‘A different way to collaborate’: Human-centered design strengthens system of nonprofits

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In 2023, Houston Endowment sought a deeper understanding of the barriers encountered by lawful permanent residents as they navigated the citizenship process. Existing data points pointed to a compelling problem: of the 360,000 eligible to naturalize, only 10 percent completed the process. But if those eligible were supported and successful, the benefits would extend well beyond the individual.

The foundation decided to take a novel approach, and partnered with Dalberg Design, Wellspring Consulting, and Grassroots Solutions to launch the Greater Houston Citizenship Project. The multi-year initiative, which was featured in Episode 5 of Upstream(opens in new window), engaged more than 500 community members across Greater Houston. Co-design sessions brought together both lived experience and nonprofit expertise, with 165 local Houston residents and 73 nonprofit staff and leaders participating, actively shaping three pilot programs.

Those programs, which included support circles, navigators, and a multilingual communications campaign, helped more than 350 eligible Houston residents start or move forward on their journey to becoming U.S. citizens. But the greatest impact was on the citizenship services ecosystem, as nonprofits that had previously operated independently began to share their learnings and resources.

“Through this project specifically, folks were reintroduced to a different way to collaborate, without competition, with congruence, with alignment,”  said KaNeesha Allen, Community Collaboration Lead with Dalberg Design. “That led to a lasting impact … of these partners continuing to work together beyond this project.”

Learnings and toolkits are now available for nonprofits and funders interested in applying this approach to other populations and social challenges. HoustonEndowment.org/GHCP features a legacy report, With & For, tracing the journey from early listening sessions to sustainable practices, along with a learning brief from Grassroots Solutions, a program playbook, communications campaign playbook, community resource hub, and citizenship dashboard.

To learn more about this community-centered initiative, listen to our latest episode of Upstream, With & For: How Human-Centered Design Is Addressing Citizenship Barriers(opens in new window).