Community Building Institute

The Community Building Institute helps communities and organizations thrive through inclusive, collaborative processes.

FACILITATION Big groups. Small groups. Tough groups.

EDUCATION ECE. PK12. Higher Ed.

STRATEGIC PLANNING Processes. Plans. Results.

ENVIRONMENT Large landscapes. Collaborative governance.

TRANSFORMATIVE CHANGE Complexity. Systems. Futures.

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT People. Sustainable. Consensus.

ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE CBI...

People ask what we do... Is it conflict resolution? Facilitation? Coaching? Civic engagement? Strategic planning? Consensus building? Team building? Organizational development? Systems thinking? As you can imagine, this list goes on. And the answer is yes. Modern practice requires bringing together the best of our social technologies in ways that are matched to the context, the groups, and the client. CBI works with a broad range of clients in an even wider array of settings to support collaborative work toward ambitious goals. My values and skillsets often lead to work in situations where there are deep rifts and a need to focus on both healing and results. I look forward to working with you.

- Bill Potapchuk, Executive Director

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OUR CLIENTS

Our clients share one characteristic: incremental change is not enough. They are non-profits, foundations, coalitions, public agencies, and others who believe significant change toward equity, sustainability and justice is needed in our world. Working alone, whether as an individual or an organization, is also not enough. Our clients know they must figure out how to build partnerships, foster collaborators, and extend their reach to achieve their goals. We have the privilege of working with a diverse array of organizations that work hard and work collaboratively toward a better world.

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Foundations

Including the Democracy Fund,
Annie E. Casey Foundation,
Kettering Foundation,
Skillman Foundation & more.

Federal Agencies

Including the National Park Service,
Department of Agriculture,
Federal Transit Administration,
Army Corps of Engineers & more.

State & Local Govt

Including the District of Columbia,
Arlington County, VA,
Early Childhood Advisory Council,
City of Richmond, VA & more.

Intermediaries

Including DC Agenda
Greater Washington Initiative,
Family League of Baltimore,
Excellent Schools Detroit & more.

Coalitions

Including Child Care Now,
Birth to Five Policy Alliance,
Children’s Leadership Council,
Learning First Alliance & more.

Nonprofits

Including the National Assembly,
National League of Cities,
Partners for Democratic Change,
Phi Delta Kappa & more.

Local Entities

Including Critical Exposure,
DC Voice, Detroit Parent Network,
Fight for Children, GreenHome,
Collaboration DC & more.

Educational Entities

Including DC Public Schools,
Achievement Prep Charter School,
George Mason University,
Newark Public Schools & more.

Trainings & Lectures

Including Cornell University,
Society for Nutrition Education,
American Planning Association,
Syracuse University & more.

TESTIMONIALS

I have worked with a lot of facilitators and do quite a bit of meeting facilitation myself. Bill Potapchuk is far and away the best. the person I would always want to have in the room ensuring a group gets to where they need to go. None better.

Jonathan Doherty - Assistant Superintendent, National Park Service Chesapeake Bay Office
Bill’s facilitation expertise was essential in the re-drafting of the District of Columbia’s 2006 Green Building Act. With Bill’s help we were able to engage constituencies of developers and environmentalists, policy makers and practitioners in crafting a new law that was based upon a foundation of shared principles with a strong dose of aspiration for a better future through green building for the community.

Patty Rose - Executive Director, Greenspace, NCR
BILL IS ONE OF THE MOST GIFTED FACILITATORS I KNOW. HE ENSURES EVERYONE HAS A VOICE AND THE GROUP MOVES TOWARDS IT STATED GOALS. A RARE GIFT IN A TIME OF UNPRODUCTIVE CHATTER.

Matthew Melmed - Executive Director, Zero to Three
I WORKED WITH BILL IN A COMPLEX SETTING WITH MULTIPLE HIGH POWERED COLLABORATORS. AT ONE POINT MY JAW DROPPED BECAUSE HE WAS ABLE IN MIDSTREAM TO SPONTANEOUSLY COME UP WITH A FRAMEWORK FOR GUIDING A CONVERSATION THAT CONSOLIDATED THE BEST THINKING IN THE ROOM AND MOVE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

Gerald M. Cutts - President and CEO, First Childrens Finance
I have been fortunate to witness good meeting facilitation many times during my career, but I cannot recall seeing anyone better than Bill Potapchuk. He does his homework, getting to know the group's needs and strengths--and then adds values during the actual meeting by actively listening, keeping the group focused and moving things along at an appropriate pace.

Jane Quinn - Director, National Center for Community Schools
BILL POTAPCHUK IS THE FINEST FACILITATOR WITH WHOM I HAVE EVER WORKED. HIS ABILITY TO SYNTHESIZE WHAT A GROUP OF PEOPLE ARE SAYING IN ORDER TO MOVE THEM FORWARD IS EXCEPTIONAL.

Martin J. Blank - President, Institute for Educational Leadership
THE COMMUNITY BUILDING INSTITUTE – AND BILL POTAPCHUK, IN PARTICULAR – HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN SHAPING THE WAY I THINK ABOUT AUTHENTICALLY ENGAGING COMMUNITIES IN COMPLEX CHANGE INITIATIVES. THE ORGANIZATION HAS THE KNOWLEDGE, TOOLS, AND RELATIONSHIPS NECESSARY NOT ONLY TO CREATE EFFECTIVE OUTREACH STRATEGIES, BUT ALSO TO ENSURE THAT THOSE STRATEGIES ARE EXECUTED IN MEANINGFUL, CONTEXTUALLY APPROPRIATE WAYS.

Justin Cohen - President, The School Turnaround Group