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.