Books
Here are a few books that help plan and achieve sustainable community improvement.
Also if you have a suggestion for an addition to the book list, Contact Us.
There is also a resource list available for facilitator training.
Books on Business and Nonprofits
Alvino, Kathleen, M. Strategic Planning: A Human Resource Tool for Higher Education. College and University Personal Association. Washington, D.C.:1995
Barger, Nancy J; Kirby, Linda K. The Challenge of Change in Organizations: Helping Employees Thrive in the New Frontier. Davies-Black Publishing. Palo Alto, CA:1995.
Bauer, David G. The “How To” Grants Manual: Successful Grantseeking Techniques for Obtaining Public and Private Grants. Oryx Press. Phoenix, AZ: 1999.
Block, Peter. The Answer to How is Yes: Acting on What Matters. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco: 2003.
Bryson, John. Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit Organizations. Jossey Bass. New York: 1995.
Buckingham, Marcus; Coffman, Curt. First, Break all the Rules: What The World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently. Simon & Schuster. New York: 1999.
Collins, Jim. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap…and Other’s Don’t. Harper Business. New York: 1990.
DePree, Max. Leadership is an Art. Doubleday. New York: 1989.
Drucker, Peter F. Managing the Non-Profit Organization: Principles and Practices. Harper Business. New York: 1990.
Gunderson, Steve; Jones, Robert; Scanland, Kathryn. The Jobs Revolution: Changing How America Works. Copywriters Incorporated. 2004.
Huszczo, Gregory E. Tools for Team Excellence: Getting Your Team Into High Gear & Keeping It There. Davies-Black Publishing. Paloalto, CA: 1996.
Johnson, Spencer, M.D. Who Moved My Cheese?. G.P. Putnam;s Sons. New York: 2002.
Kline, Peter; Saunders, Bernard. Ten Steps to A Learning Organization: 2nd Edition. Great Ocean Publishers. Arlington, VA: 1998.
Kotter, John P; Cohen, Dan S. The Heart of Change: Real-Life Stories of How People Change Their Organizations. Harvard Business School Press. Boston, MA: 2002.
Lansdowne, David. The Relentlessly Practical Guide to Raising Serious Money. Emerson and Church Publishers. Medfield, MA: 1997.
O’Reilly, Charles A. III; Pfeffer, Jeffrey. Hidden Value: How Great Companies Achieve Extraordinary Results with Ordianry People. Harvard Business School Press. Boston, MA: 2000.
Schein, Edgar H. Process Consultation Volumen II: Lessons for Managers and Consultants. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company. Reading, MS: 1987.
Senge, Peter M. The Fifth Discipline: The Art & Practice of The Learning Organization. Doubleday. New York: 1990.
Schwartz, R; Davidson, Anne; Carlson, Peg; McKinney, Sue. The Skilled Facilitator Fieldbook. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco: 2005.
Welfare-to-Work: Strategies for Health Care Work Force Development. VHA Health Foundation, Inc. Irving, TX: 2001.
Books on Communication
Bennett, Milton J. Basic Concepts of Intercultural Communication: Selected Readings. Intercultural Press, Inc. Yarmouth, ME: 1998.
Bohm, David. On Dialogue. Routledge Classics. New York: 2004.
Issacs, William. Dialogue and the Art of Thinking Together: A Pioneering Approach to Communicating in Business and in Life. Doubleday. New York: 1999.
Kahane, Adam. Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco.
Kraybill, Ron., Wright, Evelyn. Cool Tools for Hot Topics. Group Tools to Facilitate Meetings When Things Are Hot. Good Books. Pennsylvania: 2006.
Case Studies
Glasmeier, Amy K; Nelson, Candace; Thompson, Jeffery W. Jane Addams Resource Corporation: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach.Aspen Institute. Flint, MI: 2000.
Inserra, Anne; Conway, Maureen; Rodat, John. Cooperative Home Care Associates: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach. Aspen Institute. Flint, MI: 2000.
PHI Michigan. Opportunity Partnership and Empowerment Network: A Case Study of an Effective Employee Retention Project. Health Field Collaboartive. PHI Michigan. Lansing, MI: 2007.
