The document discusses the Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) and its efforts to empower low-income communities and communities of color through training and leadership development. It highlights the goals of the institute, including increasing equity in board appointments and developing influential community leaders, as well as its impact in the Bay Area and Twin Cities. The document also emphasizes the importance of adapting the BCLI model for different regions and explores opportunities for replication and collaboration with other organizations.

1. Building a National Network of Leaders:
Replicating the BCLI
Leadership Learning Institute Webinar
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
Terri Thao Uma Viswanathan

2. § Introductions
§ About the Boards and
Commissions Leadership Institute
§ Replicating the Model: Twin Cities
Adaptation
§ Peer Consult about Replication
§ Q&A
Agenda

3. Urban Habitat builds power in low-income
communities and communities of color by
combining education, advocacy, research, and
coalition building to advance environmental,
economic, and social justice in the Bay Area.
About Urban Habitat

4. About Nexus Community
Partners
Nexus Community Partners builds more
engaged and powerful communities of color by
supporting community-building initiatives that
expand community assets and foster social
and human capital.

5. § Why Commissions?
§ Goals
§ Model
§ Curriculum
§ Impact
About the Boards and
Commissions Leadership Institute

6. Why commissions?

7. BCLI Goals
Raise the voice for equity
through targeting board and
commission seats
Ensure equitable policies are
passed
Open doors for community
input
Develop leaders for positions
of influence

8. Our Model
RECRUIT*
TRAIN
PLACE
CONNECT
1
2
3
4
*All fellows nominated from the
community.

9. A Facilitated Learning Community
FELLOWS ALUMNI
ADVOCATE
COMMISSIONERS
FIELD EXPERTS &
TRAINERS

10. Learning Objectives
KNOWLEDGE
1
SKILLS
3
NETWORK
4
2
RACE & CLASS ANALYSIS

11. CONTENT
KNOWLEDGE
1
ISSUE AREAS:
Transportation Justice, Affordable Housing,
Workforce Development, Economic Development,
Labor, Health Equity, Land Use.
PROCESS: from information to application
Online readings Webinar Integration Current Issues

12. RACIAL
EQUITY
ANALYSIS
2
ACTIVITIES
§ Regional Equity Presentation
§ Star Power & My Story
§ Commission simulations, case studies, and role plays
ANALYSIS
§ Who benefits and who is burdened?
§ Is everyone here who needs to be here? How can I bring
those voices into the room?
§ What is the problem? Can I change the problem?
§ Is this a window of opportunity to act for a more equitable
outcome?

13. SKILLS3
RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
§ Parliamentary Procedure
§ Budgeting
§ Ethics and Legal Considerations
THE ART OF POLITICS
§ Leadership Styles
§ Skillful Communication
§ Building Relationships
§ Staying Authentic: Integrity & Power

14. NETWORK
4
INSIDEOUTSIDE
Organizers
Policy advocates
Academics
Elected officials
Agency staff
Advocate commissioners
Community
members
Gatekeepers
Alumni
Trainers
Speakers
Audience
Advisors
Field Experts

15. Impact: Target Seats
Bay Area: 68 graduates
49 targeted seats, including:
§ Richmond Planning Commission (2, including Chair)
§ Oakland Planning Commission (1, and 1 former Chair)
§ San Francisco Environmental Commission (1)
§ Richmond Economic Development Commission (2)
§ Alameda County Public Health Commission (1)
Twin Cities: 12 graduates
Seats include:
§ Minneapolis Neighborhood Community Engagement Commission (1)
§ St. Paul Heading Home (Homeless) Commission (1)
§ Minneapolis Citizen’s Environmental Advisory Committee (1)
§ Minneapolis Homegrown (Local Food) Commission (1)
St. Paul Human Rights and Equal Economic Opportunity Commission
(1)

16. Impact: Policy
Affordable Housing in
Richmond. BCLI Alumni on
Planning Commission worked in tandem
with community allies to incorporate a
housing element into the Richmond
General Plan.
Ban on Plastic Bags in San
Francisco, through Environment
Commission.

17. Impact: Leadership
Rising organizational leadership. New
Executive Director of policy advocacy non-
profit
Growing political &
community visibility.
Seeking additional commission
service. Ran for elected office.
Gatekeepers. Became
commission staff since BCLI,
stacking seats with alumni.

18. § From the Bay Area to Twin Cities:
Replication Adaptation
§ Replication Plan
§ Potential Replication Regions
§ Conditions for Readiness
Replicating the Model

19. Twin Cities: Model Adaptation
§ Changing Demographics
§ Adaptation close to original but with Twin
Cities flavor
§ Kicked off inaugural cohort last year
(2013-2014)
§ Supported by national and local funders
§ BCLI is part of larger continuum of
leadership programs in the Twin Cities
§ Role of Nexus and experience with 5
adaptations over the years

20. National Replication
as Organizational Partners
Program Design
Curriculum Design
Online Technology Platform
National Community of
Practice

21. National Replication
Potential Regions

22. Conditions for Replication
Success
Maturity of Advocacy
Ecosystem
Regional Readiness and
Investment in Diversification of
Government Seats
Anchor organization with
capacity and interest in
replication

23. Q&A

24. Contact Us
Replication Opportunities
§ What regions could you see being ready for BCLI?
§ What organizations or funders should we know about?
Uma Viswanathan
Urban Habitat
uma@urbanhabitat.org
Terri Thao
Nexus Community Partners
tthao@nexuscp.org

25. Peer Consult: Replication
Replication Opportunities
§ What regions could you see being ready for BCLI?
§ What organizations or funders should we know about?
Successful Replications
§ Have you successfully replicated a model from one region to others
across the country?
§ What lessons do you have to share? What challenges did you face?
Entering a Region
§ Who initiated the replication process? (Community organizations in a
region? Your organization? Funder?) How did this impact relationships,
buy-in, success?
Building Regional Readiness
Adapting the Model for Regional Context