Collective Impact is working with faculty members of the University of Tennessee Knoxville, Center for Sustainable Business and Development, Department of Political Science, and Department of Retail, Hospitality, and Tourism Management to conduct a research project to better understand Appalachian tourism and identify opportunities to grow tourism activities and encourage business development throughout the region. The project is funded through a competitive grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) - a federal economic development agency. The project is the largest and most comprehensive study of tourism ever conducted by the commission, which covers 205,000 square miles across 420 counties in 13 states. Results of the study will help us better understand the state of tourism of the region, new growth areas for tourism in Appalachian communities, and best practices and successful strategies to help the communities succeed. The project will use research, surveys, site visits, and focus groups as part of the research method. The project also will identify communities to use as case studies to illustrate local tourism success stories and best practices for tourism business development.
The Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph engaged Collective Impact to assist in conducting a Communications Audit and Effectiveness Study to identify strategic recommendations that promote effective communications with CSJ’s current audiences who live near the Congregation’s centers. The study was designed to assess CSJ’s communications materials, tools, and processes and to determine the general effectiveness, impact and success of the Congregation’s outreach and communication materials and publications. It also explored ways CSJ might better engage others in the mission and work being carried out by the Congregation. The project provided the Congregation of St. Joseph with the necessary information and strategic positioning to develop a comprehensive communications plan and implement that plan over the next several years. Services included planning, practice research, a stakeholder survey, key informant interviews and a series of stakeholder discussions at each of the Congregations six centers in Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.
"Bruce and Jeremy were a pleasure to work with on our agency's Comprehensive Community Needs Assessment project. They made sure they understood our needs and worked diligently to deliver a product that exceeded my expectations." ~ Rick Smith, Executive Director, Eastern West Virginia Community Action Agency, Moorefield, West Virginia
