CFSA 2010 Community Investment Grants Process

Background

In 2009 as the impact of economic crisis spread, the Community Foundation for Southern Arizona re-designed its community investment grants process to respond to the critical situation that was unfolding in the nonprofit sector. A special campaign to create the Economic Relief and Stability Fund (ERSF) was conducted, increasing the amount available to support local community organizations. We asked each organization applying for funds to complete an organizational assessment, which was used to evaluate the state of community services and needs, assist CFSA in its decision-making, and provide important information to fund holders as they make their funding decisions.

One hundred seventy-six organizations completed the assessments and were considered for funding. A panel of community volunteers reviewed the submissions and identified four focus areas for the 2009 grants: abuse and domestic violence, vulnerable populations, financial empowerment and helping nonprofits build capacity. Twenty organizations were chosen to receive a total of $442,000 in financial support and special technical assistance.

Community Investment and Leadership Guiding Principles

When we evaluated our 2009 grants process, we realized the need to clearly state the principles that will guide our work in 2010

• We treat our grantees and donors as valued partners
• We believe that people support what they create
• We invest resources to build on strengths in the community
• We believe that providing general operating support allows organizations to be more effective
• We support collaborations because, together, we can create more positive impact in the community
• We understand that sustainable change takes time

CFSA 2010 Community Investment Grants Process

In 2010 CFSA will not fund individual nonprofit organizations through its Community Investment Grants process as it has in previous years. Individual organizations will continue to be funded through direct grants from our fund holders. Last year CFSA distributed over $3,000,000 to eligible nonprofit organizations.

Additionally, we are developing a special interactive section of our Web site that allows our fund holders to search by issue area or organization name, review expanded information profiles of southern Arizona nonprofits, and then donate directly to them online. Southern Arizona nonprofits will be asked to create a profile for the Web site beginning in the fall, and we hope to launch this interactive matching process by 2011. If you are interested in participating in our Donor Match program, please fill out this fillable Word Donor Match contact form.

CFSA has refocused its unrestricted Community Investment Grants process to identify community collaborations that build on existing strengths so that we can increase the capacity of local nonprofit organizations to better serve the community.

We are fortunate to be partnering with Wholonomy, a consulting group that uses strengths-based approaches to create positive change, to assist us in managing the grants process for 2010 and to help us think in new and productive ways.

In January and March CFSA invited nonprofits that had applied for grants in 2009 and others who were interested or identified to explore systems thinking and collaborative approaches to community change.  Common issues and partnerships were discussed and the CFSA Community Investment process for 2010 was introduced. All eligible (501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations located or primarily serving southern Arizona) were welcome to participate.

We have begun with planning grants to provide some seed funding for organizations to identify partners and develop plans on how they can work together to achieve a goal that will improve southern Arizona.

The planning grant application was due on May 21, 2010.  The applications  were reviewed by a panel of CFSA trustees and a representative group of community members. The panel met with selected applicants on June 4 to discuss their collaborative vision. The planning grants were awarded on June 14. 

If you have questions, please contact Evan Mendelson by email or at 770-0800 x119.