Thompson, Jeffery W; Turner-Meikeljohn, Susan; Conway, Maureen. Focus: Hope: A Case Study of a Sectoral Employment Development Approach. Aspen Institute. Flint, MI: 2000.
Books on Race / Class
Caver, Keith A.; Livers, Ancella B. Leading in Black and White:Working Across the Racia Divide in Corporate America. Jossey-Bass:2003.
Hacker, Andrew. Two Nations: Black and White, Separate, Hostile, Unequal. Charles Scribner’s Sons. New York: 1992.
Hooks, Bell. Where We Stand: Class Matters. Routledge. New York: 2000.
King, Martin Luther Jr. Why We Can’t Wait. Penguin Books Ltd. New York: 1964.
Payne, Ruby; Krabill, Don. Hidden Rules of Class at Work. aha! Process. Texas:2002.
Raybon, Patricia. My First White Friend: Confessions on Race, Love, and Forgiveness. Penguin Books. New York: 1996
Roediger, David. Working Toward Whiteness. How America's Immigrants Became White. Basic Books. New York: 2005.
Rutsten, Nathan. Healing Racism in America: A Prescription for the Disease. Whitcomb Publishing. Springfield, MA: 1992.
West, Cornel. Race Matters. Beacon Press. Boston: 1993
Books on Community
Benedict Bunker, Barbara; Alban, Billie. The Handbook of Large Groups Methods. Creating Systemic Change in Organizations and Communities. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco: 2006.
Brown, Juanita; Isaacs, David; et al. The World Café: Shaping Our Futures Through Conversations That Matter. Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc. San Francisco: 2005.
Carroll, Rodney J. No Free Lunch: One Man’s Journey from Welfare to the American Dream. Ballantine Books. New York: 2002.
Diers, Jim. Neighbor Power: Building Community the Seattle Way. University of Washington Press. Seattle: 2004.
Hesselbein, Frances; Goldsmith, Marshall; Beckhard, Richard; Schubert, Richard F. The Community of the Future. Jossey-Bass Publishers. San Francisco: 1998.
Morse, Suzanne W. Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco: 2004.
MacDougal, Gary. Make a Difference: How One Man Helped Solve America’s Poverty Problem. Truman Talley Books. St. Martin’s Press. New York: 2000.
Nepo, Mark. Deeping the American Dream: Reflections on the Inner Life and Spirit of Democracy. Jossey-Bass. San Francisco: 2005
Pierce,Neal; Johnson, Curtis. Boundary Crossers: Community Leadership for a Global Age. The Burns Academy of Leadership Press. University of Maryland: 1997.
Pipher, Mary. The Middle of Everywhere: Helping Refugees Enter the American Community. Harcourt Books. Orlando, FL: 2002.
Putnam, Robert D; Feldstein, Lewis M. Better Together: Restoring the American Community. Simon & Schuster. New York: 2003.
Samuelson, Linda; Schrier, Andrew; et al. Heart and Soul: The Story of Grand Rapids Neighborhoods. William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. Grand Rapids, MI: 2003
Schorr, Lisbeth, B. Common Purpose: Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods to Rebuild America. Anchor Books. New York: 1997.
Schwartz, Peter. The Art of the Long View: Planning for the Future in an Uncertain World. Doubleday. New York; 1996.
Shipler, David K. The Working Poor: Invisible in America. Random House. New York: 2004.
Temali, Mihailo. The Community Economic Development Handbook: Strategies and Tools to Revitalize your Neighborhood. Amherst H. Wilder Foundation. Saint Paul, MN: 2002.
Yunus, Muhammad. Creating a Worl Without Poverty. Public Affairs. New York: 2007
Books on Education
Hill, Paul T; Campbell, Christine; Harvey, James. It Takes A City: Getting Serious about Urban School Reform. Brookings Institution Press. Washington, DC: 2000.
Books on Life Skills
Covey, Stephan R. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Simon & Schuster. New York: 1990.
Frankl, Viktor E. Man’s Search for Meaning. Pocket Books. New York: 1984.
