Providing a Springboard for Local Non-Profits to Operate Well
Today’s spotlight showcases how Community Development Professionals makes an impact on the Hamilton community. We caught up with Mindy Muller, President and CEO of CDP, to learn more.
What does CDP do to support organizations in our community?
CDP is a social enterprise that helps community organizations and projects get organized and get funded. We have four priority areas that we work in: (1) nonprofit organizational development (2) affordable housing; (3) social enterprise; and (4) plan development. These priorities are accomplished through three types of community partners: nonprofits, social enterprises, and local government.
Through a membership-based program, nonprofits are able to access professional coaching, online learning, and services such as strategic planning, leadership development, and resource development. These services help build their capacity to be sustainable, i.e., make an impact in the community for a long time.
CDP works with social enterprises to help them define vision, mission, and core values and develop a strategic business plan to make an impact on the community they serve.
CDP partners with local government to help align the city or county’s strategic goals for the community with community-based problem-solving. CDP’s work in affordable housing brings all three types of community organizations together to build creative affordable housing solutions.
How and why was CDP founded?
CDP was started in 2003 to serve as a conduit for the accomplishment of creative community development projects and services. Through our collective work in local government and the nonprofit sector, we recognized that many times ‘community development’ is accomplished in silos. We desired to create a new model that bridges the gap between efforts and initiatives of community organizations so that government, business, educational institutions, and nonprofits can work collectively to tackle community challenges.
Our work does not duplicate but complements the work of community nonprofits and local government. Our vision is to see healthy communities where everyone can thrive.
What are some new initiatives/directions that CDP is moving toward in the coming months/years?
In 2019, CDP was able to expand our nonprofit membership network nationally. This enables us to work with any nonprofit anywhere to help them build their organizational capacity.
CDP is also tackling two affordable housing projects in 2020—a cottage community in Oxford and an efficiency apartments project in Hamilton. We are looking at more creative solutions in 2021 including exploration of 3-D printing for affordable housing, rehabbing of modular homes, and continuing to develop communities using the tiny home concept.
What is CDP’s vision for the future of its members and the organizations it helps?
CDP wants to develop strong community organizations and create new options for affordable housing. The majority of nonprofits in the local community and across the nation are grassroots nonprofits under $1 million in revenue. These organizations comprise the largest percentage of the nonprofit sector and make a huge impact in the communities in which they work, but often they get stuck when it comes to building the business side.
We want to arm them with the information, tools, and support they need to stay around doing their work for the next 20 years. CDP wants to continue to be creative when it comes to affordable housing. There are strong providers in this space who deliver on tried and true solutions, but as needs in communities change, we want to continue to look at additional ways to provide affordable places for people to live.