LIFT Collaborative

Neighborhood change,
led by neighbors.
Solved together.

Some problems stay stuck because no one group can see the whole thing. Residents know what daily life needs. Nonprofits know what works. Businesses have resources and reach. We convene them as equal partners to move a stuck problem.

Real community change begins in the neighborhood. It’s in the lived experience of residents where daily life unfolds and where people live, love, and build their futures together. Where partners create change together.

Neighborhood
Residents

 You say what really matters Real change starts with you, not an outside consultant. We partner with neighborhoods that have a collective voice: a block club, civic association, or coalition. If that is you, let’s talk. If you are not there yet, reach out anyway to talk about how to get organized. Nothing gets built unless you say it is worth building. Once it's working, it's yours to run. Say hello

Local
Nonprofits

 You do what you do best. You do the work. You know what has been tried, what failed, and why. We don't duplicate your efforts or take your credit. Most of every project budget goes directly to the organizations doing the hands-on work, because real partnership pays for your time and builds your capability. Say hello

Committed
Businesses

 You back what neighborhoods needs You provide support for local priorities. Residents steer the project, testing small ideas before spending big dollars. You get clear tracking on where your resources go and results worth putting your name on. Because we build local capacity instead of reliance, the impact continues long after we step back. Say hello

Our work

Twenty years of solving tough problems

We’ve spent years helping diverse teams solve tough challenges. It happens when people and teams reveal their collective intelligence so they can see differently and solve better. Together.

  • When an education nonprofit built a tool no one used: We brought them together with real users to redesign it. They still use that community-first approach today.
  • When two museums stalled during a merger: We put board leadership and front-line staff in one room to tackle the sticking points. They passed a unanimous vote a week later.
  • When a business was stuck relying on outside help to innovate: We helped them build the habits and skills to solve their own challenges moving forward.
  • National Underground Freedom Railroad
  • World YMCA
  • Procter & Gamble
  • StriveTogether
  • Cincinnati Museum Center

Our Approach

How it works

Processes don't solve problems. People do. We create the conditions for residents, nonprofits, and businesses to reveal their collective genius and solve brilliantly. Then we get out of the way.

We don't do big, risky launches right out of the gate. We run small, low-cost prototypes in the neighborhood to see what works, and build from there. We measure as we go, not at the end, so the plan can change while it still can.

Listen

We hear from the people who know the neighborhood best to understand their lived experience.

  • Engage: Interview residents to learn about the neighborhood.
  • Analyze: Understand what's here and the underlying dynamics.
  • Frame: Synthesize the learning of root causes and frame the challenge.

What’s delivered: A ‘Neighborhood Snapshot’ that paints a picture of the place.

The checkpoint: The neighborhood decides whether to go on.

Co-Create

We create a pop-up NeighborLab, where partners work side-by-side to explore, ideate, and prototype solutions.

  • Explore: Brainstorm possibilities and ideas in the neighborhood, not across town.
  • Prototype: Test ideas quickly and cheaply. Keep what works and drop what doesn't.
  • Develop: Refine what works for the neighborhood to take it further.

What’s delivered: A clear strategy and an implementation plan to move forward.

The checkpoint: The neighborhood agrees on the strategy and plan.

Build

Partners align resources to implement a durable solution. Ongoing, the solution adapts as needed.

  • Build: Line up the resources and people behind the neighborhood solution.
  • Run: Set up who runs it, who pays for it, and who sustains it over time, without us.
  • Sustain: Neighbors revisit the strategy and plan, and adapt as needs change.

What’s delivered: The neighborhood continually senses the need for adjustments.

The checkpoints: Adjust as the neighborhood needs.

Say Hello

We promise there isn't a pitch. Do you live here? Tell us what your neighborhood needs. Run a nonprofit? Tell us what you've tried. Run a business? Tell us which neighborhoods you're interested in supporting. And if you want to argue with a part of this, we'd like that too.