The Secret Sauce of Successful Community Development Initiatives

At the heart of every thriving community are individuals and organizations dedicated to making a difference. Levitate Legal & Consulting, a woman-and minority-owned legal and consulting firm, exists to empower these change-makers. It specializes in guiding local governments, nonprofits and corporate entities in maximizing their community impact, knowing that behind every policy, every funding award and every project, there are people whose lives are directly benefitted.

“When it comes to driving meaningful change, it’s crucial to have trusted collaborators united in their commitment to personal growth, problem-solving and strategic decision-making,” says Terri Reynolds, founder and managing partner. “We are positioned to bring key stakeholders to the table in a thoughtful and cohesive way. This allows us to collaboratively solve problems, actively listen to one another, set collective goals and plan how to achieve them—all within a framework of trust and confidentiality that moves our mission forward.”

Two key areas where Levitate Legal excels are ensuring compliance with federal funding awards and developing programs that are competitive for federal funding. Its true value lies in bridging the capacity gap that local governments often encounter when bringing community initiatives to life. Whether a single, significant, annual project or a broader community strategy, it acts as a thought partner, offering strategic support to transform ideas into thriving community outcomes.

Over the past three years alone, the firm has played a critical role in securing over $200 million in project funding—a number expected to grow as its influence expands.

The team understands that transformative change requires a strong, interconnected ecosystem within a community. This belief drives their partnerships with nonprofit organizations, where they help design programs to attract philanthropic funding. In every city and county where they have a presence, they work to strengthen local nonprofits by advising on their missions and structures, ensuring they leave a lasting imprint on the lives they touch.

Public policy is another cornerstone of their work. Under the leadership of attorney Susan Kennedy, a partner in the firm’s policy and revenue practice, the team brings a comprehensive approach that integrates policy analysis, stakeholder engagement and advocacy. This enables them to craft initiatives that address immediate public policy needs while positioning clients for long-term success within the regulatory environment and fostering sustainable change for future generations.

Mapping the Path to Effective Outcomes

The foundation of any successful project lies in a deep understanding of the client’s needs. That’s why Levitate Legal begins every engagement with a comprehensive needs assessment to uncover every detail necessary to chart a clear path to success. Insights are gathered through in-depth conversations with various departments and teams, along with personal interactions, surveys and questionnaires.

Once a clear picture is formed, a capacity gap analysis is conducted to identify the areas where support is needed most. Armed with this information, Levitate Legal crafts a detailed plan of action that includes a project description, clear objectives, strategies for achieving goals, a comprehensive budget and a vision for the expected outcomes and impacts.

The effectiveness of this approach was evident in its management of two federal funding awards for a city and a county within the same jurisdiction. Initially, these two entities were working separately, each focused on its own priorities. Levitate Legal quickly recognized the potential for a greater impact through collaboration. Over the first three months, it facilitated focused discussions between city and county officials. These conversations brought to light a broader range of community issues that required urgent attention, particularly in optimizing the use of the nearly $90 million in combined funds.

Achieving consensus wasn’t easy—it took nearly a year—but the result was well worth the effort. Levitate Legal developed a prioritized list of projects and programs that delivered real, tangible benefits to communities.

Small businesses received much-needed financial support, senior citizens benefited from critical home repairs and neglected neighborhoods were finally connected to public sanitary sewer lines.

These long-awaited community improvements demonstrated Levitate Legal’s ability to turn isolated efforts into a cohesive narrative of community revitalization and economic growth.

The Levitate Think Tank

The Levitate Legal team has played a significant role in molding the company into what it is today, each member bringing industry expertise.

Reynolds has dedicated her entire career to the nuanced realm of local governance, gaining invaluable insights into the daily challenges faced by cities, counties and state governments. As former legislative counsel for a statewide association serving local government leaders, she has a unique understanding of how elected officials think and the support they need to advance community goals. In the past year alone, she has helped her clients secure nearly $50 million in funding to advance their programmatic goals. She has also advised numerous local and national nonprofits on building sustainable organizations to support the work of local governments. Her hands-on experience gives Levitate Legal a practical, grounded approach to problem-solving, ensuring solutions are not just theoretical but are firmly rooted in the day-to-day realities of local governance.

Kennedy epitomizes the team’s caliber. As a renowned tax policy expert and former legal counsel for the Alabama Department of Revenue, she has navigated the complexities of managing hundreds of millions of dollars in state tax revenue and resolving intricate policy issues. Her crowning achievement came with the Alabama legislature’s $75 million tax package bill, featuring a transformative $25 million childcare tax credit. Kennedy’s role was pivotal—crafting the legislation, conducting thorough policy analysis and championing its benefits. Her efforts facilitated the bill’s passage to provide significant financial relief to Alabama families, including support for local childcare centers.

The management team’s experience further strengthens Levitate Legal’s success, allowing it to carefully select the best consultants to join the team. Although based in Central Alabama, it sources talent from across the country, focusing on fund development, program design and policy analysis. A nationwide reach ensures the best and brightest minds are available to clients, optimally leveraged through virtual communication.

Nurturing the next generation of professionals is a core value at Levitate Legal, one it lives by every day. Many of its junior project managers began their careers in its robust internship program and have developed into project managers who deeply understand its mission and embody a problem-solving ethos. Their journey exemplifies a commitment to fostering talent and maintaining a collaborative spirit, ensuring client satisfaction is always achieved.

A Roadmap for National Community Impact

Rooted in the Southeast, Levitate Legal is setting its sights on becoming a national powerhouse, expanding its reach to local governments, corporate entities and nonprofit organizations across the country.

A key initiative is a commitment to supporting smaller nonprofits and local governments that lack the resources to hire large consulting firms. To advance this mission, it is launching ‘The Levitate Institute,’ a nonprofit arm providing technical assistance through webinars, training at its Birmingham and Montgomery offices and virtual sessions. This ensures essential services are accessible to those who need them most, empowering communities to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.

These aspirations reflect Levitate Legal’s goals of growing its business while extending the impact of its expertise to weave the fabric of stronger and more vibrant communities.