Strategic Prevention Solutions

10/07/2026

What a week in Anchorage!
SPS was honored to join prevention partners from across Alaska at Prevention Summit 2026: Building Foundations in Chaotic Times, hosted by Alaska's Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (CDVSA) at the BP Energy Center.

SPS President, Wendi Siebold, presented with Tiffany Webb of the Curyung Tribe on developing a shared vocabulary for primary prevention. A common language is a skill that underpins so much of the work we do with partners. That afternoon, Wendi moderated a panel on prevention work in a crisis setting with leaders from Sitka, Seward, Anchorage, Valdez, and Bethel, who shared how they keep prevention moving while responding to urgent needs in their communities.

SPS Research Associates, Emily and Lisseth, led a session on program mapping using shared factors and the Social Ecological Model, then facilitated a World Café breakout on building and sustaining coalitions.

Thank you to CDVSA for bringing everyone together, and to all the presenters and participants who showed up ready to build foundations for prevention across the state of Alaska!

09/28/2026

Want to know if your program is making a difference? 🗺️
Great programs start with a solid plan and a clear way to measure what's working. Our Program Planning & Evaluation Workbook walks you through planning and evaluation together, in plain, easy-to-understand language.

Inside, you'll find six sections that guide you from start to finish:
✅ Program Planning
✅ Evaluation Planning
✅ Keeping Things Feasible
✅ Working with Data
✅ Sharing Findings
✅ Making Improvements

Each section includes worksheets, real-world examples, and reflection questions to use with your team, along with content on culturally responsive evaluation, shared risk and protective factors, and data visualization. The workbook applies across social issue areas including substance misuse, youth violence, homelessness, HIV/AIDS, and more.

It's an ideal resource for community coalitions, nonprofit managers and directors, evaluators building organizational capacity, educators, students, and anyone looking to strengthen their planning and evaluation skills.

📘 Available as a digital download or full-color hardcover with tabs and spiral binding.

👉 Get your copy: strategicpreventionsolutions.com/shop

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09/21/2026

Raise your hand if this sounds familiar: your team spent months building a beautiful strategic plan... and then it sat in a drawer. 🙋

A strategic plan tells you where you're headed. An action plan is what actually gets you there — the concrete, "who does what by when" steps that keep momentum alive.

In our newest blog, we share the lessons we've learned from dozens of action-planning projects with community organizations — including why the simplest tool (not the fanciest tracker) usually wins, and why including frontline staff in the planning process is a total game-changer for follow-through.

💬 Tell us in the comments: what's stopped an action plan from sticking in your organization before?

Read more here: https://na2.hubs.ly/H07X70Q0

Learn how to turn your strategic plan into results with a clear action plan — practical tips on ownership, timelines, and keeping momentum alive.

09/14/2026

🎉 Huge congrats to our Research Associate, Danielle Riekart! 🎉
Last weekend, Danielle completed her very first triathlon — the Susan Bradley-Cox Tri for Sight 2026 in Lexington, KY — and crushed it, placing 3rd in her age group! 🏊‍♀️🚴‍♀️🏃‍♀️

At SPS, we're proud of our team's accomplishments both in and out of the office, and Danielle's dedication, discipline, and drive are a perfect example of what makes our team so special. Way to go, Danielle — we're cheering for you! 👏

07/08/2026

Before you build or expand a community program, there are two questions worth asking:
>What does this community actually need?
>And what does it already have to work with?

A Community Needs Assessment answers the first — surfacing the gaps and priorities you might not have anticipated. A Resource Assessment answers the second — mapping the strengths, services, and assets already in place.

Put them together, and you're planning from a full picture instead of a guess.

Our latest blog breaks down what each assessment does, when to use them, and why community involvement matters at every stage. Read it here: www.strategicpreventionsolutions.com/post/community-needs-resource-assessment-a-practical-tool-for-community-driven-planning

Want to go deeper? Our short course walks through the full process — from building your workgroup to turning findings into action. Learn more: www.strategicpreventionsolutions.com/courses/community-needs-assessments

A CNA shows you what's missing. A Resource Assessment shows you what's already working. Together, they give organizations the full picture they need to plan with confidence — not assumptions.

07/06/2026

✨One of our SPS Research Associates, Danielle Riekert, had the pleasure of visiting the Strong Hearted Native Women's Coalition in Southern California —and we are inspired!

We had a productive working meeting to discuss what they're learning from their community and to map out next steps for the remainder of the programmatic year. They also shared some of the beautiful resource cards they've developed for their community, with more on the way!

The work this coalition is doing in prevention is a powerful example of community-driven impact in action. We are so grateful to be a part of it. 💛

Thank you, Strong Hearted Native Women’s Coalition, for all that you do — and for welcoming us into your space. We're honored to partner alongside you!

06/29/2026

We're excited to launch our new short course: Introduction to Community Needs & Resource Assessments

CNAs are one of the most foundational tools in community planning — and one of the most inconsistently used. Not because practitioners don't value them, but because the process can feel hard to scope, execute, and connect back to actual decisions.

This 1-2 hour, self-paced course is designed to change that! You'll walk through the full CNA process — from building your workgroup to turning findings into an action plan — using real-world examples grounded in community practice.

Certificate of completion included. $39.99.

Enroll here: https://www.strategicpreventionsolutions.com/courses/community-needs-assessments

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06/10/2026

It's the first day of the 2026 National Association of Social Workers National convention in Washington D.C. & we're ready to dive in! Visit us at booth 210!

06/08/2026

Looking for free tools to support your program planning and evaluation efforts?

Visit our Digital Downloads & Resources page to find free downloads for:
📋 Planning
📊 Data collection and analysis
🧩 Comprehensive programming
📝 Reporting
📚 Knowledge and research

www.strategicpreventionsolutions.com/digitaldownloads

06/05/2026

DC, here we come! 🌸🏛️ We are so excited to attend the 2026 National Association of Social Workers National Conference from June 10–13 and connect with the incredible community of social workers, researchers, and practitioners who show up every day for the people they serve.

At SPS, supporting the people doing this work is at the heart of everything we do. We believe that when practitioners have access to strong research, evaluation, and capacity building rooted in community, real change happens.

If you're heading to the conference, we'd love to see you! Stop by booth 210 and let's talk about how we can support your work.