Some of the most inspiring projects at The Lee Institute are the citizen task forces that we support through process design, research and facilitation. These dedicated groups include Charlotte-Mecklenburg community, corporate and government leaders from all backgrounds, working together to tackle critical issues that affect our prosperity and quality of life.

Three recent and current projects highlight the breadth of civic leadership in Charlotte-Mecklenburg and the wide range of task forces working to turn our shared desire for a better community into reality.

Cultural Life Task Force

Last month, the Cultural Life Task Force issued its recommendations for funding a sustainable, thriving cultural sector in Charlotte-Mecklenburg. 

The CLTF studied and recommended funding models for the public and private sectors and for the Arts & Science Council, as well as outlining needed investments in cultural groups' fundraising and marketing capacity.

You can read the CLTF final report and recommendations here.

Third Grade Reading Action Team

Reading proficiency at the end of third grade is a key indicator of future academic success, graduation rates and college attendance, and Charlotte-Mecklenburg has the potential to invest in its children's literacy and strengthen its future workforce and community.

Led by committed funders and education experts, the Third Grade Reading Action Team began its work in the spring, focusing on ways to raise childhood literacy levels across the county.

Mecklenburg County Task Force on Poverty and Economic Mobility

Later this year, this task force will begin its work studying ways to reduce poverty and improve economic opportunity for Mecklenburg County residents.

The Task Force was created by Board of Commissioners Chairman Trevor Fuller in the wake of a national study that ranked Charlotte 50th of 50 large American cities for its residents' economic mobility.  

The Lee Institute congratulates the conveners, leaders and members of these task forces for their commitment to community leadership and collaboration in service of the greater good.

This spring, The Lee Institute was honored to be engaged by First Presbyterian Church of Charlotte to conduct its first partnership needs assessment with Westerly Hills Academy.

First Presbyterian Church and Westerly Hills Academy, a Title I public school in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools system, began their partnership in 2000 with the goal of providing support to the students and staff at the school as part of the Church's mission to "put faith into active fellowship."  With new leadership in place at the church and the school, along with four newly added grade levels, this provided an ideal time for the two organizations to look at opportunities for strengthening their relationship and providing greater impact in the community. 

To obtain broad stakeholder input, we designed a process that engaged staff and volunteers at First Presbyterian Church, Westerly Hills Academy, and Building Educated Leaders for Life (BELL), along with staff members from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools who work with both parties on student programs.  We were able to collect diverse perspectives through interviews, focus groups, and online surveys, focusing on strengths of the partnership, challenges the groups are currently facing, and opportunities for even greater impact for students and their families.

First Presbyterian Church and Westerly Hills Academy join a growing list of clients who are looking to evaluate their programming using stakeholder engagement processes designed by The Lee Institute.  This type of assessment allows our clients to hear qualitative and quantitative feedback from program providers, partners, funders, and participants.

The Lee Institute then takes that data, identifies themes, and develops recommendations for how clients can move their organizations and programming to a place of greater efficiency and responsiveness, stronger relationships, and more positive change in our community.

We are moved by the work that is being done within the partnership between First Presbyterian Church and Westerly Hills Academy, and we expect great things to continue to come from this collaboration.