• Program and Organizational Development and Leadership: new program development, project management, team coordination, organizational infrastructure development, capacity assessment, partnership development (examples listed below)
• Writing: grant proposals, concept papers, action plans, training curricula, research papers, reports (examples listed below)
• Facilitation: planning processes, results-producing meetings, dialogues, network/coalition coordination (examples listed below).

Program and Organizational Development and Leadership Experience

• Project Manager of the Ka`u Community Development Plan for the County of Hawaii Planning Department (2008-present)
• Co-managed an organizational and fund development planning process for the Kea`au Youth Business Center (2009)
• Program Development Consultant to the Hawaii Alliance for Community-Based Economic Development (HACBED) (2006-2009). Facilitated a participatory, experiential design process for the Hawaii County Resource Center's (HCRC) new leadership development programming. Coordinated the design and pilot launch of the HCRC's Alaka`i leadership development program.
• Capacity Building Consultant to Hawaiian Civic Clubs as part of the Association of Hawaiian Civic Clubs’ Native Hawaiian Business Plan Competition (2008)
• Nonprofit Capacity Building Consultant to the Capital Area (Michigan) Power of We Consortium (2005-2008).  Developed two successful funding proposals to the federal Department of Health and Human Services (for $2,000,000 in Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Program grants) and developed a successful proposal to the Corporation for National and Community Service (for a pool of VISTA volunteers).  Facilitated implementation of the Compassion Capital Fund project and the development of the Consortium's Leadership and Practice Committee.  Assessed the capacity of 14 community- and faith-based organizations, developed organization-specific capacity-building recommendations, and supported capacity-building work plan development and implementation.
• Organizational Development Consultant for Michigan State University's Office for International Students and Scholars (2007).  Facilitated the restructuring of a nonprofit, Community Volunteers for International Programs (CVIP), and its partnership with OISS.
• Organizational Design Researcher for Michigan State University's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (2007).  Conducted research into the administrative and financial structure of student farms and prepared a report summarizing organizational structures for MSU's Student Organic Farm to consider.
• Founding CEO of the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative (now the NorthWest Initiative), a comprehensive community development nonprofit (2000-2005). Developed programming in eight areas: commercial corridor revitalization, food systems development, leadership development, targeted development, resource awareness and access, free tax preparation, community building, and community promotions. Secured hundreds of thousands of dollars to support operational and program budgets. Cultivated and maintained partnerships with 30+ nonprofit, business, and public sector organizations. Established the organizational structure, including legal nonprofit status, fiscal accounting system, insurance coverage, and policies and procedures.
• Founding Board member and de facto President of the Renaissance Neighborhood Association (1999-2005)
• Program Development Consultant with the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (2001-2002). Assisted with the initial development of the Food Systems Higher Education-Community Partnership Program. Evaluated 100s of funding proposals and made funding recommendations.
• Coordinator of the leadership team for the Bailey Scholars Program (1999-2000). Studied, wrote about, and made presentations about the program's unique membership, ethos, and organizational structure.
• Founding Co-coordinator of Michigan State University's Participatory Research Network (1998-2000)
• Founding Coordinator of the Michigan State Sustainable Agriculture Network (1997-1999)
• International Program Development Assistant, Bean/Cowpea Collaborative Research Support Program (CRSP) Management Office (1996-1999). Conceptualized an international agricultural development project, secured a three-year USAID grant, and facilitated project development and monitoring.
• Aquaculture Extension Agent and Volunteer Leader, Cameroonian Intensive Fish Culture Project, U.S. Peace Corps (1992-1994). Programmed and implemented a grassroots outreach plan for local aquacultural extension. Advised volunteers during small project planning, funding, and implementation.

• Innovators Award to the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative by the Neighborhoods Association of Michigan for the WestSide Alliance commercial corridor revitalization project (2005)
• Regional Excellence Award for Cooperation in Social and Community Services awarded to the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative by the Regional Economic Development Team (2004)
• Bea Christy Neighborhood Volunteer of the Year, Lansing Neighborhood Council (2003)
• Supervisory Skills training, County of Hawaii Department of Human Resources (2009)
  
• Strategic Planning training with Jude Kaye of CompassPoint Nonprofit Services (2008)
• Board Development training from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (2003)
• Staff Management training from the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (2004)

