The Giving is FAR REACHING award recognizes a grantmaker who gave beyond the typical grant. In-kind support and volunteerism are critical to helping nonprofits stretch a dollar and strengthen their organization. Being responsive to community needs often means leveraging resources beyond financial grants.
The winner of the 2011 Giving is FAR REACHING award goes to the Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis as nominated by Rebuilding Together-St. Louis and the St. Louis Home Repair Network.
The Gateway Center for Giving celebrates the work of our St. Louis area grantmakers through our Excellence in Grantmaking Awards by honoring donors who fund programs, efforts, or initiatives that have made a significant impact in the region. (Editors note: Systemic Change?)
Text from the Nomination Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis
On behalf of Rebuilding Together-St. Louis and the Home Repair Network, we are honored to nominate The Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis (DOC) in the category of Giving ON TIME. The DOC has worked closely with the Home Repair Network (HRN) to keep non-profit home repair providers connected to one another in a meaningful way, thereby allowing us to provide better services to our clients. Additionally, the DOC played a large role in making the Common Grant Application of Missouri (CGA) a reality. These two accomplishments coupled with the unwavering support they continue to provide non-profits throughout our community make them a deserving recipient of the award.
The St. Louis Home Repair Network (HRN) is a resource for local nonprofit agencies involved in providing home repairs and other neighborhood revitalization services for low-income families in the greater St. Louis metropolitan area. As a member of the HRN Steering Committee, I have seen first-hand the dedication of time and support the Daughters of Charity Foundation has provided to ensure that the Network remains a steady presence and a leader in inter-agency dialogue and collaboration. With funding from the Daughters of Charity Foundation, the HRN was able to make a once grass-roots, well-intentioned but struggling group into a sustainable organization that meets every other month, has developed a steering committee and has engaged The Nonprofit Management & Leadership Program at UMSL to take over as Network Coordinator. The HRN recently launched a new website, a blog and a speaker series – thanks to the support and funding from the DOC. Under the leadership of Sister Kuester, the DOC has helped cement and strengthen the HRN as a network of agencies dedicated to meeting the critical housing needs of low-income homeowners in the St. Louis metro area.
In addition, the DOC was critical in making the Common Grant Application of Missouri (CGA) come to fruition. The Common Grant Application allows grantmakers and grantseekers to work from a common set of questions that reinforce solid nonprofit practices. Sister Kuester said, “The CGA is a “win-win” model. It simplifies the grant application process for nonprofits and it organizes data and information systematically for funders.” Though the finished product was a collaborate effort among many people, it was the DOC that helped move it forward.
The Daughters of Charity Foundation of St. Louis’s mission is to serve those who are poor and vulnerable, and in doing so, they have continued working closely with nonprofits to help them realign their programs and strategies to better meet the needs of their clients and the community during these difficult economic times.
Tags: Daughters of Charity
