Carrie Mack with Illinois Wesleyan University's Action Research Center discusses the results of the community nonprofit assessment numerous nonprofit in McLean County took a few weeks ago. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)
By Joe Ragusa
NORMAL – Around 15 not-for-profit groups will receive $2,500 each in grants from State Farm Bank for completing the first part of a project put together by the Action Research Center at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Deborah Halperin with Illinois Wesleyan helped coordinate the internal assessment report and the Challenge Grant with State Farm Bank.
"The Challenge Grant was really to help provide the framework so organizations would respond to the assessment and think about these indicators," said Halperin.
There were 100 indicators in the assessment placed into 10 categories, like financial management, the use of volunteers and interns, planning and evaluation along with facilities management.
"Every organization here is so busy meeting needs everyday, 24-hours-a-day, they're so busy that they don't always stop and think, 'Boy, how am I doing in terms of my strategic planning today?'" said Halperin.
The United Way of McLean County participated in the assessment. David Taylor is the branch's president and CEO.
"This assessment really gave us a chance to step back and figure out what are we doing well and what are some areas we could do more effectively," said Taylor.
The assessments are the first part of a long-term project with Illinois Wesleyan, State Farm Bank and numerous not-for-profit groups.
Jerome Maddox, a philanthropy analyst with State Farm, said State Farm Bank has been working with a growing group of nonprofit.
"We wanted to come together and get some thoughts together on how can we get more out of just meeting and talking about different venues or what (the nonprofits) are doing, and then be able to spread that information out to other organizations," said Maddox.
Maddox said out of the roughly 18 groups that participate in the collaborative group, 15 will received $2,500 for completing Illinois Wesleyan's nonprofits assessment. Those groups are:
Western Avenue Community Center
West Bloomington Revitalization Project
United Way of McLean County
Habitat for Humanity McLean County
Multicultural Leadership Program
Mid Central Community Action
Bloomington-Normal Boys and Girls Club
YWCA
Immanuel Healthcare
Community Healthcare
Home Sweet Home Ministries
Recycling Furniture For Families
Labyrinth Outreach Services
Bloomington Housing Authority
Milestone
Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].