Oshry, Barry. Seeing Systems: Unlocking the Mysteries of Organizational Life. Berrett-Koehler Publishers. San Francisco: 1996.
Palmer, Parker J. Leading from Within: Reflections on Spirituality and Leadership. The Servant Leadership School. Washington, D.C.: 1990.
Parks Daloz, Laurent A; Keen, Cheryl H; Keen, James P; Daloz Parks, Sharon. Common Fire: Leading Lives of Commitment in a Complex World. Beacon Press. Boston: 1996.
Patterson, Kerry; Grenny, Joseph; McMillan, Ron; Switzler, Al. Crucial Confortations. McGraw Hill. New York: 2005.
Patterson, Kerry; Grenny, Joseph; McMillan, Ron; Switzler, Al. Crucial Conversations. McGraw Hill. New York:2002.
Pierce, Neal; Johnson, Curtis. Boundry Crossers: Community Leadership for a Global Age. The Burns Academy of Leadership Press. MD: 1997
Schein, Edgar H. Process Consultation Revisted: Building the Helping Relationship. Addison-Wesley. Reading, MS: 1999.
Senge, Peter; Scharmer, C. Otto; Jaworski, Joseph; Flowers, Betty Sue. Presence: An Exploration of Profound Change in People, Organizations, and Society. Doubleday. New York: 2005.
Wheatley, Margaret J. Finding Our Way: Leadership For an Uncertain Time. Berrett-Koehler. San Francisco: 2005.
Misc. Books
Jacobson, Rachael W. The Reading Group Handbook: Everything You Need To Know to
Pipher, Mary. Writing to Change the World. Riverhead Books. New York: 2006
Powell, Don R., Ph. D. Health at Home: Your Complete Guide to Symptoms, Soultions, and Self Care. American Institute for Preventative Medicine Press. Farmington Hills, MI: 2000.
Resources
Community
A Vision for the Environment: Quality of Life in Boulder County.
Best Practices for Sustainable Development. Southeast Michigan Council of Governments. March, 1999.
Building Community Capacity to Use Information: A Framework. Bailey, Terri J. National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership. The Urban Institute. October 1997.
Building Communities from the Inside Out: A Path Toward Finding and Mobilizing A Community’s Assets. Kretzmann, John P; McKnight, John L. 1993.
Building Family Assets: A Guide to Key Ideas, Effective Approaches, and Technical Assistance Resources for Making Connections Cities and Site Teams.
Building Neighborhood Connections: An Introduction to Successful Neighboring. Sense of Community Project Team. Center for Urban Affairs. MSU.
Catholic Human Development Outreach.
Color Me Healthy ’99: Kent County Health Department.
Community: A Journal of Community Building for Community Leaders. United Way of America. Vol. 4, No. 2. Fall/Winter 2001.
Community and Economic Development Program. Michigan State University Center for Urban Affairs.
Community Benefits: Healthier Communities. Fall 2003. Spectrum Health.
Community Building Coming of Age. Kingsley, G. Thomas; McNeely, Joseph B; Gibson, James O. The Development Training Institute, Inc. April 1997.
Community Colleges and Workforce Development in the New Economy. Katsinas, Stephen G. Winter 1994. Vol. XXIV, No. 1.
Community Data Guide. The Education Trust. Education Watch.
Community Indicators: An Inventory. Progress Measures Action Team. Coalition for Healthier Cities and Communities.
Community Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services: Kent County CMH.
Deepening the American Dream: Resource Book.
Deepening the American Dream: Report Book.
Family Circles: Sharing Our Experiences. Engaging Residents in Family Strengthening Efforts: Des Moines, Indianapolis, and Seattle. Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Family Resource Guide: A Directory of Community Service for Children and Their Families in the Kent County Area. 2005 Edition.
Fannie Mae: Expanding Responsible Lending.
Healthier Communities – Improving the Health of West Michigan. Spectrum Health.
Heartside Mainstreet: Changing before your eyes.
Holding Ground: The Rebirth of Dudley Street. Viewer’s Guide.
