We are a consultancy partnership founded by David Maywhoor & Kathleen Gmeiner. A dynamic duo with a passion for justice, non-profit capacity building, and consumer advocacy. We have worked for, directed, and consulted with non-profit organizations in Ohio and Michigan since the late 1970’s. We met while both working for UHCAN Ohio, where we honed our skills in policy analysis, legislative advocacy, coalition and campaign-building, and communications.
What Guides Us
- Our Mission Build capacity to create a healthier world by strengthening Nonprofit Organization leadership and increasing individual participation in the community.
- Our Vision In the communities where we work, measurable progress is made in expanding access to health care and reducing poverty.
- Justice We want our work to be fair in both process and outcome. Getting to what is right is a process that requires critical thinking, observation and reflection, intentional action and then evaluation of how our work has changed the community. If a wrong is generated, then it must be corrected and the community made whole.
- Community The quilt that binds our various beliefs, cultures, governing policies, and interdependent interactions is community. How we live in our community, how we act with each other, how we nurture growth and sustainability are all critically important to consider as we build our community.
- Collaboration We believe that the strength of a community is influenced by the degree to which its organizations work together. Silos of power limit the vision needed to move a community forward. We seek openness to the thoughts and ideas of others and a willingness to take risks to get to an end that all members can support.
- Equity Fair and impartial treatment of community members regardless of race, religion, creed, nationality, gender and differing abilities is essential in the work we do. Policies should be measured by whether the policy improves the likelihood that communities that have traditionally been subject to disparate treatment have increased opportunities to succeed and by whether the policy interrupts racism and implicit bias based on stereotypes of any kind.
- Story Who we are, how we live, – our experiences – losses and gains make up the story of our lives. These stories are important tools in the work to build and nurture community.
What We Do
We consult separately and together to provide
- Project direction
- Strategic and operational planning and training
- Meeting facilitation
- Policy review, analysis, simplification and advocacy
- Grant and report writing.
How We Work with You
- We suggest you look at each of our core competencies and the history of our work, and approach us separately or as a team to discuss your project. We will meet with you in person or by conference call, depending on your distance from Columbus. The purpose of this initial meeting is to mutually determine if we are a good fit. We do not charge for this initial face to face meeting or conference call.
- We are flexible regarding the length of your project – we can serve as an interim executive director, policy or project director while you look for the right fit for your permanent position, or facilitate a one-day staff planning meeting or a multi-day strategic development process.
- Depending on the project we will quote you an hourly fee or an overall project fee. When we bill by the hour we bill monthly, and include a statement of activities that we have performed for you.
Latest Articles
Don’t Adjust Poverty Levels with Chained CPI
These comments were filed by Kathleen Gmeiner on June 21, 2019 with the federal Office of Management and Budget. Thanks to the Georgetown Center for Children and Families (CCF) and Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) who provided much of the material on which these comments were based. The CCF comments can be found
Franklin County Poverty Reduction Blueprint Solid with Room to Improve
In early June 2019 the Franklin County Commission released Rise Together: A Blueprint to Reduce Poverty in Franklin County at http://bit.ly/2XIRFqs, following nearly a year of gathering information and working with stakeholders. It began a public process of taking the plan to the community in a series of public meetings. These comments were prepared by Kathleen
Census, Citizenship Question in Turmoil
This blog was originally posted in March, 2018. Since then, the lawsuit challenging the addition of the citizenship question to the 2020 census has been heard by the U.S. Supreme Court and the Court ruled on June 27, 2019 that the question could not be included in the census because the Court found the justification
Testimonials
David is unfailingly passionate about his work and drawing out the best in all people with whom he interacts. He brings high energy to any meeting or process he facilitates and ensures that all voices are heard, including the end user. He artfully moves the group to an agreed upon outcome according to specifications. He’s extremely well organized, respectful of time, and, most importantly, fun.
– Cathy Levine, Former UHCAN Ohio Executive Director
As a legal aid lawyer and director, now retired, I have worked with both Kathleen and David for nearly thirty years. Their broad experience in non-profits and advocacy and their depth of knowledge in low-income and health care issues made them valuable colleagues and partners. Their depth of experience and breadth of knowledge allows them to quickly analyze issues and develop effective strategies to achieve them. I rely on them and so can you.
– Eugene R. King, Former Director Ohio Poverty Law Center
Kathleen combines a passion for justice and a vision of a people-centered health care system with an exhaustive knowledge of the subject matter. She is particularly adept at empowering consumers to share their stories of how health reform has helped them.