LEAP    INITIATIVE       LEAP Initiative Launched to Help Long Island Nonprofits Become More Effective Community Change Agents Five of Long Island’s biggest institutional and private funders have partnered with the Community Training and Assistance Center (CTAC) to launch an innovative capacity building initiative for small to mid-size nonprofits seeking to become more effective change agents in some of the most distressed communities in Nassau and Suffolk Counties in New York State. In an unprecedented collaboration for the region, the Long Island Community Foundation, Horace Hagedorn Foundation, Rauch Foundation, JPMorgan Chase Foundation, and Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock have joined with two individual donors to provide nearly $500,000 to help 12 organizations strengthen themselves so that they might generate sustained positive change in their communities.

This initial group of 12 organizations is the first to participate in a projected three-year, $1.13 million effort that could eventually serve as many as 36 nonprofits across both counties. CTAC, a nationally renowned provider of technical assistance to community-based organizations and urban school districts, has been chosen to lead the intensive capacity building effort. LEAP, which stands for Leadership, Effectiveness, Action & Partnership, has been launched at a pivotal point in the evolution of communities that have not shared Long Island’s overall prosperity. The situation is equally pivotal for the numerous small and mid-size nonprofits trying to make those communities better. “At a time when the impact of nonprofits is being scrutinized by local government, media, and Congress, this initiative is designed to help these groups--particularly under-resourced organizations based in communities of color -- achieve greater levels of operational effectiveness, program results, and community leadership,” says Suzy Sonenberg, executive director of the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF), which is coordinating the initiative. To help the inaugural groups incorporate into their operations the new methods they are learning, the Rauch Foundation has awarded a $10,000 grant to each of the selected organizations. “We hope that the groups use the resources to implement improvements identified during technical assistance and training,” says Linda Landsman, vice president of Rauch. The collaboration among funders and grassroots organizations has already attracted the attention of Nassau and Suffolk County officials interested in supporting innovative community improvement efforts. LICF’s Sonenberg believes the initiative could one day warrant even broader public attention. “Over time LEAP could serve as a national model of how funders can partner with grassroots groups to bring positive change to their communities and the region,” she says. CTAC has earned a reputation for employing systemic, integrated strategies that equip organizations to develop, implement, and sustain meaningful community improvement efforts over the long term. CTAC will work with the LEAP nonprofits, individually and collectively, to: (1) build their capacity to incorporate policy considerations into their work; (2) develop and sustain effective collaborations with other groups to achieve real community impact; (3) incorporate best regional and national practices into their local strategies and actions; and (4) develop more sophisticated means of assessing community impact and demonstrating results to key stakeholders, including funders, public officials, and the broader public. Elliott Lee, deputy executive director of CTAC, believes that strengthening the LEAP organizations can have a geometric impact on their constituencies. “A key premise of this initiative is that while strong individual nonprofits acting alone can make some difference in the lives of the people they serve, well-designed collaborations among institutions can produce more significant, long-term improvements,” says Lee. The organizations will be able to take advantage of an array of capacity-building activities, including: Technical assistance geared to the particular needs of each nonprofit Peer networking to help organizations broaden their perspective on local issues, encourage activism, and develop strategies for change Linkages with regional and national community improvement networks to learn and share new ideas and strategies Advocacy coaching to improve their ability to understand and interact with power structures, both public and private, develop community agendas, and bring about results Evaluation processes that will allow organization to continually assess progress, make mid-course corrections, and strengthen support from current and prospective allies, partners, and funders Following is the list of the organizations that are participating: Bridgehampton Child Care and Recreational Center Central Bellport Civic Association Jobs With Justice, based in Farmingdale Littig House Community Center, in Port Washington Long Island Progressive Coalition, based in Massapequa Manhasset/Great Neck Economic Opportunity Council North Amityville Community Economic Council Roosevelt Public Library Straight Path Corridor Weed & Seed in Wyandanch Unified New Cassel Community Revitalization Corp. Uniondale Early Childhood Center Uniondale Community Council/ Uniondale Roosevelt Weed & Seed Watch this website for more news about the LEAP Initiative. Organizations seeking participation in the next round of training and technical assistance should address inquiries to the Long Island Community Foundation, LEAP Initiative, 1864 Muttontown Road, Syosset, NY 11791.