Community Solutions — the national field-building nonprofit behind the Built for Zero movement — is entering a next phase aimed at redefining the homelessness-response field: shifting from a posture that treats homelessness as permanent toward housing systems that prevent and end it. As part of that shift, they're looking to evolve how their network connects, learns, and acts together online and in person.
Iris is partnering with Community Solutions to explore a digital ecosystem that goes beyond a standard LMS. Rather than a passive content library, the aim is a platform that strengthens peer exchange, helps place-based coalitions recognize they're working toward shared outcomes, and drives people into meaningful synchronous and in-person connection. Their field spans diverse stakeholders at the community level — municipal leaders, business and downtown BID leaders, the Continuum of Care homeless-response sector, day shelters, and more — all coordinating around common aims.
This engagement begins in a discovery and visioning posture. Near-term work centers on articulating must-accomplish goals for what Community Solutions calls their "Collaborative Plus" experience, surfacing requirements, and shaping a platform architecture grounded in social/participatory learning and Christopher Alexander–inspired "aliveness" design principles rather than extractive default patterns. Iris's approach is fully custom but assembled from proven, reusable building blocks (directory and network mapping, learning and resource systems, AI-assisted connection, custom video presence, integrated project and funding tools) on a Webflow/Supabase/custom-code stack — meaning Community Solutions doesn't start from scratch.
Likely workstreams under exploration: platform strategy & discovery (active), a learning platform & resource library, a directory & network-mapping system, an AI-powered connection engine, and custom video integration. Scope, sequencing, and commercial terms are still being defined through the upcoming visioning sessions.
Origin: Referred via David Sloan Wilson / ProSocial World, whose Iris-built platform Community Solutions admired.
Community Solutions — the national field-building nonprofit behind the Built for Zero movement — is entering a next phase aimed at redefining the homelessness-response field: shifting from a posture that treats homelessness as permanent toward housing systems that prevent and end it. As part of that shift, they're looking to evolve how their network connects, learns, and acts together online and in person.
Iris is partnering with Community Solutions to explore a digital ecosystem that goes beyond a standard LMS. Rather than a passive content library, the aim is a platform that strengthens peer exchange, helps place-based coalitions recognize they're working toward shared outcomes, and drives people into meaningful synchronous and in-person connection. Their field spans diverse stakeholders at the community level — municipal leaders, business and downtown BID leaders, the Continuum of Care homeless-response sector, day shelters, and more — all coordinating around common aims.
This engagement begins in a discovery and visioning posture. Near-term work centers on articulating must-accomplish goals for what Community Solutions calls their "Collaborative Plus" experience, surfacing requirements, and shaping a platform architecture grounded in social/participatory learning and Christopher Alexander–inspired "aliveness" design principles rather than extractive default patterns. Iris's approach is fully custom but assembled from proven, reusable building blocks (directory and network mapping, learning and resource systems, AI-assisted connection, custom video presence, integrated project and funding tools) on a Webflow/Supabase/custom-code stack — meaning Community Solutions doesn't start from scratch.
Likely workstreams under exploration: platform strategy & discovery (active), a learning platform & resource library, a directory & network-mapping system, an AI-powered connection engine, and custom video integration. Scope, sequencing, and commercial terms are still being defined through the upcoming visioning sessions.
Origin: Referred via David Sloan Wilson / ProSocial World, whose Iris-built platform Community Solutions admired.
Strategic discovery and scoping phase for Community Solutions' field-building platform. Focus on redefining homelessness response field through digital ecosystem that balances asynchronous learning resources with synchronous peer exchange and place-based collaboration. Must connect diverse stakeholders (business leaders, municipal leaders, Continuum of Care, shelters, BIDs) around shared outcomes while avoiding standard LMS limitations. Includes visioning sessions, requirements gathering, and platform architecture planning informed by Christopher Alexander's pattern language principles and aliveness-centered design philosophy.
Custom online learning platform that moves beyond standard LMS to integrate synchronous training, cohort-based learning, and deep library of toolkits/best practices. Must support self-paced asynchronous content while driving meaningful peer exchange and recognizing shared work toward outcomes. Core challenge: avoid 'create your own adventure' feeling while maintaining engagement and completion rates. Platform should incorporate social learning principles, participatory engagement pathways, and connection mechanisms between async content consumers. Integration with broader community platform ecosystem required.
Searchable directory system integrated with map-based visualization for Community Solutions network. Must support place-based ecosystem view connecting diverse stakeholder types (business leaders, municipal leaders, homeless response sector, BIDs, etc.) around shared aims and outcomes. User profiles should be searchable geographically and by other relevant dimensions. System demonstrated in IRIS platform demo showed profiles on map with robust filtering. Integration with learning platform and broader community engagement tools required.
Custom video conferencing solution supporting synchronous training and cohort-based learning. James demonstrated always-open rooms where participants meet off-Zoom with circle-based (not grid) interface to presence each other differently. Integration with learning platform for cohort sessions and with community platform for ongoing peer connection. Should support both structured training events and informal drop-in connection opportunities. Custom branding and experience design to align with Community Solutions' field-building mission.
Intelligent matching system analyzing network for values alignment, generating deeper connection profiles between individuals, and surfacing skill alignment or blind spots across teams. Supports Community Solutions' goal of strengthening peer exchange and helping communities recognize shared work toward outcomes. System would use AI (Claude) to analyze member profiles, contributions, stated interests, and potentially assessment data to suggest meaningful connections. Integration with directory system and learning platform for contextual recommendations.
Send scheduling link for deeper visioning call to Rosanne and Lori
James to follow up via email with a scheduling link for a deeper visioning call. Referenced at 36:12.
Check in with Ashle at Pro Social for website usage metrics and feedback to inform platform design
Share Lancaster regenerative project digital twin website as design inspiration with Rosanne and Lori
James offered to share a regenerative project in Lancaster — a digital twin website exploring a site through scales and layers (social, wind, air, water, earth). Referenced at 35:38.
Share Serve Community and Cool Blocks references as relevant platform precedents with Rosanne and Lori
James to share Serve Community and Cool Blocks as reference points for platform-enabled, in-person-sensitive community work. Discussed at approximately 32:48 during comparable work conversation.
Schedule follow-up visioning call with James using his scheduling link
Rosanne and Lori to schedule follow-up call using James's link to deepen exploration of platform needs and community engagement strategies. Referenced at 36:12. Lori Girvan is listed in the Artifact people but not the Engagement people, so assigning to Rosanne as the primary engagement contact.
Articulate must-accomplish goals for the Collaborative Plus online and in-person experience
Rosanne and Lori to continue articulating the must-accomplish goals for the Collaborative Plus online and in-person experience ahead of the deeper visioning call.
