living in different economic environments and to provide Getting Ahead classes in the 10 poorest zip codes in the city. The mission statement, vision statement, and five-year plan were written during a two-day retreat. The name of the initiative comes from ICT being the airport code for the airport in Wichita, Kansas. It has also morphed into “In Community Together.” The retreat participants consisted of a Getting Ahead graduate, two Getting Ahead facilitators, the catalyst for the initiative, a volunteer with the backbone organization, and the engagement manager with aha! Process.
Between April 2023 and the August 2023 retreat, meetings were held with individuals in the area that were trained Getting Ahead facilitators and others drawn to the Bridges Out of Poverty model. Individuals were invited to be a part of a planning committee, comprising people who planned and organized the two kickoff events.
After countless meetings, discussions, and planning, the official kickoff events were held November 2 and 3, 2023. This was just over six months since the backbone organization was identified. The backbone organization also agreed to serve as the fiscal agent for one year. Mike Saccocio, national consultant with aha! Process, provided an afternoon discussing what being a Bridges Out of Poverty community means. He spoke to city officials, business owners, and different sector leaders. The next day, Treasure McKenzie, national consultant with aha! Process, provided a full Bridges Out of Poverty workshop for 187 individuals working in agencies/organizations and different sectors from the city. Mike was able to convey a larger picture of “what can be.” The participants left his conversation wanting to know what’s next. Follow-up happened with attendees of both days to help find their place in the initiative. Follow-up was done by the planning committee members.
The planning committee used the information from the Building a Bridges Community document to begin the initiative:
- Bring in a national consultant(s).
- Establish a Bridges Out of Poverty certified training team—in progress for Bridges ICT.
- Begin Getting Ahead classes.
- Work toward organizational changes.
- Build collaborations.
An informational meeting was held a month after the November kickoff meetings. The purpose was to continue the momentum and begin building the group of Bridges certified trainers, Getting Ahead facilitators, and those wanting to work on Staying Ahead resources. The next large change for Bridges ICT was the transition from being a planning committee to a steering committee. That begin in January 2024. All persons on the planning committee were given the opportunity to identify where they saw themselves fitting into the next phase of the initiative.
Phase 1 funding has come from foundations, grants, and private funders. There is a designated person on the planning committee that has been submitting grant requests. Those requests were sent mainly to local foundations and grant funders. Phase 2 for funding consists of collaborations between Bridges ICT and local nonprofits submitting grant proposals together. The local United Way is funding only projects showing growth and change. That is easiest done by bringing organizations together for funding requests. Showing community collaborations is what funders are seeking.
The steering committee meets monthly. It was decided to divide the group into four pillars. Steering committee members are expected to participate in one pillar meeting, along with the steering committee meetings. They are also expected to attend at least one Getting Ahead graduation each year.
Operations pillar: These members are overseeing budgets, fundraising, strategic planning, and goal setting.
Bridges pillar: Plans and implements open enrollment for Bridges Out of Poverty workshops. Organizes workshops when agencies/organizations request a workshop just for their group or employees. Also identifies people to become Bridges Out of Poverty certified trainers. Bridges ICT has held its first public workshop in Wichita. Others will follow in 2024. Three Bridges Out of Poverty certified trainers co-presented together. The same three will be offering the workshop on a bimonthly basis. They will also be presenting the Bridges workshops to agencies and organizations around the area that make the request. These are both the Bridges Out of Poverty: Individual Lens workshop and the Bridges Out of Poverty: Institutional Lens workshop.
Getting Ahead pillar: One to two committee members meet with agencies/organizations interested in providing the Getting Ahead classes. They have a packet of information covering how to recruit for the class, timeline and what is needed for the class, cost, etc. The goal is to make sure groups stay within the fidelity of the model. There are quarterly gatherings of Getting Ahead facilitators this group coordinates. The meetings provide best practices, along with sharing issues and learning from one another.
Staying Ahead pillar: This group meets with individuals, agencies, and organizations to identify collaborations and resources that will be used to continue to stabilize Getting Ahead graduates. Amazing conversations are happening with agencies and organizations wanting to be collaborative in building a resource bank.
Happening on a weekly basis is an effort to connect with the banking institutions. Banks can be an option for funding for Bridges Out of Poverty initiatives due to the Community Reinvestment Act: https://www.ahaprocess.com/funding-sources-for-getting-ahead-community-reinvestment-act/.
In the fall of 2023, there were four Getting Ahead classes in the city offered by three different organizations. In spring 2024, there were three Getting Ahead classes being held, two in English and one in Spanish. By fall of 2024, there appear to be opportunities for at least four Getting Ahead classes in the city—two in English and two in Spanish. In January 2025, between five to seven Getting Ahead classes will start.