In 2014, MACDC Members helped over 72,000 families statewide obtain housing and job training, start or grow a small business, or receive a variety of services. Equally impressive, MACDC Members collectively generated investment of over $615 million in their communities in 2014. 

These are just two of the findings from the 2015 MACDC GOALs Survey.  These results are now available online in two publications: the first is our GOALs Report, which provides aggregated data on the work of our members and highlights stories from six CDCs that illustrate the impact our members have. Second, our 300+ page GOALs Appendix details the accomplishments of each individual MACDC Member in a wide range of activities and includes information on every real estate project completed in 2014 or in the pipeline as of December 31, 2014.  The Appendix includes a convenient table of contents to enable readers to quickly find the information that they need.

Since 2003, MACDC and its Members have collaborated on a collective effort to revitalize and stabilize communities across the state. The MACDC GOALs Initiative – Growing Opportunities, Assets, and Leaders across the Commonwealth – measures our annual progress in six areas of community development. Each year, we conduct a detailed online survey of our members to learn precisely what they have accomplished.  Over the twelve years of the GOALs Initiative, our members have helped to create or preserve over 15,000 homes and almost 33,000 jobs, and generated over $3.7 billion in economic investment in our communities.

This report highlights the terrific progress that MACDC Members have made over the past year. 

During 2014:

• 2,569 volunteer community leaders were engaged in CDC activities;
• 1,459 homes were built or preserved;
• 6,161 job opportunities were created or preserved;
• 1,304 locally-owned businesses received technical and financial support;
• 72,046 families received housing, jobs, training or other services; and
• $615 million in private and public funding was invested in our communities.

CITC & GOALs:

In this year’s GOALS Survey, for the first time, we ask CDCs who received Community Investment Tax Credit (CITC) to report on the program's impact; detailed results are included in the Goals Appendix, starting on page 139.  CITC is designed to enable local residents and stakeholders to work with and through CDCs to partner with nonprofit, public, and private entities to improve economic opportunities for low- and moderate-income households and other residents in urban, rural, and suburban communities across the Commonwealth. CDCs accomplish this through adoption of community investment plans to undertake community development programs and activities.

Of the 36 CDCs who received a CITC award, 30 reported an increase in operational capacity, and 29 expanded their activities as a result of the award.  Additionally, 32 of these CDCs increased their level of community engagement through increased use of volunteers, more intensive engagement from their Boards of Directors, and increasing resident participation in organizational events.

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For more information on the results of the MACDC GOALs Survey, contact Don Bianchi at donb@macdc.org.

America’s long standing effort to end housing discrimination and reduce racial segregation has been back in the news lately.  The Supreme Court’s recent decision upholding Disparate Impact Claims was a partial victory for Fair Housing Advocates.  However, the language in Justice Anthony Kennedy’s Opinion puts so many limitations on these claims that they may be hard to win in future cases, as described in this Article in Atlantic Magazine.  Fair Housing Advocates generally applauded the decision and community developers like Enterprise Communities and Bart Mitchell from the Community Builders saw the court trying to balance the need to both expand opportunities in upper income communities while also investing to revitalize lower income neighborhoods.  The Supreme Court seems to indicate that finding this balance is the job of local and state government – not the courts. Time will tell if that interpretation is correct.

A few days later, HUD issued its long awaited new Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule that seeks to break down long standing patterns of segregation and fully implement the law’s mandate for local and state government to take pro-active steps to promote integration.  One key benefit of the new rule is that it will compel local jurisdictions to think pro-actively about how to advance fair housing and to engage the larger community in that discussion and planning.  And the Opportunity Agenda has published a useful guidebook to help them do it.   At the same time, as this article in the Huffington Post makes clear, simply having the discussion and creating a plan is unlikely to end the debate over the future of our neighborhoods.  While most fair housing and community development practitioners would strongly agree on the need to break down barriers for families and people of color in upper income communities, the implications for lower income communities, gentrifying neighborhoods and rural areas are not nearly as clear cut.  Moreover, the tension between investing dollars in building affordable housing in upper income communities and building it in lower income communities will continue so long as there is such a large mismatch between the need for affordable housing and the financial resources available to build it.

