About CRS

 

We establish strong relationships with trusted community-based nonprofits. With these partners, we listen to the community’s priorities and needs. We develop a portfolio of strategically aligned initiatives designed to maximize outcomes. We coordinate collaborative funding and support successful implementation.

 

CRS provides backbone and infrastructure for collaboration—connecting organizations and funders—in a unique role that builds strategic sustainable long-term plans; coordinates efforts across portfolio projects and organizations; and uncovers solutions worth exploring and scaling.

 

We help aggregate funds to get organizations out of fundraising mode and into implementation.

 

We don’t just create plans. We take economic development models from ideation through implementation, evaluation and even replication.

 

CRS is working on a regional scale, connecting greater Buffalo, Niagara Falls and Rochester to build the region’s economy as a whole.

 

As we build new programs to meet community needs, we are working with partners to assess impact and effectiveness, fine-tuning and making program modifications, and building upon what we’ve learned to create the most effective models.

 

At CRS, we focus our work on three pillars: Workforce, Placemaking and Small Business.

 

Why? The most important factor that changes the trajectory of someone’s life is household income. And if you change a lot of household incomes, you change the local economy. Household income only has so many inputs including wages for an individual or revenues for a small business owner. If these increase, the factors that matter for the economy—local spending, owning a house, access to healthcare and education, creating great places—change for the better too.

 

CRS develops full portfolios of strategically aligned initiatives with collaborative, leveraged funding sources to ensure that long-term economic strategies have multi-year implementation opportunities.

 

We gather and utilize good data. With research partner University at Buffalo Regional Institute (UBRI), CRS conducts qualitative and quantitative research and data analysis; engages with key stakeholders and the broader community; and designs and delivers project evaluation metrics, monitoring and assessment tools, and reports to inform decision-making and demonstrate impact.

 

We build organizational capacity. CRS “connects the dots” across projects and implementation partners through effective oversight and management; leads strategic planning, program design, and experience-driven solutions with our partners; and connects community-based nonprofit organizations to technical expertise.

 

And, we develop and employ effective marketing communications strategies. Through effective storytelling, CRS elevates the voices of individuals and community-based partners and honestly and openly communicates progress, impact and lessons learned.