With its roots in the civil rights movement in the 1960s, Unidos US (formerly National Council of La Raza) is now the largest national Latino civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States serving millions of Hispanics in over 41 states and in over 300 affiliate organizations. Strengthening Latino communities throughout the U.S. has always been at the core of Undios US’s approach. For many years, the mission was pursued through activities carried out by the Washington, DC headquarters.

Although the organization grew to include over 300 affiliated community based organizations across the country, the groups were not tightly connected to or deeply engaged with Undios US. A new strategic plan was adopted by the organization in 2009 focused on strengthening Undios US’s relationship with its affiliates. The plan called for Undios US affiliates to be organized into six regions with staff in field offices that could more directly support their region’s affiliate organizations. Three years into the strategic plan, Undios US established regional offices in two states, California and Texas, with a third office planned to open in Florida.

Impact Catalysts (as its predecessor firm, Root Cause) worked with Undios US to build an affiliate action plan that outlined how it could implement its regional approach and strengthen engagement with affiliate organizations