Work That Moves Communities Forward

WS-3's Role & Impact

Minnesota led the nation with a 79.6% self-response rate — the highest of all 252 Area Census Offices across the United States. Walter served as Emergency Management Official (EMO), overseeing all emergency operations plans, business recovery plans, field operations, IT systems, and personnel accountability throughout the most complex logistical operation the federal government undertook during COVID-19.

WS-3's Role & Impact

When it comes to Social Justice, Community Revitalization, and Historic Reckoning for the community's sake and benefit — there is no greater example of Intelligence, Integrity, and Innovation than through the landmark efforts and historic work of the premier consulting of Walter L. Smith III of WS-3 Enterprises & Associates, LLC. Serving as Strategic Development Consultant, WS-3 formed the 501(c)(3) nonprofit, drafted the strategic development business plan, and authored the project scope that directly led to the funding of the Rondo Land Bridge Project — earning a Gold Star recognition from the Urban Land Institute in March 2018.

WS-3's Role & Impact

Walter L. Smith III served as Executive Director of Everybody In, leading the organization's mission to eradicate racial and ethnic economic disparities consistent with the 2012 Blue Ribbon Commission on Reducing Racial Employment and Economic Disparities. Under his leadership, Everybody In deployed its Racial Equity Action Research Model (REARM) with the City of Brooklyn Center, advanced the MN Equity Trust, and convened Super Connector Forums to connect disenfranchised individuals and businesses of color to resources, capital, and opportunity — working toward a 2030 goal of ending persistent economic disparities for all populations in Minnesota.

• ✦Deployed REARM with the City of Brooklyn Center (2016–2017)
• ✦Produced Socio-Economic Baseline Reports & stakeholder interviews
• ✦Partnered with Minnesota State Climate Table on African American & American Indian ventures
• ✦Convened Super Connector Forums across the Twin Cities metro
• ✦Established the MN Equity Trust for communities of color

WS-3's Role & Impact

Walter L. Smith III was instrumental in establishing the Minnesota Equity Trust framework, a generative approach to maximizing community opportunities and wealth creation. The Trust's Community Engagement Process spans six stages — Identification of Need and Opportunities, Project Design, Public-Private Partnerships, Project Implementation and Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization of Lessons Learned, and Research & Innovation — ensuring communities of color are owners and direct beneficiaries of economic development in Minnesota.

• ✦Purpose: Streamline all legal, financial & administrative compliance to accelerate investments for communities of color
• ✦Core Values: Capability · Wealth Creation · Accountability · Transparency · Aggregation · Ease of Administration
• ✦Six-stage Community Engagement Process from Identification of Need through Research & Innovation
• ✦Fosters inclusivity, innovation, and investment from individual, public, private, and nonprofit organizations
• ✦Long-term goal: Accelerate growth, progress, and success for communities of color in dire straits

WS-3's Role & Impact

Walter L. Smith III provided strategic consulting and organizational development support to Westminster Baptist Church's transitional living ministry — helping establish the WBCTL's operational framework, company profile, and capacity infrastructure to serve the most vulnerable residents with dignity, stability, and a pathway to self-sufficiency.

• ✦On-site amenities: full kitchen use, all utilities, laundry facility
• ✦Personal dresser, shared closet space, and mailing address provided
• ✦Led by Pastor Nate DeVaughn (CEO) & BeLinda DeVaughn (COO)
• ✦Mission: Providing a safe passage for all residents

WS-3's Role & Impact

Walter L. Smith III founded and led the Resource Mentoring Team (RMT) as a nonprofit mentoring project of WS-3 Enterprises. RMT developed and adapted a Capacity Assessment Tool (Rev. 2016) — informed by McKinsey & Company's capacity assessment framework — to equip community-based organizations with the infrastructure needed to grow, perform, and sustain their missions. RMT's Facilitated Organizational Assessment was deployed with the Sports Mentorship Academy (SMA), helping SMA evaluate its organizational capacity, manage multiple programs, and build the administrative and financial infrastructure necessary for long-term effectiveness.

• ✦Developed the RMT Capacity Assessment Tool (adapted from McKinsey & Company's framework, Rev. 05/01/16)
• ✦Facilitated Organizational Assessment with Sports Mentorship Academy (SMA)
• ✦Focused on organizational capacity building, performance management, and policy influence
• ✦Served community and faith-based organizations (CBOs/FBOs) across multiple sectors
• ✦Mission: Empowering Healthy Agencies through mentorship and strategic development