Writing Experience

• Written successful funding proposals to a wide variety of entities, including: federal Department of Health and Human Services (for two Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Program grants) (2006 and 2007), Corporation for National and Community Service (for a new VISTA program) (2006), Samuel N. and Mary Castle Foundation (2006), Ingham County Health Department (2001-2003), City of Lansing (Department of Planning and Neighborhood Development/ Community Development Block Grant, Human Relations and Community Services, Mayor's Neighborhood Advisory Board) (1999-2005), Michigan State University Extension (2001), Local Initiatives Support Corporation (2003-2004), Consumers Energy Foundation (2004), Michigan Interfaith Trust Fund (2004-2005), Michigan Nutrition Network (2004-2005), Susan G. Komen Foundation (2005), Lansing Area Community Trust Fund (2001-2004), U.S. Agency for International Development (1997, 1999)
• Crafted funding proposals for Sustain Hawaii's demonstration farm in Waimanalo and for its Hawaii Policy Portal project (2010-2011)
• Integrated the outputs of a year-long participatory, experiential design process into a program outline to guide the Hawaii County Resource Center's implementation of new leadership development programming (2007)
  
• Synthesized community input into prioritized action plans with the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative (now the NorthWest Initiative) (2000-2005)
• Developed a detailed action plan for St. Vincent Catholic Charities’ new Economic Advisory Council, which is charged with helping low-income clients find jobs and become financially independent (2006)
  
• Developed a leadership development workshop curriculum for parents of young children as a consultant to the University-Community Partnerships Department of Michigan State University’s Office of University Outreach and Engagement (2006)
• Revised a case statement designed to pique national foundations’ interest in supporting the work of the Capital Area (Michigan) Power of We Consortium (2006)
  
• Developed concise summaries of dialogue sessions among a diverse set of faculty members as coordinator of a Michigan State University colloquy (1999)
• Wrote a 226-page thesis (1998) and 264-page dissertation (2003)

• Outstanding Master's Scholar, Department of Resource Development, Michigan State University (1998)
• Annual Political Science Undergraduate Research Award, Santa Clara University (1990)
• Business Planning training from the Hawaii Alliance of Nonprofit Organizations (2010)
• The Art of Fundraising training from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (2003)

Facilitation Experience

• Facilitated scores of informational meetings, training workshops, educational workshops, leadership orientations, stakeholder meetings, and management meetings as project manager of the Ka`u Community Development Plan (2008-present)
  
• Co-facilitated a day-long organizational and fund development planning meeting for the Kea`au Youth Business Center (2009)
• Facilitated the design and pilot launch of the Hawaii County Resource Center's Alaka`i leadership development program (2008)
• Facilitated a day-long stakeholders meeting to review proposed changes in the Hawaii County Planning Department’s West Hawaii Water Quality Monitoring Program (2008)
  
• Facilitating the participatory, experiential design of leadership development programming for the Hawaii County Resource Center (2006-2007)
• Facilitated implementation of a Compassion Capital Fund Demonstration Program for the Capital Area (Michigan) Power of We Consortium (2006-2008)
  
• Facilitated the launch of St. Vincent Catholic Charities' new Economic Advisory Council, which is charged with helping low-income clients find jobs and become financially independent (2006)
• Facilitated a series of community conversations as part of the Design Regional Detroit initiative (2006)
  
• Convened and led scores of action-oriented meetings for the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative (now the NorthWest Initiative) (2000-2005)
• Facilitated a peer-to-peer leadership development program for the NorthWest Lansing Healthy Communities Initiative (now the NorthWest Initiative) (2001-2004)
• Facilitated meetings and learning-oriented dialogues for the Bailey Scholars Program (1999-2001)
• Taught six academic courses at Michigan State University (1999-2001)
• Facilitated presentations, topical discussions, and meetings for the Michigan State Sustainable Agriculture Network (1997-1999) and the Participatory Research Network (1998-2000)

• Service Recognition Award, Michigan State Sustainable Agriculture Network (2000)
• Sustainability for Leaders training from The Natural Step (2009)
  
• Charrette System Certificate, National Charrette Institute (2008)
• Charrette Management and Facilitation Certificate, National Charrette Institute (2008)
• Facilitator Excellence training from Michigan State University Extension (2005)
• Diversity Awareness and Advocacy training from Lansing Community College (2004)

 Ron Whitmore is an exceptionally talented person. He is equally adept at planning and managing programs, and working in organizational and community settings. He's also a terrific writer, facilitator, team member.
I especially admire his personal discipline and work ethic. Because of that, when you hire Ron you know things will get done on time and at a high quality level. I know all of this from experience: I've hired Ron several times in the past and have always found his work to be top-notch. For any organizational or community client, hiring Ron Whitmore is a "can't lose" proposition.

- Frank Fear, Senior Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Michigan State University

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