Overview of Building Changes' Economic Opportunities Initiative, a new training and capacity-building program designed to help nonprofit agencies across Washington state address broad economic recovery issues in their communities.

1. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Mark Putnam, Consulting Services Manager
Nick Codd, Economic Opportunities Specialist
Charlie Corrigan, Homeless Programs Specialist

2. Building Changes

3. Washington Families Fund
A public-private partnership that expands the
availability of supportive housing for families in
need by providing stable, long-term funding to
agencies with the best models for ending family
homelessness and strengthening communities
throughout Washington state.
• Funding partners: 23
• Fund total: $26 million
• Awards-to-date: $15.8 million
• Counties: 15
• Nonprofit programs statewide: 43
• Service-enriched housing units: 618
• Families supported: 1,009

4. Washington Families Fund Grantees
San Juan Whatcom
Pend
Okanogan Oreille
Skagit Ferry
Island Stevens
Clallam Snohomish
Chelan
Jefferson Douglas Spokane
Kitsap King Lincoln
Grays Mason
Harbor Grant
Pierce Kittitas
Adams Whitman
Thurston
Pacific Lewis
Garfield
Yakima Benton-Franklin Columbia
Walla
Cowlitz Skamania Walla Asotin
Wahkiakum
Klickitat
Clark
At least One Funded Program

5. Improving Economic Opportunities
In 2006, we began an initiative to improve employment
outcomes for people experiencing homelessness.
Since that time, our Grantmaking and Consulting
activities have been tailored to support nonprofit
providers to help their clients:
• Develop the skills and receive the support needed to find and
retain good jobs, and
• Attain access to state and federal benefits and tax
credits for which they are eligible.

6. Washington Families Fund
Economic Opportunities Activities
Grantmaking and Evaluation Consulting and Technical Assistance
• Multi-year grants (up to • BC delivers 4 trainings per
10-year grants) to year on Economic Opportunities topics
nonprofits • We facilitate a Peer-to-Peer
• Grants are available to grantee learning network
nonprofits from all 39 • We provide stipends for
counties agencies for training
• Employment services grants
are prevalent

7. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
In September 2009, Building Changes received a $1
million Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) Grant
Nonprofit Capacity Building Program grant from the U.S.
DHHS (ARRA stimulus funding.)
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation and The Boeing Company
are contributing an additional $300,000 to this project.
The focus is to build capacity of nonprofits to assist clients
in economic recovery, through jobs and access to benefits.

8. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Overview
• Provides training, technical assistance and financial
assistance to participating agencies to help them develop
the capacity to address broad economic recovery issues
present in their communities, including helping low-income
individuals access employment and benefits.
• Approximately 30 nonprofit agencies will be selected to
participate in Building Changes’ Economic Opportunities
Initiative through this competitive application process.
There is no fee to participate.

9. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Grantmaking and Evaluation Consulting and Technical Assistance
• Capacity-building grants (not • At least 30 agencies will
direct services) participate
• We will grant $600,000 to • 100 hours of training will be
30 agencies ($20,000 average provided to the grantees
size) • 480 hours of 1:1 technical
• Evaluation of impact of grants, assistance will be provided
training, and technical • Focus will be on improving
assistance will be conducted employment outcomes and
by outside firm, Clegg and access to benefits
Associates

10. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Benefits to Nonprofits
• Improved agency capacity and staff skills to support
ongoing delivery and expansion of services;
• Increased sustainability of social services
programs;
• A financial assistance grant that may be used to build
agency capacity averaging $20,000 per agency, not to
exceed $45,000;

11. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Benefits to Nonprofits (continued)
• A powerful statewide network of peers and experts
to continue providing support and assistance in
developing and improving programs; and
• A stipend of $1,000 per agency to apply toward
travel costs for quarterly in-person trainings.

12. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Application Submission
• Competitive process
• BC and external reviewers comprise Review Panel
• Electronic proposals must be received by March 15th
at 4:00 pm

13. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Application Submission Timeline
February 12, 2010 Application materials sent out
March 4, 2010 Information session by teleconference
March 5, 2010 In-person information session in Everett
March 15, 2010 Proposals due to Building Changes by 4:00 pm
April 2010 Announcement of selection of participating agencies
May 2010 Contracts in place with participating agencies

14. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Eligible Applicants
• Nonprofit organizations
• Faith-based or community-based
• Committed to capacity-building of agency and
economic recovery programs
• Doing business in one of 31 WA counties

15. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative

16. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Eligible Applicants – Priority Considerations
• Experience or intent to develop capacity to provide
employment services and / or benefits access
services
• Experience or intent to develop capacity to serve
people experiencing homelessness
• Partnerships to connect clients to TANF
• Operating budget of under $500K per year

17. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Expectations of Participants
• Technical assistance
• Training
• Financial assistance
• Grant monitoring and evaluation

18. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Proposal Summary
1. Agency Mission and Experience
a. Mission and accomplishments
b. Current programs and partnerships –
homeless, employment, benefits
c. Experience – homelessness
d. Experience – TANF
2. Commitment to Capacity Building
a. Interest in Training and Technical Assistance
b. Participating Staff

19. Building Changes’
Economic Opportunities Initiative
Proposal Summary (continued)
3. Community Needs Statement
a. Define area
b. Economic recovery needs of your area, specifically
related to employment and benefits needs and gaps
c. Make case that your agency can help meet need
4. Agency Size
a. Operating budget size

20. Questions and Answers
We will answer questions during session.
We will post FAQ at www.buildingchanges.org and
send an email to our mailing list by Tuesday,
March 9th.
Feel free to contact us at any time to discuss your
application.

21. Reminder of Timeline
February 12, 2010: Application materials sent out
March 4, 2010: Information session by teleconference
March 5, 2010: In-person information session in Everett
March 15, 2010: Proposals due by 4:00 pm
April 2010: Announcement of selection of agencies
May 2010: Contracts in place with participating agencies

22. BC EOI Contact Information
Please feel free to contact us:
Mark Putnam
BC EOI Project Director
(206) 805-6127
Mark.Putnam@BuildingChanges.org
www.buildingchanges.org