Funding Success Stories

Information by State  Print version

How can Neighborhood Networks centers open up new revenue sources to fund programs and center operations? By identifying resources among foundations, community organizations, and local, state, and federal government agencies, and actively approaching them to develop relationships and grant opportunities. Centers successful in obtaining foundation grants generally:

	Identify foundations with objectives similar to their own.
	Submit applications that demonstrate how the center would advance the foundation's goals.
	Cultivate relationships with foundation staff.

The most successful centers often use a broad funding base, combining funding and in-kind support from federal, state, and local governments; community organizations; and business partners.

Foundation support was key to both the development and the continuing operations of the Neighborhood Networks center at Crescent Park Apartments in Richmond, California. This center features a large classroom/conference room with satellite and videoconferencing capabilities, office space, and a multipurpose room with kitchen and fireplace. Its computer center has 20 networked Pentium III computers, printers, a scanner, Internet access, and the capability for distance-learning programs via satellite. Nine foundations provided $600,000 to create this center.

The Northport/Packers learning centers in Madison, Wisconsin, operated an employment training and placement program, with training provided by the local Madison Area Technical College (MATC). Community Development Block Grant funding through the city of Madison supported the program. After several years, the city discontinued funding training programs. The Northport/Packers centers then turned to the Wisconsin Technical College Board System, the public governing and funding parent body of MATC, for support for its employment and adult education and literacy program, which now serves as the basis of the employment-training program.

This partnership solidified a near-perfect match between the Northport and Packers residents' needs and the technical college board's mission. MATC now has an expanded student body, with no need for additional classroom or parking spaces. Moreover, funding for the Northport/Packers learning centers' employment training, adult education, and literacy program is now institutionalized as part of the Wisconsin Technical College Board System's 3-year funding cycle, Northport/Packers director Carmen Porco reports.

Other Neighborhood Networks centers have relied on different funding combinations to support programs and operations. To find out more about their strategies, visit our Success Stories archive.