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Question: Hello,

I just started a non-profit and I'm trying to apply for a grant. In the grant, I need to communicate the challenge or need of community leadership development and what the intended benefits of community leadership development are. In my response, I need to use data to support my approach.

I'm having trouble communicating proof of concept. I don't know how to present the market investability for community leadership development to future impact investors. Can the community toolbox possibly help me gather this data so I can put together a grant application for our work?

Below is A Summary of our new non-profit:

The 1C9 Leadership Foundation is a non-profit whose vision is to empower Baltimore's current and future leaders through leadership development, coaching, and community development. 1C9 Leadership Foundation exists to empower future leaders towards citywide, transformational change in Baltimore, MD. From our leadership development and coaching services to our spiritual formation partnerships, we are striving to build a better future for our communities.

With these challenges, our cities, like Baltimore, can end up looking more like battlegrounds rather than playgrounds. The 1C9 Leadership Foundation believes that where you have Health, Family and Community you have the building blocks for leadership development. Investing in the transformation of Baltimore's leaders is more than inviting people to a program - it takes leadership - and not just leadership, but leadership with a purpose.

Seeing Transformation in Baltimore takes going where people live, listening to them, and pointing them to the God-given purpose(s) that will ultimately meet their deepest needs. However, this kind of wide-scale transformation and change begins at the individual level, one step at a time. From our leadership development and coaching services to our community development projects, you can partner with us as we strive to build a better future for Baltimore's communities.

Below is a summary of our pilot project:

1C9 Leadership Foundation will organize a free annual health fair located at the Penn North Recovery Center's fitness center called Will B. Better Bodies. Through this annual community health fair, signups will be available to low-income men and women in recovery who wish to be part of the 1C9 Emerging Leaders Program. The outcome of this emerging leaders program will allow 1C9 to support the development of Health and Wellness in the respective Neighborhoods of emerging leader applicants. The goal of the Emerging Leaders Program will be to create Workforce Development Opportunities for emerging leaders. In addition, we will offer leadership development workshops to our emerging leader applicants designed to help low-income families and members in the community interested in making a social impact in their respective communities. 1C9 leadership foundation will organize the event and work with the Will B. Better Bodies personnel to execute the activities for the health fair. One of the 1C9 Leadership Foundation's program goals is to collect information on Health and Wellness issues relevant in West Baltimore. We will accomplish this through Neighborhood Development Projects such as the Free Annual Health Fair. We will offer free health workshops that families in the community can sign up for during the event. 1C9 will organize the event and fundraising campaigns. The 1C9 leadership foundation will work with the Penn North Recovery Center's fitness center called Will B. Better Bodies personnel to execute the events health and wellness activities, health screenings and workshops during the health fair. In addition, The 1C9 Leadership Foundation will develop family development resources available to low income households. The goal of developing these resources is to provide single parents, adolescent parents and low income families access to materials and opportunities that increase capacity for parent leadership and increased children’s academic success. Information about our family leadership development resources will be available at the free annual community health fair.
Answer:

Hello,

I am sorry to tell you that The Community Tool Box does not provide hands on services, but provides information and guidance. After reading through your request I found several chapters that you may find helpful:

1. Chapter 2, Section 1. This explains how to create a logic model which you may or may not have. But more importantly, at the bottom of the page are links to good resources for creating a Theory of Change. This can be one useful way to show how what you are doing is expected to produce the changes that will lead to your longer term outcome.

2. Chapter 3 is about gathering and analyzing all types of data. This, and the other tool kits and resources  provided may help you to identify the best data you can use, or how to gather it.

3. Chapter 13 offers Orienting Ideas in Leadership. You may find information in here that you can use to support your case for leadership development. Likewise in Chapter 14 which covers core functions in leadership.

4. Chapter 23 is about Modifying access, barriers and opportunities which is, again, related to the work you are doing. You may also find useful tools or information you can reference to support your grant application.

5. Chapter 42 is about getting grants and may also include helpful information for your grant proposal.

If these tools do not meet your needs, you might try contacting a local university professor in a business school to see if they would be either able to help, or perhaps have a promising graduate student who needs a project or would be interested in performing community service.  

I hope these tools are helpful. 

The Community Tool Box Advisor

Question Date: Mon, 12/16/2019