Proposal for Wildemont Contract Renewal

Introduction

Dear e-NABLE Community,

Three months ago, e-NABLE entered into a strategic partnership with Wildemont, LLC. Proposed engagement with Wildemont (Change Management Partners) | $ (1980 per month with a 6-month renewable contract duration, paid at the start of each quarter.)

Our shared vision was to identify opportunities for

• More focused community engagement,

• Additional funding sources in the form of grants and donors, and 

• Partnerships with like-minded organizations to amplify e-NABLE's global impact. 

The initial phase has ended, and we are preparing to request community approval for a renewal.   Here is a backgrounder, prior to putting the approval up for a vote.    After a one week comments and question period, the community will be invited to vote. 

So now is the time for comments and questions!

Sincerely

Jon Schull and Jeremy Simon, on behalf of the e-NABLE Community Coordination Council.

Review of Original Goals

Our initial engagement with e-NABLE was anchored on three primary objectives:

• Basecamp Assessment: Goal: Understand e-NABLE's current state, challenges, and opportunities through the Wildemont Basecamp initiative. This involved member interviews, digital platform analysis, and financial reviews.

Outcome: Wildemont successfully completed a baseline assessment of the e-NABLE community, gathering invaluable insights that informed our subsequent interventions. A chapter audit that accurately defines e-NABLE's current landscape and identified opportunities to capitalize on our strengths is underway. 

• Community Engagement and Partnerships: 

Goal:  Revitalize e-NABLE's community, optimize operational processes, and secure long-term financial sustainability. To this end, Wildemont zeroed in on member engagement, outside partnerships, and fundraising as pivotal avenues for growth and for success even after the Wildemont engagement ends.

Outcome:  Wildemont has identified and recruited community members to lead efforts across a number  initiatives. For example, Occupational Therapist Tainara Bina is now leading monthly meeting.  Wildemont has  also established connections with organizations like US State Assistive Technology programs and other networks internationally that share e-NABLE’s mission:

Makers Making Change: Our alliance is opening doors to diversify our 3D print capabilities and extend our demographic outreach.

Legs4Africa: A forthcoming partnership with the potential to augment our impact through established nonprofit channels in Africa.

Ugani-Prothea: This for-profit collaboration promises to offer an existing infrastructure that could dramatically expand e-NABLE's reach. 

Fundraising Strategy: Jason Theunissen has led our efforts to develop a more robust and sustainable fundraising approach. In the past three months, Wildemont reactivated a dormant four-year grant from the Howard and Abby Milstein Foundation, and is pursuing additional funding avenues such as the DDORA foundation funding renewal and larger grant opportunities. The Milstein effort secured an annual $5,000 for the next two years and covered the cost of Wildemont’s consulting services for this cycle.  Wildemont is engaged in ongoing outreach and exploration of additional grant and funding opportunities.

The Path Forward: October – December 2023

• Deepening Stakeholder Engagement: Wildemont plans  to further increase stakeholder (i.e., hub member) engagement through establishment of State “Champions” for Assistive Technology programs, eliciting community talent to assist with the website redesign, and international engagements such as the Ugani partnership. 

• Expanding Fundraising Efforts: Jason Theunissen will continue to spearhead our fundraising and grant writing campaigns, targeting both US domestic and global opportunities. Current targets include the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and rolling grant opportunities through the US Department of Health and Human Services. 

• Strategic Partnerships: Wildemont will continue to seek partnerships with rehabilitation centers, for-profit tech companies, and nonprofit organizations globally to 1) provide more opportunity for e-NABLE members to work with wider recipient pools, and 2) elevate e-NABLE’s profile as a “network for good”.

• Project Continuation: Wildemont will continue to support ongoing projects such as  website redesign, testing assistive technology (AT) kits with our state partners, and collecting and sharing storytelling materials with the broader community.

Wildemont’s partnership with e-NABLE over the past three months has been rewarding and impactful. We are confident in the progress we've made and excited about the possibilities that lie ahead. 

We recommend that the e-NABLE approve the renewal of our contract with Wildemont.