Sycamore Collaborative
Sycamore Collaborative: who are they?
Formerly known as Schenectady Inner City Ministry or SiCM, Sycamore Collaborative is a thriving organization committed to social justice and equity.
They serve Schenectady County through the largest food pantry in the region, 2 acres of community urban farmland, the county-wide Summer Meals program, and a safe space for all.
Phase I: communications audit
Serving Schenectady County in upstate New York, Sycamore Collaborative (formerly Schenectady Inner City Ministries, or SICM) has been a lifeline in a time of increasing food insecurity and an inspiration for community engagement to volunteers and clients alike. Embracing their decision to become intentionally interfaith, we walked alongside the organization to look across all its communications to understand more clearly what they want to say, to whom, when and how.
In our communications audit, we:
reviewed all current communications
conducted key interviews
led a retreat among organizational leaders and key staff
organized and analyzed data
reviewed staffing capacity
made recommendations and provided reflective language to move the organization forward
Phase II: strategic plan, renaming + rebranding process
As our communications audit concluded, we entered Phase II. In this iteration of our work, we:
articulated core values
created a strategic filter for decision-making
collaboratively created a far-reaching strategic plan
created a new visual identity, name, and website
