Benefits of Consortia

Several Neighborhood Networks centers have identified the ability to expand their fundraising opportunities as a major benefit of participating in a consortium. Many funders and potential partners are interested in supporting large-scale, community-based projects that involve many different groups and serve a larger population, instead of funding activities at a single center. Groups of centers, particularly those that are allied with community partners, have more fundraising opportunities with major funding sources. Groups of centers serve a broader constituency, have increased marketing and outreach resources, and can provide a broader array of skills.

For example, the Crescent Park Multi-Cultural Family Resource Center in Richmond, California, pursued a U.S. Department of Education grant opportunity as part of East Bay Neighborhood Links (EBNL), a consortium of five computer education and training programs. The department funds were designed for large organizations or groups of organizations, which made teamwork between the centers and their partners essential. EBNL won the grant, receiving approximately $299,000 a year for 3 years.

Shared Information and Resources

Centers also have identified the information sharing and resources as a benefit of their involvement in consortia. Consortia meetings allow centers to exchange program ideas, best practices, and curricula, and identify solutions to challenges that individual centers may be facing. Consortia also facilitate joint programming among centers and make it possible for centers to share resources associated with programming. For example, a group of centers could pursue large funding sources that otherwise would not be available to individual centers.

Networking

A benefit of Neighborhood Networks consortia is the opportunity to network with other centers, community technology organizations, and partners. With the combined skills, information, and resources of several Neighborhood Networks centers on hand, there is little a consortium cannot accomplish.

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