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The Wells Fargo Regional Foundation Supports CollaborativesWorking with and in communities for nearly eighteen years, the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation has learned from its grantees, its philanthropic peers, and many others in the field of community revitalization, about how strong collaboratives are structured and successfully managed. This document serves to share: 1) some of what the Foundation has learned from the field about successful collaboratives; and, based on this field-level insight, 2) what the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation has determined as criteria for applicants seeking funding as collaboratives. Field Insights on the Components of Successful Collaboratives & Collaborative BenefitsA collaborative is created when individual organizations come together out of an established need to work together. A collaborative will apply for funding from various sources as a coalition. Funds are either disbursed to collaborative members or towards common revitalization projects through a designated lead organization. What follows are some of what the field recognizes as the components of successful collaboratives:A successful collaborative is based on more than funds, where members share a common vision for and mutual commitment to positive, neighborhood-based change.The allocation of power to residents and stakeholders is considered inevitably more important than the allocation of funds.The determination of the members of the collaborative is intensive and considers the unique strengths and potential challenges each member contributes to the realization of the vision for community revitalization.A strong lead organization, with sufficient organizational capacity to manage and coordinate members, oversees the revitalization process. The lead organization and its members are open to revising the collaborative’s membership to fulfill the necessary work to revitalize the neighborhood and achieve the greatest impact. The collaborative consistently and critically analyzes its own work and its true effects on residents’ participation and the neighborhood’s revitalization.Members of a strong collaborative have credibility within their communities, build and develop trust throughout the revitalization process, and are transparent about neighborhood challenges and opportunities.Successful collaboratives realize the following results and community benefits:Collaboratives allow individual organizations, across sectors, to specialize and combine their unique strengths towards common revitalization goals.Resources from various sectors, organizations, and communities are shared and leveraged.Collaboratives collectively identify financial resources and funding partners and help one another nurture, manage, and sustain funding relationships and financial resources.Well-designed collaboratives support ongoing learning from and amongst various partners and from varied perspectives.Services are broadened and/or streamlined.Opportunities are expanded.Results are magnified. Wells Fargo Regional Foundation’s Collaborative Funding OpportunityThe current funding opportunity is open to a coalition consisting of at least three organizations representing a collaborative of cross-sector services or expertise, who are coming together to share resources, learn from one another, and broaden and/or streamline services. Each collaborative must select a lead organization to represent the entire coalition and serve as the grant’s fiscal agent. The lead organization is responsible for coordinating the collaborative’s planning and overall implementation of activities, as well as receiving and managing grant funds. The lead organization must demonstrate the following to be considered for funding:Sufficient organizational capacity to represent the entire coalition and serve as the grant’s fiscal agent (e.g., operational capacity, financial capacity, leadership capacity, political capacity, communication capacity, evaluation capacity).Incorporated as a 501 c 3 and able to provide past 3 years, audited financial statements.Strong and engaged Board of Directors who are fully aware of the goals of the coalition and are in support of the lead organization’s roles and responsibilities within the collaborative.Strong information management systems (e.g., databases, technical capacity) and experienced administrative staff equipped to oversee, manage, and support collation partners (e.g., sub-grantees).Past experience managing collaborative members (i.e., sub-grantees) and working in coalition. Past experience working with consultants.Credible and reputable within the communities engaged in the revitalization project. Committed to and equipped with a range of mechanisms for communicating regularly (and transparently) with members, other stakeholders, and residents about the revitalization mitted to and equipped with a range of mechanisms for capturing feedback from coalition members, other stakeholders, and residents about the revitalization process. Willing and able to establish and implement a participatory evaluation framework for the overall initiative, holding coalition members accountable for continuous learning and refinement.Willing and able to ensure that each coalition member develops and tracks measurable goals and makes refinement to these goals as needed to ensure maximum impact. Willing and able to manage political issues, bring people together from different factions, manage conflict, and cooperate with elected officials and various government agencies.The responsibilities of the lead organization as fiscal agent include, at minimum, the following: Determination of the amounts provided to each sub-grantee (collaborative member) based upon each sub-grantee’s demonstrated capacity to implement the requested programming as well as the proposed scope of services. Maintenance of separate records of disbursements related to the grant.Keeping receipts for at least 3 years following receipt of the grant.Making financial records available to the Foundation upon request.Disbursing funds amongst coalition partners in accordance with the purpose of the grant application and based upon performance against pre-determined milestones and municating financial or performance issues with the Foundation as they arise. Building and sustaining a strong relationship between the lead organization and collaborative members (sub-grantees) is paramount. As such, the Foundation requires that the lead organization develop, with sub grantees, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that outlines roles and responsibilities. Moreover, this MOU should be approved by all members and their respective Boards of Directors.It is the responsibility of the lead organization to determine, at the onset of the grant application, the appropriate grant amounts to be requested for each sub-grantee based upon each sub-grantee’s demonstrated capacity to implement the requested programming as well as the proposed scope of services. Sub-grantees are members of the funding collaborative who will be receiving grant funds through the fiscal agent (lead organization) to perform specific activities agreed upon at the outset of the grant, or as amended by mutual agreement by the Foundation and lead organization. Sub-grantees must meet, at minimum, the following financial and operational requirements to be considered for funding as part of a collaborative:Incorporated as a 501 c 3 and able to provide past 3 years of IRS form 990’s. Performs role and responsibilities as stipulated in the Collaborative’s Memorandum of Understanding, which is approved by the sub-grantee’s Board of Directors.Understands and communicates its complementary role in the revitalization project, contributing to the breadth of the coalitions expertise and sphere of influence.Participates in the participatory evaluation framework for the overall initiative, developing and tracking measurable goals, and sharing this information with the coalition as relevant and supportive of the revitalization milestones. Provides the lead organization with quarterly performance reports against agreed upon milestones and activities in agreed upon timeframes. Regularly attends meetings of the coalition members and contributes to communal problem solving.Maintains records of grant fund expenditures for at least 3 years following the end of the grant period.Provides financial records requested by the lead organization (receipts, 990s, audits, etc.) within agreed upon timeframes.Spends funds in accordance with the purpose of the grant.If you are interested in applying for funding as a collaborative, the Wells Fargo Regional Foundation offers the following resources as you determine your eligibility and formulate a strong proposal for consideration.Review eligibility requirements (link).Review application(s) (link).Participate in intent to apply calls. (link)Consider attending a Neighborhood Planning Workshop. (link) ................
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