The Neighborhood Partnership Fund, an OR nonprofit, is seeking a full time Asset Building Manager to focus on asset building for individuals and families . Must be detail oriented, have strong written/verbal communication skills and experience in program analysis and evaluation. Requires demonstrated organizational development, research/ analytical skills and proficiency in Microsoft Word and Access. Three or more years in asset building or a closely related field required. Experience with resident services or employment a plus.

Full job description and application packet available at http://www.tnpf.org/news/ab_manager.php.

Salary based on experience. Good benefits and retirement plan provided. E-mail cover letter, resume, application, and responses to questions by 4:30 PM 06-17-08 tocwinter@tnpf.org. Equal Opportunity Employer.

What is an IDA? It’s a savings plan for low income people. The Oregon legislature defines what kind of goals people can save toward, and it also sets a limit on how much money can be raised from donors. Contributions come from Oregonians like you and me. Low-income Oregonians enroll in the program and start saving to buy a home, or start a small business, or further their education, or other goals. Once they reach their financial goal, their savings are matched three to one, up to a maximum of $3,000. Along the way, they go to workshops to build financial savvy.

How many peoples’ lives are better because of this program? Cynthia Winters at The Neighborhood Partnership Fund, the nonprofit that oversees the program, informs me that there are currently over 1,100 low-income Oregonians enrolled. Last year, over 500 Oregonians completed the program. This year, even more will be able to enroll.

Then there’s the donors. Last year, this group of Oregonians at the other end of the economic spectrum from the participants also benefited from the program through the tax credit for donations. Here’s how the credit works:

The IDA Tax Credit begins with your contribution to the Neighborhood Partnership Fund. 75% of your contribution becomes a credit on your State of Oregon income tax return. For example, if you as an individual made a donation of $1000 to the IDA Initiative, you would then be qualified for a tax credit of 75%, or $750 against your state income taxes. The tax credit reduces the state taxes that you would otherwise pay. (Source)

I was surprised to learn a couple things when the 2007 report to donors came out a few weeks back. One, that only 333 people contributed $6 million. Two, that the average contribution was over $17,000. I contributed, but given the amounts raised from so few people, I imagine that my tiny contribution actually skewed all the data downwards! Regardless, I benefited from lowering my tax liability and from feeling like, for once, I was certain that the taxes I paid were doing something good.

So here’s a challenge to my readers, family, and friends in Oregon: consider making a donation this year (note: link is to a .pdf). Right now, there are over $7 million in tax credits remaining. And while it’s great that a handful of wealthy Oregonians are getting tax breaks in a way that’s pretty noble, the tax credit could also benefit a lot of “average” Oregonians out there…you know, the middle-income ones who complain about how their taxes are spent. I’d love to see that thousands of Oregonians contributed to this program in 2008 when the next report comes out, not just for the tax breaks, but for a greater sense of community and being in this together.

^{*I am not an accountant or tax specialist, and this is not financial advice. See someone who is qualified to help you that way if you want to know about how this might affect your particular situation.}

Update, 10:28 am: The online registration link has now been added to the DHS informational page.

To editorialize on a related topic, according to our own DHS, 67,000 Oregonian children are eligible for OHP and not enrolled. When I think about the $$$ spent on failed Measure 50, I wonder what it could have done to spread the word about existing, funded services that are not being accessed.

Update: An article in today’s Oregonian reports that significantly more applicants may be accepted than DHS’s news release suggests, due apparently to budgetary surplus caused by lower enrollment levels.

I was home in Roseburg, Oregon, visiting my parents for the holidays, and noted that the Roseburg News Review published a good write-up about a local homeless shelter for teens and families with teens, Casa de Belen, on Christmas Eve. Casa de Belen is one of the many rural Oregon projects that receive Continuum of Care funding for serving homeless people. It addresses a very specific need in the community, one partially caused by the fact that many shelters, especially those for people fleeing domestic violence situations, do not allow teenage boys. Kudos to Casa de Belen on this favorable media coverage.

CoC funds are awarded competitively, and are based on past performance. Unfortunately, advocates for homeless programs in rural areas have not been successful in getting the message across to HUD and legislators that rural homelessness is different from urban homelessness, both in causes, the demographics of those experiencing homelessness, and in levels of local resources for providing the full range of services needed in order to stabilize individuals and families and help them remain housed.

I really hate to see this kind of decision, which ultimately will encourage regressive practices such as handing homeless people bus tickets to the Big City so they can get help there.

Sigh. Still, the Stephen Colbert poster in my office is there to stay. My heart belongs to you, Stephen! Always! Even if I’m late to this particular party.

Sorry for the post unrelated to nonprofitness. At least it’s kind of political.

My connection with the Ford Foundation goes back to 2003, when I was selected as a Ford Scholar and given truly generous assistance through the end of my undergraduate years. These days, one of my staff members is participating in one of their five-year community leadership programs. The free books program is just another of the many ways that they are working to empower communities in Oregon. So, check it out.

Select Books page

The request form includes a place to suggest additions to their list. I had two. One was Malcolm Gladwell’s The Tipping Point, which I am having my staff read; they are kindly indulging my professorial tendencies, but (say) they really find it thought-provoking and useful. The other is Getting Funded: The Complete Guide to Writing Grant Proposals, by Mary Hall.

So, a question. If you could suggest one or two great additions to their free book list, what would they be? Why?