Community capacity building Funding Initiative Hello and welcome Information Session February 2016

Agenda About Deaconess Foundation Community Capacity Building: Our Approach Engagement Model Annual Grant Cycle Application Requirements Key Dates Contact Information

About Deaconess Foundation

About deaconess foundation Vision Deaconess Foundation envisions a community that values the health and well-being of all children and gives priority attention to the most vulnerable. Mission In the spirit of our faith heritage, the mission of Deaconess Foundation is to improve the health of the Metropolitan St. Louis Community and its people.

About deaconess Foundation Deaconess’ mission began in 1889 when the Deaconess Sisters were trained to care for the poor and sick in St. Louis. Deaconess Foundation is a ministry of the United Church of Christ. Since 1998, the Foundation has invested more than $75 million to improve the health of the St. Louis region. Foundation itself was founded in 1972 as a supporting foundation for the Deaconess Hospital. Proceeds from Hospital sale divided between Deaconess and Incarnate Word

Deaconess’ Geographic footprint

About deaconess foundation To advance our mission… We focus on the mission of helping the most vulnerable. We seek change. We listen. We see the bigger picture. We invest time and expertise, as well as funds. We develop long-term relationships.

About deaconess foundation …to fulfill our promise to the community. Healthy, hope-filled futures for children benefit us all. Children are our primary customers Holistic approach to child well-being includes mental spiritual, emotional, intellectual, and physical health

Community capacity building Our Approach Community capacity building

Community capacity building Collaborative engagement and investment with diverse partners to strengthen the region’s capability to achieve better outcomes for children and youth Deaconess seeks to: mobilize diverse constituencies through community engagement; expand knowledge by resourcing and informing translation of research into public policy; leverage relationships with the faith community and capacity building expertise to increase advocacy; and focus mission-related monetary distributions on efforts with potential for systems-level impact. Get people talking and collaborating with one another Opportunity to bring research to the community level Faith community is a part of our heritage, and we want to work with them for the betterment of our youth

Community Capacity Building Engagement Model

Engagement Model Community Engagement Advocacy Financial Investment Deaconess Impact Partnership Deaconess Nursing Scholarships Church-related Grants Small Grants Annual Grant Cycle Impact Partnership, currently in Round 3 Nursing Scholarship partnership with Scholarship Foundation and St. Louis American Grants targeted to churches within the United Church of Christ Small grants up to $5K related to foundation mission

Financial Investments Annual grant Cycle

Annual Grant Cycle Preferred methods for funding: Mobilize an empowered community engaged in effective action that builds public will and advances child well-being Activities: Award grants to nonprofit organization engaged in advocacy to improve public policy impacting children and youth; and Support strategic organizing efforts that amplify the voices of parents and youth within Deaconess’ geographic footprint. Support work through networks/coalitions (issue or place based) Activity Award grants to collective impact networks that increase their capacity to focus on children and youth.

Annual Grant cycle Strategies informed by research (all can be found at www.deaconess.org) Leveraging Limited Dollars, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy Collective Impact, Stanford Social Innovative Review Many Hands, More Impact, Grantmakers for Effective Organizations Building Transformative Youth Leadership, Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing

annual grant cycle nonprofit organization advocacy grants Key Findings “Advocacy is when nonprofits promote a policy or idea and encourage others to adopt it” (NCRP) Every $1 invested into advocacy returns $115 in community benefit Nonprofits advocate for efficient and effective use of public funds; many reforms do not require government revenue

annual grant cycle nonprofit organization advocacy grants Selection principles based on research Leadership by and mobilization of affected communities; Participation in coalitions; Application of racial equity lens; Legal advocacy; and/or Electoral engagement as complementary strategy. Leadership by and mobilization of marginalized communities is essential to success Leadership needs support to be effective Developing leadership can provide generational leaders Combining direct service agencies and advocacy or organizing is effective   Coalitions are needed to achieve statewide or significant policy reform Benefits include: broad support, bridge building among diverse communities, addition of skills and capacities (lobbying, research, communication) Applying a racial equity lens helps ensure that programs and policies address disparities Philanthropic Initiative for Racial Equity defines a racially equitable society as one in which the distribution of resources, opportunities and burdens was not determined or predictable by race Ways to apply lens: promote policy to reduce disparities, partner across communities Legal advocacy can have can have far-reaching effects, yet it is a tool underutilized by grantmaker Electoral engagement complements other strategies for achieving change Electoral activities adds boost to community effectiveness

annual grant cycle nonprofit organization advocacy grants Eligibility Criteria Projects must advocate for an improved policy or community process which results in better outcomes for vulnerable/at-risk/low-income children; Organization must have 501(c)(3) status or signed agreement with a nonprofit fiscal agent; Project must advocate at the local, regional, state and/or national level; Project must impact children and/or youth in Deaconess’ geographic footprint.

annual grant cycle Collective impact network capacity grants Key Findings Collective Impact - the commitment of a group of important actors from different sectors to a common agenda for solving a specific social problem. Different from other collectives, because it involves: (1) a centralized infrastructure, (2) a dedicated staff and (3) a structured process. Social issues arise from the interplay of government and commercial activities. Thus, complex problems need to be solved by a collective effort. Isolated Impact- nonprofit sector typically uses an isolated impact method where the approach oriented toward finding a solution embodied within a single organization and expand outward

annual grant cycle Collective Impact Network Capacity Grants Selection principles based on research Demonstration of five conditions: Common agenda; Shared measurement systems; Continuous communication; Mutually reinforcing activities; and Independent backbone support. Common Agenda: common understanding of the problem and joint approach to solving it through agreed upon actions   Shared Measurement Systems: collecting data and measuring results at the community level helps align efforts and keep accountability Mutually Reinforcing Activities: encourage participants to undertake activities in which it excels and is coordinated with the actions of others Continuous Communication: consistent meeting and communication builds trust among collective Backbone Support Organization: dedicated staff separate from participating organizations who can plan, manage, and support the initiative through ongoing logistical support

annual grant cycle Collective Impact Network Capacity Grants Eligibility Criteria Focus on long-term, intractable challenge for children and/or youth; Illustrate multi-sector participation; and Has a signed agreement with a 501(c)(3) organization to serve as its fiscal agent.

annual grant cycle Youth Organizing Support Key Findings Participants in youth organizing gain knowledge and skills to understand and change social inequalities. Young people who are involved in organizing increase their educational motivation and aspirations. Young leaders feel a sense of urgency about their work as related to their own abilities and impact on the community.

annual grant cycle Youth Organizing Support Selection principles based on research Engagements are aimed at: Organizing affected youth/young adults to take collective action on their own behalf; Training youth/young adults in methods of community organizing; Teaching youth/young adults to analyze systems and community level issues; and Leading a direct action in an effort to solve an issue affecting youth/young adults.

annual grant cycle Youth Organizing support Eligibility Criteria Train youth and/or young adults in the methods of community organizing; Represent grassroots, parent or student-led organizations or affected communities; Has a signed agreement with a 501(c)(3) organization to serve as its fiscal agent; and Amplifies the voices of affected communities in the St. Louis region.

Application requirements

Application requirements Modified Missouri Common Grant Application can be accessed at www.deaconess.org Application narrative Financial documents

Key dates April 1 - application and supporting documents due by 4 p.m. to advocate@deaconess.org May 20 - Grant awards will be announced. June 1 – Grant cycle begins. June 4 - Grant awards will be issued at Deaconess’ Children at the Center event to be held at Mathews-Dickey Boys’ and Girls’ Club.

For more information, contact Dr. Brandon D. Haynes Director, Community Engagement BrandonH@deaconess.org (314) 436-8001