Project EATS

Building Reflective Leadership and Collaborative Culture

Project EATS, a community-based organization focused on creating equitable food systems and opportunities for local leadership, sought to foster a more reflective, cohesive, and empowered leadership culture. Amidst a leadership transition and organizational growth, they engaged Cora Group to help the team navigate change, clarify roles, and enhance collaboration. The organization needed support to build trust, improve communication, and cultivate an inclusive environment where staff and community members could fully participate in shaping the future.

Challenge

Cora Group partnered with Project EATS to create space for honest reflection and shared learning through a blend of coaching, facilitation, and training.

Key components of the engagement included:

  • A learning needs assessment, conducted through in-depth interviews with staff and Board members, to understand organizational dynamics and leadership development priorities

  • Customized curriculum design based on assessment findings to strengthen leadership, communication, and teamwork

  • A virtual Training Retreat (Fall 2020), offering experiential exercises, structured dialogue, and peer learning to support the newly formed CEO/COO leadership team and integrate internal and external staff

  • Simulation-based learning activities to help participants reflect on individual and group problem-solving behaviors and develop a shared framework for effective team functioning

  • Facilitated reflection on the leadership and teamwork skills most needed and valued within Project EATS

Following the success of the retreat, Cora Group was re-engaged in 2021 to:

  • Deliver ongoing coaching for staff leaders

  • Facilitate leadership development programs for community participants, with a focus on identity, culture, and self-perception in leadership

  • Equip community members to navigate environments beyond Project EATS, fostering agency and advocacy

Solution

The engagement with Project EATS helped establish a culture of reflective leadership, mutual accountability, and inclusive participation.

Key results included:

  • Strengthened clarity and cohesion across leadership roles, particularly within the new CEO/COO team

  • Greater awareness of individual and group impact on workplace climate and effectiveness

  • Enhanced leadership capacity across both staff and community participants, rooted in authentic identity and shared values

  • Ongoing coaching and training infrastructure that supports leadership parity and community empowerment

The partnership laid the foundation for a thriving organizational culture and empowered individuals at every level of Project EATS to lead with intention and collaboration.

Outcome