Imagine Muskegon! A Community Design Workshop. May 21-23, 2003.
Investment vs. Intention: Exploring Effective Faith-Based Partnerships. Good Samaritan Ministries: Mobilizing Churches for Community Ministry. Oct. 2004.
Interviews with Dr. Suzanne Morse, author of Smart Communities: How Citizens and Local Leaders Can Use Strategic Thinking to Build a Brighter Future.
Kent County Emergency Needs Task Force 2003-2004 Report Update.
Land Stewardship Initiative: A Program of the Michigan Environmental Council.
Launching Economic Development and Community Building Initiatives: A Guide Toward Better Jobs and Stronger Ties. Bonavoglia, Angela. The Neighborhood Strategies Project of the New York Community Trust.
Listen, Learn, Act: Promoting Racial Harmony in Greater Grand Rapids. Citizens League of Greater Grand Rapids. June, 1996.
Michigan’s Land, Michigan’s Future: Highlights from the Final Report of the Michigan Land Use Leadership Council.
Michigan Metropatters: A Regional Agenda for Community and Prosperity in Michigan. Orfield, Myron; Luce, Thomas. Metropolitan Area Research Corporation. April 2003.
Michigan State University Extension
My Community, My Choices. YWCA Grand Rapids.
Neighborhood Association/Organization Directory 2002. City of Grand Rapids.
Neighborhood Indicators 2000. July 12-14, 2000.
Neighbors Building Better Communities: A Report on Community Needs and Neighborhood Strengths. Heart of West Michigan United Way. July 1999.
New Neighbors, New Opportunities: Immigrants and Refugees in Grand Rapids. Dyer-Ives Foundation. October 2003.
North Nelson Neighborhood Strategy, Muskego, Michigan.
Now is the Time: Places Left Behind in the New Economy. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. April 1999.
Outcomes: The Results Oriented System for Community Improvement. The Healthcare Forum.
Quality of Life in Boulder County, 1998: A Community Indicators Report.
Ready, Willing, and Able: Citizens Working for Change. Pew Partnership for Civic Change.
Residents Engaged in Strengthening Families and Neighborhoods: A Guide to Key Ideas, Effective Approaches, and Technical Assistance Resources for Making Connections Cities and Site Teams. The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Spectrum Health.
Study Circles Resource Center: Neighborhood Kit.
Sustainability in Action: Profiles of Community Initiatives Across the United States. Updated Edition 1998.
Take Pride! Community: “A Weekly News Publication”. Sept. 6-12, 2004.
The Changing Face of Grand Rapids: Predatory Lending. April 10, 2003.
The Common Framework: West Michigan: A Region in Transition. Information and Maps for Community Decision Makers.
“The Harlem Project”. Tough, Paul. The New York Times Magazine: June 20, 2004.
The Framework for Improving Results. Georgia Policy Council for Families and Children.
The Outcomes Toolkit. Health Care Forum.
The Urban-Rural Connection. Michigan State University Extension. Summer 2004.
This Land is Your Land: Lesson Plans for Land Use.
Voices. March 2004. Issue 25
Wanted: Solutions for America: What We Know Works: An Overview of Research
About What Works (and what doesn’t) in Social Service Programs. Pew Partnership for Civic Change. University of Richmond: 2001.
Wedgwood Corporate and Community Resources
West Grand Rapids Planning Committee.
West Michigan Strategic Alliance.
Wyoming –Kentwood Area Chamber of Commerce
Young People Creating Community Change. Checkoway, Barry. W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Your Community of Care. Spectrum Health 2002 Community Annual
Case Studies
2002 Greater Grand Rapids Community Survey Results. Van Iwaarden, Donna, Ph.D. Community Research Institute. Grand Valley State University. January 27, 2003.
2004 Kids Count Data Book
Board Governance: Perceptions and Pracitices – An Exploratory Study. Golensky, Martha, D.S.W. Grand Valley State University. September 2000.
Bridging the Cultures of Business & Poverty: Welfare to Career at Cascade Engineering, Inc. Bradley, James R. Stanford Social Innovation Review.
