Report Title:	Intermediary Profile Report
Report Date:

Organization:	Community Partners	Program ID Number: I-27
Date Profile Created:	June 29, 2009	Date Profile Last Updated: July 30, 2009

Program Summary:
Community Partners acts as a catalyst for community change, civic action and readiness by offering support, guidance and training to a range of nonprofit organizations, initiatives, foundations, government agencies and social entrepreneurs with innovative ideas for building communities. Since 1992 it has assisted more than 550 projects and civic leaders through its incubator and fiscal sponsorship services, strategic initiatives and other special projects. It offers a wide range of individualized consulting, leadership development, administrative assistance, training workshops, network building and project management that help organizations and collaboratives address community needs strategically and effectively. It also carries out re-granting as part of specific funding programs, capacity-building efforts, or research and best-practices documentation projects.

Community Partners' incubator and fiscal sponsorship services include guidance and counsel, back office administration, financial management and more. This enables leaders to work on an idea immediately, without the red tape of starting a nonprofit. Neighborhood, community and civic leaders who have innovative solutions for pressing challenges use this service.

The organization's core capabilities are: (1) Nurturing Community Leadership: Individuals and groups develop and mature their skills to lead strong initiatives; (2) Establishing a Solid Infrastructure: Staff works to encourage a balance between the passion and drive of those involved in new projects and the administrative and financial details crucial to sustainability; (3) Supporting Peer Learning Groups and Networks: Bringing people together through peer learning groups and networks is one of the most powerful capabilities offered. The benefits are enormous, as leaders learn from one another, find support for common goals and initiate collaboration for greater impact; (4) Managing Complex Initiatives: Curriculum design, community outreach, leadership and organizational development training and coaching, project management and peer learning facilitation are provided for established institutions; and (5) Linking Community Needs with Resources: Community Partners serves a convening and connecting role for civic and social entrepreneurs. Formally, the organization accomplishes this through peer learning facilitation, events and workshops. Informally, it acts as a bridge to their wide-reaching network of valuable resources and key leaders in government, philanthropy, business and other nonprofit organizations.

Long-term relationships with individuals, organizations and communities characterize the technical assistance (TA) model used. TA includes five components: (1) assessment and creation of TA plans; (2) direct, one-on-one TA and support; (3) group training based on mutually shared capacity-building priorities across projects and organizations; (4) peer-to-peer learning built on formal and informal knowledge sharing and, at times, joint action; and (5) connecting partners to important resources such as written materials, publications, consultants and other TA organizations.

Workshops and learning opportunities are offered throughout the year. They are designed to give project leaders the opportunity to strengthen their skills in specific areas including strategic planning, program planning and assessment, grantwriting, building donor relationships and budgeting. In addition, Community Partners plans large-scale convenings for strategic initiative projects. These gatherings involve participant-driven agendas that draw from key trends, pressing issues and participant interests, and incorporate peer-learning and capacity building opportunities.

In addition to TA and training activities, Community Partners makes available a wide range of resources, including comprehensive materials on organizational development and programmatic issues such as budgeting, board development, program planning and proposal writing. Special reports provide in-depth studies of essential issues. Also, as needed, projects are connected to a pool of consultants, trainers and TA providers who offer specific expertise.

Various funders are involved in specific projects, including The California Wellness Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, Blue Shield of California Foundation, Unihealth Foundation and LA Care Health Plan.

Evaluation takes place on individual projects, and in some cases results are published in reports for general distribution.