PHILANTHROPIC CAPACITY-BUILDING RESOURCES
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Report Title: Intermediary Profile Report
Report Date:

Organization:
 

Foundation for Community Empowerment

Program ID Number: I-3

Date Profile Created:
 


December 1, 2005

Date Profile
Last Updated:
August 12, 2010


Program Summary:
(Completed program.) This organization was established to address the economic, self-sufficiency, and civic engagement disparities within the city of Dallas. As an intermediary organization, it works to empower those closest to the problem, focusing on capacity building for grassroots organizations. Emphasis is placed on institutional and systems change, and public policy advocacy that will allow for scalable, replicable models.

The foundation typically first works with a community group to figure out how to help it accomplish its mission, and then provides funding, coaching, and technical assistance to support progress. Those receiving grants and/or technical assistance focus on issues affecting low income neighborhoods. Available financial support includes emergency operating support, capacity building grants, and new program development. The organization likes to seed new programs to see if they will work, and then helps develop long-term funding streams for successful efforts. Additionally, the foundation conducts research that identifies promising practices and informs its funding decisions.

In a project supported by the Compassion Capital Fund, performance standards and measures in eight areas of organizational capacity were developed, and this has resulted in a system for establishing a baseline and then tracking changes in the capacity of organizations receiving assistance. The software for this approach was completed in the fall of 2005, and results of its use will be available beginning in 2006. The system has been designed to track both efficiency and effectiveness.

A collaborative of funders came together to support capacity-building for community development corporations. The new measurement system is being used to identify needs and track progress with the CDCs. They participated in a 6-month training program, ½ day per month with homework, to learn about their levels of capacity and develop a 3-year improvement plan. The improvement plans will be updated every 6 months. Baseline measures of capacity were taken. Follow-up measurements over three years will track changes in capacity, and show whether help that includes assistance from consultants and operating support leads to increases in outcomes.

While not all groups receiving assistance from this organization go through the entire process described above, all are being asked to use the measurement tool to track changes. A great deal of convening also takes place, e.g. a cohort approach brings 50 groups together for collaborative learning. Additionally, the foundation commissions research from professors at universities - e.g. on equity and education related to school reform - and is focusing on nonpartisan outcomes research and public policy evaluation related to comprehensive community revitalization of low income urban areas.

Among those supporting the work of this organization are: Don & Ellen Williams, Texas Instruments Foundation, Todd Wagner Foundation, Countrywide, Washington Mutual, TXU, Trammell Crow Company, The Dallas Foundation, Meadows Foundation.

Contact Name:

Cecelia Edwards

Title:

President and CEO

Phone:

(469) 221-0700

Fax:

(469) 221-0701

E-mail Address:

info@fcedallas.org

URL:

www.fcedallas.org

Address:

2001 Ross Avenue, Suite 3350
Dallas, TX 75201


Date Program Began:

1995

Total Funds Awarded for Most Recent Fiscal Year:

$475,000

Date Program Scheduled to End:


N/A

Total Capacity-Building Operating Expenses for Most Recent
Fiscal Year:


$50,000


How Program is Operated:

Run internally by the intermediary


Number Staff/Consultants:

3/2

Background Materials Available:

Yes


Geographic Areas Served:

National:

No

International:

No

 

  Selected States:

Texas

  Geographic Details:

City of Dallas, focus on South Dallas community


Types of Capacity-Building Assistance Offered to Nonprofits:

1. Grants:

2. Direct Service:

3. Direct Financial Support:

Categorical
Part of Larger Grant

Assessment of Service Needs
Coaching/Training for Individual Nonprofits
Convening
Education/Training for Groups of Nonprofits
Information and Referral
Infrastructure for Peer Networking
Participation in Community Capacity-Building Initiative

Facilities/Equipment Support
General Operating Support


Grants Offered to Capacity-Building Service
Providers and Intermediaries:

  Support for Services to Nonprofits:

Yes

  General Support:

No

Grants Offered to Support Overall Capacity-Building Infrastructure:

Local


Areas of Nonprofit Operations Supported:

How Funding/Service Decisions Are Made:

Administration + Finance
Communication (Internal/External)
Evaluation
Fund Development
Governance (Board/Executive)
Information/Technology Support
Planning
Staff Development/Training

Application by Potential Recipient – Intermediary Selection
Pro-active Identification of Applicants by Intermediary


Collaborating Organizations: N/A

Capacity-Building Work Evaluated:

In Progress

Evaluation Results Available:

No

Frequency of Evaluation:

Other

Type of Evaluation:

N/A

Summary of Evaluation Lessons Learned:
N/A

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