NeighborWorks America creates opportunities for people to live in affordable homes, improve their lives and strengthen their communities.
Activities
Over the past 30 years, NeighborWorks America has assisted hundreds of thousands of low- and moderate-income families with their housing needs. Much of their success is achieved through their support of the NeighborWorks network – more than 235 community development organizations working in urban, suburban and rural communities in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. NeighborWorks America is the nation’s leading trainer of community development and affordable housing professionals. The importance of public participation and community values is stressed in all program work.
Relevant Project(s)
- The NeighborWorks Rural Initiative develops innovative strategies for housing and economic growth in struggling rural areas
- The NeighborWorks Community Building and Organizing Initiative helps to recruit and train local leaders and build community capacity (including youth leaders)
- The NeighborWorks Training Institute provides training, certifications, and support to local nonprofits that are revitalizing their communities
- The NeighborWorks Campaign for Homeownership has, since 1993, helped nearly 110,000 low- and moderate-income families to become homeowners
- The Success Measures Program offers an approach to outcome evaluation that integrates participatory processes, training and technical assistance and the web-based technology of the Success Measures Data System (SMDS) http://www.successmeasures.org. SMDS offers ready-to-use data collection tools and other features which support organizations to plan, manage and analyze evaluations on their own. Training and SMDS subscriptions are available to community-based organizations, intermediaries, funders and other nonprofits
Relevant Methodologies
Success Measures utilizes web-based evaluation and data-management techniques and user friendly interfaces for citizens. The Success Measures evaluation approach and SMDS are based on a set of common indicators of affordable housing, economic development and community building results that were developed through a national engagement process involving more than 300 practitioners. When the Success Measures approach and technology are used by community organizations to plan and conduct evaluations on their own, the level of local support and acceptance of their programs can be increased significantly. At the same time, the use of scientific measures and well-developed data sources helps outside organizations such as funders and others accurately track and assess the programs’ progress.
NeighborWorks America’s overall vision is for America to be “a nation of vibrant communities all are proud to call home.” The organization attempts to address problems through local partnerships that include NeighborWorks organizations, community residents, and public- and private-sector partners.
Region
National
More Information
1325 G St. NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005-3100
202-220-2300 (phone)
202-376-2600 (fax)