You’ll have a chance to learn more and discuss these important developments at the upcoming Fair Housing Forum to be hosted by CHAPA and the Mel King Institute on August 6 at Boston Private Bank. 

A great volunteer, George, once told me and a group of young volunteers why he loved to ask people to give. He said when he asks for a gift the organization wins because it can serve more people. The people we are serving win because we can provide better services. Most importantly the people I ask for a gift win because they have an opportunity to participate in their community.

People want to participate in and improve their communities and community development corporations are in an ideal position to provide citizens such opportunities. While fundraising may seem like a foreign skill to learn, you actually already know everything you need to know to solicit contributions.  It is all about communications, human relations, and good manners.

Communications

Think of a circle; once you get on you keep going around.  You want to have a circle of communications with your contributors, so your contributors stay with you from first gift, to thank you, to you keeping your promises, and to their giving again.

From the beginning be clear in your request, whether it is for volunteer time or for a gift.  Let your potential contributors know:

• What problem are you addressing? 
• Why are you the organization to address these problems and needs? 
• What successes can you point to that gives them confidence in your capabilities?
• How will gifts make this happen? 
• Will gifts pave the way for other funding?
• What are all the ways they can be involved? Give them a clear description of volunteer, sponsorship, and giving opportunities, including giving levels. 

Then keep this circle of connection, involvement, and giving intact.  Acknowledge every gift promptly.  Regularly communicate with contributors and prospective contributors to inform them of your accomplishments, new opportunities to participate, and how others are involved as volunteers and contributors.

When I was working with volunteers to solicit gifts for the music program at a church, we established one rule about who to solicit. If the family had an interest in the music program, one of us met with them.  This proved successful when a young couple with very young children came forward and gave the lead gift for the campaign in response to one of our volunteers meeting with them. We would not have asked them for that amount, but graciously accepted their gift. Follow the interest!

Human Relations

It all begins with building relationships with people. You want to make connections and build relationships for the life of your organization.   People like to participate with organizations - as volunteers and contributors - where they feel involved and where they relate well with others involved.  More and more people give to where they volunteer and where they spend their time.  The first steps to the gift and the solicitation are getting people involved in your events and your meetings.

Volunteers are vitally important to cultivating and soliciting prospective contributors. Organizations can expand their reach by encouraging their volunteers to connect with people in their network of friends, neighbors, family, and business. The best cultivation and solicitation calls are made by volunteers; followed by an employee with a volunteer; followed by an employee going solo.

When you meet with prospective contributors, here are a few thoughts to get your discussion started and to lead the conversation as to how they will participate with their gift.

• What is your connection to our work?
• How do you typically decide which organizations to contribute to?
• What do you expect from the organizations you give to?
• Do you have suggestions on how we could improve the information we provide you? 
• Would you encourage others to give to us? 
• What is the greatest joy you have had from a gift you made?  Why?

Good Manners

Do what it takes to make the other person comfortable. Good manners answer all the detail questions we have.  From how many times do I need to meet someone before I ask for a gift? Do I write, call, or meet in person?  Remember, simple courtesies go a long way.  When in doubt ask if this is a good time to speak with the potential contributor about a gift and about getting more involved with your organization.   

And always, always acknowledge every gift.  It is the beginning of a long-term relationship and the next gift.

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Rita Fuerst Adams transforms charitable and philanthropic organizations at the heart of social change into professionally run, better funded, effective organizations.  For more than three decades, and throughout the U.S., Rita has served charitable and philanthropic organizations with operating budgets of $1 million to $1.5 billion and resulting campaigns ranging from $1 million to $450 million.  Her experience includes working with causes in education, youth, the arts, community and economic development, historic preservation, health care, international relations, and professional and civic affairs. http://rita1st.com/

Learn about the Mel King Institute's mission to help organizations better serve their communities and their six years of impact. Featured stories include North Shore CDC's YouthBuild program that grew from a Mel King Institute scholarship and Angela Kelly's story of going from a LISC AmeriCorps Member to Director of Resident Leadership and Services at Madison Park DC, participating in our trainings and programs along the way. VIEW VIDEO

The Mel King Instiute had a wonderful annual breakfast complete with testimonials about their impact, a moving poem from Tufts students about race and the immigrant experience in America, and a insightful keynote speech by DHCD Undersecretary Chrystal Kornegay on thinking about present problems with a mind towards future ones. The program ended with a recited poem by the Institute's namesake, Mel King. 

