What proportion of Goal 1 overall is complete at this point?
20%
What are the barriers and opportunities for completion that impacted goal 1 in the last month?
While we are making significant progress with the group on the concepts within the feasibility study, we are behind on articulating these findings on paper due to lack of structures or templates and the absence of our consultant who is supposed to help us with this aspect of the work. The good news is that he is making progress on his health and is expected to re-engage with us in mid-May
What proportion of Goal 2 overall is complete at this point?
40%
What are the barriers and opportunities for completion that you impacted goal 2 in the last month?
The co-op had a significant breakthrough in the last few weeks about our vision. After months of co-op education on the concepts and theories and principles... we were able to collectively hone in on where to begin. We acknowledged that there are many aspirations we have for our co-op but to begin this work we need to identify a handful of services that we need to begin developing
What proportion of Goal 3 overall is complete at this point?
30%
What are the barriers and opportunities for completion that you impacted goal 3 in the last month?
Our work with the communications consultant TSC is getting in full swing as we are ready do a brand relaunch for BSC and demonstrate the Co-op transition as a major pivot of our work
Did you access Technical Assistance for your CWB project last month?
Yes
Which TA provider(s) did you work with within the Phase I CWEB grantees?
| TA Provider | Hours Spent | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
|
Chicago Community Loan Fund |
1 |
Very satisfied |
Which TA providers did you work with OUTSIDE of the Phase I CWEB grantees?
| TA Provider | Hours Spent | Satisfaction |
|---|---|---|
|
Sankofa Research Institute |
15 |
Very satisfied |
|
That's So Creative |
20 |
Very satisfied |
Did someone from your organization attend the Working Group this month?
Yes
How would you rate the usefulness of the working group to your project last month? (on a scale of 1-5)
Very useful
How would you rate the usefulness of the Working Group for building community?
Very useful
What have been the two most valuable contributions of the Working Group this month?
Please share any comments about the working group meetings.
BSC had an amazing conversation with Claudia at UIC to share our journey as a co-op
How many TOTAL housing units did you preserve or create last month? (it is okay if the answer is zero)
0
How many TOTAL CWB businesses did you develop last month? (it is okay if the answer is zero)
0
Number of stakeholder meetings held related to your Pre-Development Project?
3
Number of community meetings attended last month related to your Pre-Development Project?
4
Service / Capacity
| Service | Capacity |
|---|---|
|
Accounting & Financial Management |
3 some ability |
|
Advocacy |
4 |
|
Conflict Resolution |
1 limited ability |
|
Cooperative Development and Operations |
3 some ability |
|
Education & Training |
5 extensive ability |
|
Fundraising or Raising Capital |
4 |
|
Governance / Legal |
1 limited ability |
|
Marketing & Communications |
1 limited ability |
|
Other |
N/A |
|
Project Management |
3 some ability |
|
Real Estate Acquisition & Development |
N/A |
|
Relationship Building |
5 extensive ability |
|
Research |
1 limited ability |
Other (please describe and include ranking)
We rated advocacy and education higher this month owing to our contributions to the co-op space through the event BSC hosted on 4/11 for the co-op ecosystem in Chicago. We convened the City, academia, practitioners and funders interested in this work and created a space to share about what BSC does as well as learn from other co-ops about their work and the opportunities and challenges they face. We held a fishbowl style discussion where everyone is seen as an expert and that challenged power structures and how the spaces we have been in tend to talk at attendees rather than talk to or with them.
What constraints or limitations with internal capacity is the organizarion experiencing related to its Pre-Development Project?
A significant barrier we are facing is the balance in how BSC developed as a startup and how the co-op is developing. We were able to move things quickly and fail fast with BSC the non profit. The cofounders as two entrepreneurial individuals who sought forgiveness than permission were able to move things at a much faster pace at BSC. The co-op does not work like that and for the right reasons! The pace of how the work moves can thus be frustrating but as our coach Dr. Assata Richards reminds us "We are building at the speed of trust".
What opportunities, if any, did the organization take advantage of related to its Pre-Development Project?
We met with our leadership circle in person and did a team building activity by painting ceramics together. we got to know each other a bit deeper as humans and that brought us closer as a team
Please use this space to elaborate, contextualize, or add any additional info about the details submitted in your report:
N/A
