October 2009 Grants
In October 2009, the Northwest Area Foundation made 14 grants totaling $2.04 million – the first awards approved under its new grantmaking approach. The Foundation’s board of directors approved the organization’s new strategic plan a year ago.
Over the next several years, the Foundation will guide its grantmaking, and non-grantmaking resources, to advance effective practice in asset and workforce development, as well as in economic development and job training in growth areas, such as the energy sector. The goal is to help nonprofits build their skill and knowledge, and to encourage organized communities able to nurture sustainable grassroots efforts. Grantmaking will also focus on improving public policy.
The grantees in this first round were selected because of their programmatic focus, organizational leadership, past achievements, and the ability to support to community-based practitioners within the Foundation’s entire eight-state service region.
The grant winners are nationally-known and ethnically-diverse organizations that support community-based practitioners focused on asset-building projects, as well as on efforts that help individuals and families build their financial and human assets. Their efforts directly address one or more of the Foundation’s three outcomes:
- Increased assets and wealth among people with low incomes
- Increased capacity and leadership to reduce poverty
- Improved public policy solutions to reduce poverty
Grant Details
Increased Assets and Wealth - $1.565 million to support organizations that integrate economic development with asset- and wealth-building practices, expand local and regional partnerships for workforce development, implement small business strategies, and increase access to green jobs across the Foundation’s eight-state region. These grants are disbursed in two clusters:
1. Organizations integrating economic development and asset building practices -$1.265 million to intermediary organizations that provide local community organizations with technical assistance, training, networking, leadership and regranting:
CFED - $365,000
This Washington D.C.-based nonprofit organization works to expand economic opportunities for all Americans. Grant dollars will fund four projects:
- Work with nonprofit organizations to establish matched savings programs within the Foundation’s eight-state region such as Individual Development Accounts that can be used to save for college, purchase a home or start a business.
- Provide research on asset policies and program strategies to help city leaders in two cities determine the financial stability of their residents
- Promote the use of the Self Employment Tax Initiative that bolsters small business development through access to the Earned Income Tax Credit for low income workers
- Encourage innovative practice, products and programs that will increase economic opportunities within the Foundation’s eight-state region, including support for innovators of asset building programs and training in poverty reduction tools such as the Assets & Opportunities Scorecard.
First Nations Development Institute - $100,000
Headquartered in Longmont, Colo., First Nations Development Institute works to strengthen American Indian economies by investing in economic development and asset control strategies.
This award will develop the Native-Asset Building Partnership project, a peer mentorship project among several tribes to share what works in self-governance and economic development. Mentoring will focus on the development of tribal code, enterprise, alternative energy and community development financial institutions.
First Nations Oweesta - $200,000
First Nations Oweesta, Rapid City, S.D., works to develop Native assets and build strong Native communities. This grant will help establish strong Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs) and asset-building programs within the eight-state region. Oweesta will provide financial training and regranting of funds to CDFIs to promote the use of individual development accounts, earned income tax credit and loan products.
Seattle Economic Development Association (SEDA)/Express Advantage - $100,000
SEDA, Seattle, Wash., is a community development financial institution and fiscal sponsor of Express Advantage, the affiliate of the Express Credit Union that serves people with low incomes and who experience cultural barriers when accessing mainstream financial services in King County, Washington. Express Credit Union will build partnerships with nonprofit organizations to establish new ways to increase access to capital among people with low incomes and reduce the need for payday and predatory lenders. Financial education case workers will be based at partner nonprofits, making it easier to reach the unbanked with access to credit, individual development accounts, small business loans, car loans and other lending products.
National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) - $300,000
NALCAB, San Antonio, Texas, is the national voice for Latino-led community development corporations and community-based organizations that focus on asset building. Its mission is to build financial and human assets as well as real estate and technology resources for Latino families, communities and organizations.
This grant will allow NALCAB and its partners to offer training in resource development, federal grant writing, organizational leadership and board and staff development. NALCAB will provide $95,000 in small sub-grants to community-development and asset-building organizations within the eight-state region for strengthening organization capabilities.
Oregon Native American Business and Entrepreneurial Network (ONABEN) - $200,000
ONABEN, Tigard, Ore., seeks to create a better quality of life for Native Americans by promoting ownership and management of successful businesses.
