As UC Davis works through another year of budget reductions, one idea may change the way departments think about getting work done. The Commons is a new internal marketplace for UC Davis services typically sent to outside vendors.

Instead of hiring outside vendors, UC Davis departments can now access in-house experts more easily, including communications teams, instructional designers, grant project managers and potentially others. These professionals already know the university, its policies and its practices. Their services are available to support colleagues at UC Davis and UC Davis Health.

By pooling talent that already exists across UC Davis, departments get professional-quality work, while also keeping money circulating inside the university. The aim is also to keep talent within UC Davis by providing a more efficient option for departments. By building new pathways to share talent, the Commons helps prevent the loss of valuable internal resources.

What UC Davis services are available

Ten UC Davis units have already joined the Commons to offer their skills. Services range from:

• Communications and design services: Websites, graphic design, writing, editing and marketing campaigns.
• Grant support and project management: Post-award project management, proposal development, reporting and partnerships.
• Process improvement: Workflow analysis and operational redesign.
• Creative production: Photography, illustration, videography and event collateral.

The list is growing, and so are the ways to use it. Some units offer project-based support on a temporary or itemized basis. Others can set up longer-term agreements to serve as an extension of your team. 

The Commons is not a source for temporary staffing. HR remains the right resource for that. Nor is it intended for high-risk services such as legal counsel, environmental health and safety, or IT security.

Why now

The Commons began with a simple question posed during budget cuts. Could a department deliver its services more broadly and retain staff, while still meeting budget goals?

“When brainstorming budget solutions for my team, I asked if there was an unmet need for services outside of our organization,” said BreAnda Northcutt, director of FOA Communications. “Not every unit has transferable services, but many do. The Commons is one way to leverage expertise and stretch our existing resources.”

The Commons first started with just the team led by Northcutt — the communications team in the Finance, Operations and Administration division, which already serves about a dozen clients with marketing, communications and design services. But the idea quickly caught on as additional campus partners expressed interest.

Built on shared principles

The Commons is a collaborative community built on shared values. Providers support one another, refer work when needed and encourage colleagues to start with local resources. The intent is not to compete internally with existing service providers, but to potentially provide more services in-house that might otherwise be referred to outside vendors. 

The concept is also a work in progress, as additional details and participating teams can still be added.

How to get involved

Departments are encouraged to:

• Check the UC Davis Commons first when looking for support. Before calling an external vendor, see if an internal provider can help.
• Join the Commons if your team provides services that departments often outsource to external vendors.

UC Davis has the expertise it needs to solve many of its own challenges. The Commons makes it easier to find and share that expertise.

Explore UC Davis providers and services at commons.ucdavis.edu.