True Ground Housing Partners: A Facilitation Case Study
In 2024, The Spark Mill partnered with True Ground Housing Partners — a nonprofit affordable housing developer providing safe rental communities to nearly 6,000 people in the DC area — to support the growth and professionalization of their Resident Council, a core group representing the resident voices across the organization. Building on a successful collaboration for the Virginia Governor’s Conference, the partnership evolved into a long-term engagement focused on structure, systems, and sustainable communication between residents, leadership, and their board. Through facilitation and strategic design, The Spark Mill (TSM) helped True Ground strengthen how resident perspectives inform decision-making at every level. This month we chatted with True Ground’s Vice President of Resident Services, Marquan Jackson, to reflect on the organization’s experience consulting with TSM and what has come out of that work since.
Together, The Spark Mill and True Ground’s senior leadership team established clear mechanisms for feedback and collaboration. This work created a framework that not only elevated resident voice but also clarified how leadership could listen, respond, and close the communication loop. Over time, this process allowed the Resident Council to operate with greater independence and confidence, ensuring resident input was heard directly and authentically, without redirection or dilution.
Maintaining alignment was key throughout the engagement. Through regular check-ins, clear goal setting, and shared success measures, The Spark Mill and True Ground ensured that the work stayed connected to day-to-day operations and long-term organizational goals. As the collaboration progressed through multiple iterations, both leadership and residents experienced tangible improvements in communication, trust, and partnership.
The project also deepened True Ground’s culture of feedback and transparency. By creating spaces for honest dialogue, even when feedback was critical, the organization strengthened its ability to learn from residents’ lived experiences. This shift helped staff recognize that meaningful progress often comes from discomfort and honest reflection. The Spark Mill’s facilitation encouraged a mindset of listening fully, responding thoughtfully, and moving forward collectively.
The work has had a lasting impact on True Ground’s culture, cultivating transparency, inclusivity, and mutual respect. Both staff and residents gained a clearer sense of shared purpose, and the organization continues to approach feedback as a tool for growth rather than critique. The Spark Mill’s facilitation helped embed these practices into how True Ground operates, ensuring that resident voice remains central to the organization’s mission moving forward.
