The Non Profit Assistance Center in collaboration with the White Center Community Development Association are behind an effort called Project Empower which is a 12 - month collaborative project designed to strengthen the infrastructure and program delivery capacity of 15 faith and community based organizations selected through an open and competitive process.

Organizations selected will receive a package of on-site, individualized, culturally - competent, capacity building technical assistance that builds on existing assets while addressing the four core areas of
1) Leadership Development;
2) Organizational Development;
3) Program Development; and
4) Community Engagement.

In addition to the array of capacity building TA, the 15 organizations selected through the RFI will receive a grant of $10,000 - $15,000, which is to be used to support specific capacity building goals.

Request for Investment (RFI) to Strengthen the Organizational Capacity of Small Grassroots Faith and Community based Nonprofits

The Nonprofit Assistance Center (NAC) in partnership with the White Center Community Development Association and the National Community Development Institute has released a Request for Investment (RFI) targeting grassroots faith and community based organizations.

The RFI targets organizations that:

• Have an annual budgets of $500,000 or less
• Are located and/or serve low income communities in and bordering SE and SW Seattle (including White
• Center, Boulevard Park, Skyway, Renton, SeaTac, Tukwila, and Burien)
• Provide services to assist low income individuals gain greater access to state and federal benefits and tax credits
• Low income individuals find and retain employment, earn higher wages and better quality jobs
• Low income individuals in need of financial assistance or credit counseling and help them access Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and other asset building
• The homeless
• Elders in need
• At - risk youth including Native American Youth and/or
• Families in transition from welfare to work
• Have not received prior federal funding

Each organization must demonstrate readiness, capacity and commitment to actively participate in the project, including designating staff and board members and allocating time to participate in individual 1:1 technical assistance, group training, peer-learning activities and other activities.
Project Empower is a great opportunity for small faith and community based organizations that have time to invest in capacity building. If you think your organization fits within the scope of the RFI and is interested, we encourage you to come to one of the RFI Orientation Meetings and prepare to submit an application.

Project Empower is funded by a Compassion Capital Fund (CCF) grant award from the US Department of Health and Human Services, and support from the City of Seattle.

ORIENTATION SCHEDULE:
January 27, 2010
1st orientation option -
Joe Thomas Room, Wiley Center
Southwest Boys and Girls Club- Greenbridge
9800 8th Avenue SW, Seattle, WA 98106

1:00pm – 2:00pm, RFI Orientation ,
2:00pm – 3:00pm RFI Technical Assistance (TA)

January 28, 2010
2nd orientation option -
Nonprofit Assistance Center (NAC)
1618 S. Lane St., Suite 202, Seattle, WA 98144
4:00pm-5:00pm, RFI Orientation,
5:00pm-6:00pm RFI TA

February 1, 2010
3rd orientation option -
City of SeaTac
Riverton Room
4800 S. 188th St., SeaTac, WA 98188
12noon-1:00pm RFI Orientation,
1:00pm-2:00pm RFI TA

Deadline: February 12, 2010
Proposals due at 5:00pm