Thank you again to all our sponsors including our presenting sponsor, Citizens Bank! Our work would not be possible without your support.  

Fenway CDC announced that Leah Camhi is the new Executive Director, starting July 1st. With an extensive background founding, leading and developing nonprofits in Boston, Ms. Camhi will be taking helm of the 42 year old CDC as it looks to continue developing housing and helping lead a community undergoing significant transformation, particularly with the many developments lining Boylston St.

This week, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), Mass Smart Growth Alliance (MSGA), and Transportation for Massachusetts (T4MA) released an extensive report discussing the Boston 2024’s bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics in Massachusetts. The report does not take a position for or against bringing the Games to Massachusetts, but rather emphasizes the importance of thinking now about the legacy these Games would leave behind. The report details the risks and potential benefits of hosting the games and outlines a number of recommendations for how best to ensure that the Games leave a positive legacy of investment that increases regional equity and economic opportunity. The report also details some of the risks if effective and inclusive planning is not done in advance.

“MACDC is proud to have contributed to the report because it brings to the forefront serious questions about the impact that the Olympics could have on lower income communities and communities of color,” commented MACDC President Joseph Kriesberg. “The report offers specific recommendations for how to mitigate the potential for displacement and gentrification and lays out a vision for leveraging the Olympic Games to pave the way for significant investment in housing that would be affordable to low and moderate income families.”

Check out Andre Leroux, the Mass Smart Growth Alliance Executive Director, discussing Boston 2024 and a series of suggestions to bring about a successful legacy to Boston's hosting the Summer Olympics with NECN's Peter Howe.

In May, 2015, the Massachusetts Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation’s Division of Banks (DOB) awarded $1.3 Million in grants to 11 regional foreclosure prevention centers and 10 individual first-time homeownership education centers across Massachusetts. For a list of the grantees and the awards, see the Office of Consumer Affairs website.

The awards are made under Chapter 206 of the Acts of 2007, a law enacted as the foreclosure crisis was gaining steam, with MACDC and its members instrumental in drafting and passing the legislation. Among other things, it regulates non-bank mortgage lenders for the first time, and uses the licensing fees from mortgage originators to fund the foreclosure prevention counseling awards. Over the past three years, DOB has provided more than $4 Million for foreclosure prevention counseling and homebuyer education.

MACDC Members are so effective at providing these services that 13 of the 21 awards were made to MACDC Members or to coalitions including MACDC Members. In fact, over a three year period ending in December 2014, MACDC members provided foreclosure prevention counseling to almost 12,000 households, and close to 4,600 of these households achieved a positive outcome.

MACDC continues to engage the Division of Banks, on behalf of our members and their low- and moderate-income constituents who still face challenges in buying and preserving their homes.  We met with DOB in November 2014 to talk about the need for ongoing support for both foreclosure prevention and homebuyer education. Clearly, DOB listened to the concerns of MACDC and other stakeholders as they developed the specifics of the program.

Unfortunately, the foreclosure crisis is not abating as fast as many had hoped.  Foreclosure petitions in the Bay State, the first step in the foreclosure process, continued to climb in March, posting a 68 percent increase compared with March 2014, according to a new report from The Warren Group, publisher of Banker & Tradesman. This marked the 13th consecutive month of increases in petition filings.

MACDC will continue to support our members, as they strive to help current homeowners preserve their homes and provide future homeowners with the tools for enjoying sustainable homeownership. MACDC is currently advocating with the Legislature to make sure the program is fully funded again in Fiscal Year 2016.

For more information on this, please contact Don Bianchi at donb@macdc.org.

Steve Britton was surprised and pleased when he found out he was named a Community Bank Hero, but he says he's still trying to figure out just what he did to deserve the honor.That's just like Steve, said Jackie Giordano, the director of external affairs at the North Shore Community Development Coalition (CDC). Giordano, who has known Britton since he joined the organization's board of directors in 2012, nominated him for the distinction. READ MORE