Program Summary:
Neighborhood Progress (NP) grew out of a partnership initially involving the Ford Foundation and Cleveland Tomorrow, a group of 30 chief executives from Northeast Ohio's largest corporations. Three Cleveland-based foundations, the Cleveland Foundation, the George Gund Foundation, and the Mandel Foundation were also involved in NPI's development and continue to provide funding. NP works to restore the health and prosperity of Cleveland's neighborhoods through an array of catalytic programs and services, including: (1) the Cleveland Neighborhood Partnership Program providing general operating support along with research and development assistance for community development corporations (CDCs) to implement neighborhood revitalization agendas based on identified priorities; (2) capacity-building training and organizational development activities to strengthen and empower community-based organizations; (3) financing for residential, retail, commercial, and industrial development; and (4) planning, designing, and developing larger scale housing, retail and commercial projects. Its programs are developed currently in partnership with community development corporations, the City of Cleveland, the philanthropic and corporate community, private developers and financial institutions.
Village Capital Corporation, a nonprofit subsidiary of NP, is the financing arm that provides dollars for real estate to CDCs and for-profits doing community development work in the city of Cleveland. New Village Corporation, also a nonprofit subsidiary under NP, is the real estate development arm, taking on projects and assisting CDCs that don't have the capacity to operate large scale housing or commercial projects on their own. It provides predevelopment and construction loans.
NP also provides an Executive Leadership Institute for executive directors and associate executive directors, working collaboratively with LISC. This involves three sessions with consultants, followed by work on personal professional development with individual coaches over the next year. In addition, NP staff members serve as resource providers to CDCs, and are integrated into some CDC activities. For example, they staff some CDC activities such as community meetings and planning processes. Both consultants and internal staff are used at NP trainings, which may be sponsored through the Cleveland Neighborhood Development Coalition.
The core operating support NP offers involves a competitive process and a three-year grant cycle. Sixteen CDCs in Cleveland are funded currently; six of them are part of a pilot Strategic Investment Initiative. $1.7 million is given annually to the 16 CDCs for core operating support - the top six groups each get $150,000 annually; $100,000 is given to the four mid-tier groups, and $60,000 each goes to the rest. An additional $2.8 million goes to the six in the pilot initiative; they also receive specialized training, and each group can use $5,000 to purchase additional training they want for capacity-building purposes.
The Strategic Investment Initiative is a market recovery approach that has the six CDCs each target a small focus area, leveraging resources to do comprehensive community development. They work to retain current residents, attract new ones, and create neighborhoods of choice. NP assists the CDCs with planning processes in the six neighborhoods. 40+ units of housing serve as an anchor within each neighborhood. One element of this is a model block strategy, training CDC staff to teach people how to look at a neighborhood in a positive light, and get residents involved in making positive change. Groups identify priority needs and actionable items, then receive help finding resources to implement the actions. As one example, NP is working with a library and school to build new facilities in an empty site within one of the neighborhoods.
Research and development for the Initiative includes creation of land assembly plans in each of the six areas to acquire vacant properties around the anchor projects, and work with Cleveland Public Art and Parks Works - two nonprofits - to use the vacant lots in creative ways until permanent uses of them are developed. Each group has a menu of possible work, and as it is ready and sees a particularly important need, NP can provide additional money for staff support with community organizing, staff training, etc. Development of marketing plans for the neighborhoods is next. They have done market niche analysis regarding competition and other elements, now are developing individual marketing plans for the neighborhoods.
Partnerships are built with surrounding areas, institutions, and the private sector as part of the Initiative. For example, Charter One Bank committed $150 million for economic and community development in the Greater University Circle area via housing loans, grants, and small business loans. It is collaborating with CDCs, cultural organizations, neighborhood groups, foundations and others in this effort.
In its work NP measures baselines and then tracks its impact over time. Evaluation includes quarterly reports, site visits, production reports, and other elements. Every three years the major funders bring in external reviewers who make recommendations about the level of funding NP should receive, the number of groups NP should fund, and whether the system is working, having an impact, and should continue.
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Address:
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1956 West 25th Street, Suite 200
Cleveland, OH 44113
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