Census 2000 & Other Demographic Information: Asian Pacific American Islander Community. LEAP, Inc.
City of Grand Rapids: Office of Children, Youth and Families.
Children at Risk: State Trends 1990-2000: A First Look at Census 2000 Supplementary Survey Data. The Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Community Needs Assessment Report. Smith, Brian P. Saint Mary’s Medical Mercy Center. March 24, 2004.
Executive Overview: New York’s Workforce Development System. A Report to Governor George E. Pataki. Quality Works in New York. July 12, 2000.
Exploring Welfare-to-Work Challenges in Five Metropolitan Regions. Austin Turner, Margery; Rubin, Mark; Delair, Michelle. National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership. The Urban Institute. November 1999.
Exterior Housing Condition Survey 1996. City of Grand Rapids Neighborhood Services Department, Dec. 1996.
Grand Rapids Police Department Traffic Stop Data Collection Program: Report for the City of Grand Rapids. Lamberth, John CD. May 2004.
Kent and Allegan County External Environmental Scan, Internal Environmental Scan, & Career Development Report Card: Final Release. Kent and Allegan Workforce Development Board. Aug. 31, 2000.
Kent County Emergency Needs Task Force: 2000-01 Update Report. July 2001.
Kids Count In Michigan 1999 Data Book: County Profiles of Child and Family Well-Being.
Mixed-Income Neighborhoods in Grand Rapids: A Summary of Findings. Thomas, Dr. June; Schweitzer, Dr. John; Darnton, Julia. Michigan State University Extension. June 2004.
Understanding. Wurman, Richard Saul.
United Way’s 2-1-1 Report. February 2005.
Business
2003 Grand Rapids Manufacturers Regional Directory.
2003 West Michigan Regional Minority–and Women–Owned Business Directory.
2004 Grand Rapids Business Directory.
2004/2005 Community Resource Guide and Membership Directory.
2004/2005 West Michigan Regional Minority–and Women–Owned Business Directory.
2005 Business Directory.
2006 Grand Rapids Business Directory.
A Workforce Development Proposal for Low-Income Residents of Kalamazoo County. May, 2004.
Facilitating Uphill: Intervention Strategies for Challenging Meetings! Bens, Ingrid, M.Ed.
Facilitating Upstream Migration: Improving Performance Through Improvisation.
Field Manuel for a Learning Historian. Version 4.0. October 28, 1996.
Following the Leader: A Guide for Planning Founding Director Transition. Redington, Emily; Vickers, Donn. Leadership Report Number 1. The Academy for Leadership & Governance.
Grand Rapids Area Atlas.
Grand Rapids Business Journal. “Business Resource Guide 2003-2004. Vol. 21, No. 27.
Grand Rapids Magazine. “20 To Watch”. December 2002.
Kent County Health Care Transportation Resource Directory.
Languages International, Inc: Translating, Interpreting, and Typesetting Services.
Learning For Life.
“Measuring Social Capital in Five Communities.” Onyx, Jenny; Bullen, Paul. The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science. Arlington, MA: March 2000.
Our Barrio Directory.
Polarity Management: Identifying and Managing Unsolvable Problems. Facilitators’ Training Session. August 7, 2000.
Powerful Presentation Skills: Develop the Confidence and Skill to Make Effective Presentations. National Press Publications.
Resource Directory for American Indian Families Residing in Kent County. May 2002.
Stronger Links: New Ways to Connect Low-Skilled Workers to Better Jobs. The Annie E Casey Foundation’s Jobs Initiative.
The Art and Mastery of Facilitation. IAF Conference June 9-11, 2005.
Misc.
A Citizen’s Guide to State Government.
American Diabetes Association
An Overview of Federal Workforce Development Policies (2007). Training Policy.
Communicable Disease in Kent County. Part I: Gastrointestinal Diseases.
Delta Strategy 2007 Worksession
Grand Rapids Medical Education & Research Center for Health Professions.
Partnerships in the Era of Term Limits. Grand Valley State University.
Tribute! 2003 Awards Celebration. November 6, 2003.
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