Section 1
Assembling the Team
Coalition + Core Team
One team-building approach is to create a broad-based, open-to-all coalition which is steered by a “core team.” In the core team approach, which is explained in the Baylor Toolkit, a smaller group is tasked with steering the ship. The core team stays in close and regular contact, is the main driver of the work and probably dedicates the most time to the effort. The core team communicates with the rest of the coalition regularly and taps coalition members to help however needed. We recommend the core team consist five to nine people. It should be small enough to act nimbly with regular consensus, but big enough so that no individual becomes a bottleneck.
The core team’s first step was to convene a community-wide summit to discuss the need for greater attention on hunger and food insecurity. Hormel Foods hosted this summit and invited all of the cross-functional stakeholders. We included key community groups (youth, seniors, religious, etc.) and sectors (nonprofit, healthcare, government agencies, businesses, etc.) that should be at the table. These became the members of the Hometown Food Security Project Coalition.
This gathering enabled and inspired lots of conversations and ideas. Based on that learning and engagement, we then recruited the most highly motivated and willing representatives from organizations that work closely with those community groups and/or represent specific sectors to join and form our Core Team.
“One of the greatest outcomes of our coalition work has been strengthening relationships between service providers. There’s so much overlap in what we all do, and now, many of us attend the same meetings, which has created a much stronger network. That’s resulted in better access for community members because now, when they come to one organization for help, they’re more likely to get connected with others they trust.”
HFSP Coalition member and Program Coordinator for the Austin, Minnesota Welcome Center
Project Lead
We were fortunate to have the director of the United Way of Mower County volunteer to lead the project. Even with a core team, having a point person was very helpful for initial decision-making and communications flow. It helped too that it was someone already familiar with all the stakeholders and issues, and could provide organizational infrastructure (office, email, etc.).
Facilitator
The core team used a facilitator with experience in managing projects to help develop workshops, guide group conversations, keep meetings productive and ensure everyone had a role.
Like us, you may find a facilitator from a business, or it could be someone from any field. The key is that they have some project management experience and time to dedicate to this role.
Resources
Agile Methodology
What is Agile methodology? (A beginner’s guide)
Sample Meeting Agenda
An example meeting agenda from our facilitator.
Organizational Overview
Hometown Food Security Project Mission and Roles Presentation
Core Team Meeting Plan
An example meeting agenda from our Core Team Kickoff meeting
Additional Insights
Tap into local agencies and organizations
Your community will undoubtedly have organizations and governmental agencies that are working on issues related to food insecurity. Start by identifying these groups, along with other key community leaders from specific sectors that can make a difference and should have a seat at the table. Recruiting leaders from these organizations will help strengthen your relationships while also bringing in team members who are already familiar with challenges your community faces.
Build a diverse team
When selecting members of your core team, there are some important things to keep in mind. A diverse team is an effective team. A variety of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences will help eliminate blind spots your project may have, while ensuring you have knowledgeable individuals in a variety of sectors.
- Given the focus on food insecurity, try to find someone with firsthand experience to be part of the core team.
- In most communities, you’ll find more than one primary language spoken. Try to include people who can bridge language barriers.
Recruit decision makers
To ensure the coalition’s success over time, we recommended you recruit representatives who are decision-makers within their organizations. These individuals have the authority to commit resources and make impactful decisions, which will help drive the project forward.
Idea
Rather than including multiple people from each stakeholder organization, we prioritized having just the decision-maker as the liaison between the coalition and their organization. This streamlines communication, responsibilities and makes meetings more efficient.
Plan a core team kickoff meeting
- Format Example: three to four hours with breaks and/or lunch included.
- Agenda Tips: Be sure to have an agenda to guide the meeting and share it in advance. Agenda items could include paired introductions to help people get to know each other, learning about the four values in our way of working, a mindfulness activity to reflect on the importance of the mission, or creating a team working agreement. (See below)
Define purpose and set expectations
Establishing clear and realistic expectations from the start will help identify those who can fully commit to the project’s work and goals. As you create your core team, it’s crucial to develop and agree upon terms of engagement – create a team working agreement. In our experience, we implemented this step more than a year after launching the core team and recognized that having these expectations in place from the beginning would have significantly contributed to smoother operations. Turnover and transitions will happen with any team, and clear expectations will help with the onboarding process for new people.
Resource: Team Working Agreement
Idea
Expect and be prepared for turnover and transitions; don’t let up once a coalition is built—maintaining a team is just as important as building one.
Idea
Make sure volunteer tasks are simple and doable. Share praise widely. Find a way to recognize volunteer efforts, like naming a “Volunteer of the Month.” Publish their name, photo and effort on social media, in newsletters and in the local paper.
“At the beginning of creating a coalition there is a lot of momentum and high hopes that you are going to go out and feed hordes of people. But as time goes by, the bloom comes off the rose as there is just a lot of hard work to be done. Sometimes volunteers can get overwhelmed. Most people have their own families and other jobs. You have to keep engaging new people with energy and fresh ideas. And find ways to keep current volunteers engaged and excited.”
Community advocate and HFSP coalition member