The award is designated to provide technical assistance and training for urban- or reservation-based Native economic development projects in up to ten sites in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and western Montana. Grant dollars will also fund a “train the trainer” Indian entrepreneurship development system and a family asset-building system.
2. Asset and Wealth Building – linking workforce and small business development - $300,000
This support will create a link between Emerge Community Development, the Neighborhood Development Center and Summit Academy OIC to increase employment opportunities and small business development for people with low incomes in North Minneapolis. Grants under this category include:
Emerge Community Development - $75,000
Emerge Community Development, Minneapolis, Minn., works with people who face challenges in housing and employment. This award will provide funds to develop a pilot training program for weatherization jobs, so workers with low-incomes have better access to positions in the green jobs industry, particularly employment opportunities that have been created through federal economic stimulus dollars.
Neighborhood Development Center Inc. (NDC)-$150,000
NDC, Minneapolis., Minn., offers training, assistance and loans for small businesses in urban Minneapolis neighborhoods with high potential and high need for economic development. The grant money will be used to provide small business loans, entrepreneurial training, technical assistance, contractor training and support for the Business Resource Center
Summit Academy OIC - $75,000
Summit Academy OIC (SAOIC), Minneapolis, Minn., is a nonprofit educational and vocational training center that empowers adults and prepares youth from economically depressed areas of Minneapolis and St. Paul to become educated, employed, contributing members of their community.
The award is for advocacy efforts to ensure that people with low-incomes are able to take advantage of workforce and entrepreneurial opportunities created through funding for green enterprises through the 2009 American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. The grant will assist SAOIC in strengthening its HIRE Minnesota coalition, which is working to ensure that public investments in infrastructure and renewable energy help lift people out of poverty, reduce racial disparities and contribute to healthier communities.
Strengthening Capacity and Leadership - $100,000 - Grants within this category fund opportunities to strengthen community organizing networks in the region:
Western Organization of Resource Councils Education Project: Homegrown Prosperity Project - $100,000
Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC), Billings, Mont., is a regional network of seven grassroots community organizations that provides training and coordination on issues-related work.
The grant to the Homegrown Prosperity Project will promote small-scale renewable energy projects, create green jobs, and develop leadership and advocate for renewable energy in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Idaho and Oregon. Through this effort, WORC will leverage federal incentives and create green jobs and businesses which benefit people with low incomes. Project examples include a micro-biodiesel pilot program and retrofitting energy-efficient schools to reduce energy costs.
Improved Public Policy Solutions - $375,000 - Grantees in this section were chosen based on their ability to develop and strengthen the organizational effectiveness of State Fiscal Analysis Initiative (SFAI) affiliates in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho, emphasizing the development of policy analysis. SFAI affiliates advocate for responsible tax and budget policies, with a focus on the needs of low- and moderate-income families. Awards in this category are also made to promote civic engagement by advocating for public policy through the support of regional networks and asset coalitions.
1. Expand the capacity of State Fiscal Analysis Initiative affiliates - $275,000 will go to three organizations:
Consensus Council, Inc. - $100,000
The North Dakota Consensus Council, Inc., Bismarck, N.D., brings together leaders and citizens to build public policy agreements. This award will provide funding to develop and strengthen an SFAI affiliate for North Dakota.
Rural Dynamics, Inc. - $75,000
Rural Dynamics, Inc., Great Falls, Mont., provides programs and develops partnerships to help youth, individuals and families achieve economic independence. The award will be used to strengthen and expand the capacity of the Montana Budget and Policy Center, a newly established
SFAI affiliate in Montana.
South Dakota Voices for Children - $100,000
South Dakota Voices for Children, Sioux Falls, S.D., is a statewide organization that works to improve the lives of children through program and policy advocacy. The grant will provide funding to develop and strengthen an SFAI affiliate for South Dakota.
2. Civic Engagement - $100,000
Northwest Federation of Community Organizations: Community Action, Research, and Training (CART) project - $100,000
The Northwest Federation of Community Organizations, Seattle, Wash., is a regional network of four community organizations that exits to advance a progressive agenda by executing campaigns for economic, racial and social equity and by building strong affiliates.
The grant for the Community Action, Research, and Training (CART) Project will fund training and poverty-related policy research, two Jobs Gaps reports and a Racial Justice Report Card. CART will develop, train and engage grassroots leaders from low-income neighborhoods in four states, building coalitions that will address public policy solutions aimed at reducing poverty and promoting asset and wealth building.
