Prospera Community Development

PROSPERAS COOPERATIVE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES INTENSIVE TRAINING, COACHING, AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO LOW-INCOME LATINAS TO CULTIVATE LEADERSHIP, GROW SUCCESSFUL COOPERATIVES, AND TRANSFORM COMMUNITIES.

WE PROVIDED OUR 36-HOUR EXPLORA TU COOPERATIVA COURSE TWICE DURING 2021, GRADUATING 87 ENTREPRENEURS FROM THE PROGRAM. DURING THE YEAR, OUR TRAIN THE TRAINER TEAM OF FACILITATORS WAS CONSOLIDATED. THESE THREE WOMEN, WHO ARE EXPERIENCED COOPERATIVE BUSINESS OWNERS AND PROSPERA PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, WERE TRAINED IN POPULAR EDUCATION AND COACHING TECHNIQUES AND NOW MAKE UP OUR STRONG AND DYNAMIC TEAM OF FACILITATORS FOR THE EXPLORA COURSE. NOT ONLY DID THEY FACILITATE THE COURSE, BUT THEY ALSO DEVELOPED AN IMPROVED EXPLORA FOR ONLINE DELIVERY, EXPLORA 2.0. WE PROVIDED 13 COMMUNITY EDUCATION EVENTS, INCLUDING PANELS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, CA RELIEF GRANT SESSIONS, LEVANTANDO NUESTRAS VOCES COALITION EVENTS, AND OUR ANNUAL SUMMIT FOR LATINA ENTREPRENEURS. IN ADDITION, WE LAUNCHED OUR PARA TODAS PODCAST HIGHLIGHTING THE STORIES AND VOICES OF PROSPERA PARTICIPANTS. PARA TODAS EXPANDS ON KEY TOPICS EXPLORED DURING THE EXPLORA COURSE, INCLUDING POWER AND PRIVILEGE, IMPOSTOR SYNDROME, COLLECTIVE POWER, AND MORE. IN 2021 WE PUBLISHED 3 EPISODES OF THE PODCAST. OUR 2020-2022 FELLOW MADE GREAT STRIDES WITH HER COOPERATIVE BUSINESS, DE COLORES COLLECTIVE CONSULTING. DE COLORES EXPANDED THEIR CLIENT PORTFOLIO TEN-FOLD, LAUNCHED THEIR BILINGUAL WEBSITE, AND DOUBLED THEIR INCOME OVER 2020. WE WELCOMED TWO MORE ENTREPRENEURS INTO THE FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM DURING 2021. WE HAVE CONTINUED TO DEVELOP OUR SALESFORCE CRM TO BETTER TRACK AND MANAGE DATA. THROUGHOUT 2021 WE WORKED WITH MARIAN DOUB CONSULTING TO DESIGN AND BUILD OUT OUR SALESFORCE PLATFORM, AND WE BEGAN USING FORM ASSEMBLY FOR DATA COLLECTION. IN THE FALL WE BEGAN TO CONNECT ALL INTAKE AND EVALUATION PROCESSES TO SALESFORCE VIA FORM ASSEMBLY, WITH THE RESULT THAT ALL NEW SURVEYS SEND DATA DIRECTLY TO SALESFORCE WHERE WE CAN EASILY ACCESS IT FOR ANALYSIS. IN EARLY 2021 WE FINALIZED OUR 2021-2025 STRATEGIC PLAN. THIS PLAN WAS DEVELOPED IN A PARTICIPATORY PROCESS INVOLVING PROSPERA STAFF, BOARD OF DIRECTORS, PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS, AND ALLIES. THE PLAN WAS PRESENTED TO PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS DURING TWO VIRTUAL EVENTS, ONE IN ENGLISH AND ONE IN SPANISH. STRATEGIC PRIORITIES FOR THIS TIME PERIOD INCLUDE PROVIDING HOLISTIC SUPPORT TO LATINA ENTREPRENEURS, PROGRAM EXPANSION, AND ORGANIZATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY.