The Boston Foundation Proposal and Organizational Restructuring
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," " Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción Organizational Restructuring Propasal 1995 Submitted to: The Boston Foundation Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción (IBA) 405 Shawmut Avenue Boston, MA 02118 March 15, 1995 Contact Person: Alleather Touré, Director of Development Phone: (617) 262-1342 .., f ,I: < ~ ~ V9I~ INQUILINOS BORICUAS EN ACCION ~BA ~ ~ March 15, 1995 Angel Bermudez, Program Officer The Boston Foundation One Boston Place, 24th Floor Boston, MA 02108 Dear Mr. Bermudez: Pursuant to your recent meeting with Alleather Toure, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acci6n (IBA) is pleased to submit the enclosed proposal to the Boston Foundation. Specifically, we are requesting a total of $100,000 over the next two years ($50,000 for 1995, and $50,000 for 1996). This multi-year grant will enable Inquilinos Boricuas en Acci6n (IBA) to reorganize its structure to incorporate a currently affiliated property management company, ETC Developers, Inc., into the organization. We anticipate completing this process over the next three years. IBA has been a leader in the field of community-based development for over a quarter century. Over the last several years it has become apparent that IBA's effectiveness was being hampered by an outmoded and unwieldy organizational structure. Today, IBA is poised to take a tremendous step forward as it confronts the challenge of restructuring the relationship between itself and EIC. For the Latino communities in Boston and throughout Massachusetts, the restructuring demonstrates the ongoing commitment of community leaders to act on behalf of the best interests of the community. It, reaffirms the goal of realizing the dream of Villa Victoria as a model urban neighborhood and a center for Latino community and family life. The restructuring also has important implications for the community development movement locally, regionally and nationally. Increasing numbers of CDCs are seeking to place greater emphasis on community organizing and base-building. The restructured IBA/ETC organization will reflect these emerging goals, combining an array of services that includes real estate development, property management, community organizing, social services, and cultural and arts programming. These capabilities will place the new organization in a leadership position among Massachusetts CDCs, and will enhance IBA's standing as one of the top few Latino CDCs nationally. s~nrerely, i\Jv&JIl~~ Nelson Merced ~ Chief Executive Officer PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER FOR A BETTER FUTURE IN VILLA VICTORIA • TRABAJAMOS JUNTOS POR UN FUTURO MEJOR EN VILLA VICTORIA 405 Shawmut Ave. Boston, Massachusetts 02118 U.S.A. Tel. (617) 262-1342 Fax (617) 536-5816 Inquilinos Boricuas en Acci6n Organizational Restructuring I. EXECUTIVE SOMMARY For almost three decades, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción has been a leader in the field of community-based development. Our many successes have be en a source of pride for the area's growing Latino population and a motivation for other grassroots groups. Over the years, however, IBA's effectiveness has been impeded by a cumbersome organizational and governance structure. The segmentation of IBA and ETC Developers, Inc., our property management affiliate, has compromised IBA's ability to articulate and realize a unified vision for Villa victoria. As part of the Villa victoria 2000 Initiative, a community revitalization effort, IBA is confronting the challenge of restructuring the relationship between the two organizations. An IBA/ETC Task Force, composed of board members and key staff, with input from community residents, staff, agency supporters, and corporate advisers, built a consensus for creating a consolidated organization and agreed upon a framework for the restructuring. The Task Force proposed and the community enthusiastically ratified a consolidated organization to be governed by a single, 20-member board of directors and administered by a single Chief Executive Officer. The CEO will oversee IBA's property management component along with the cultural, development, and human services components. The creation of a single, consolidated organization to coordinate and oversee needed services in the Villa victoria community will contribute to the empowerment of community residents. The transition we face over these next few years is a crucial one for both the residents of villa Victoria and the many community groups which look to IBA for leadership. By accepting the challenge of restructuring our organization, we hope to develop new capabilities that will allow us to continue to build on our record of success. II. RARRATIVE 1. Mission Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción is a community-based organization created to develop and empower the Villa victoria community in Boston's South End. IBA is dedicated to (a) fostering the human, social and economic well-being of Villa victoria residents of all backgrounds, (b) promoting and advocating for Latinos citywide, and (c) perpetuating the rich Latino cultural and artistic heritage. • ! IBA' s Proposal to The Boston Foundation« Page 2 2. Histo~ and Current Programa Established in 1968, IBA fought -- and won -- the difficult battle of preserving valuable South End property from the threat of widespread displacement by the city's Urban Renewal Program, and secured its designation as developer of the site. Hence the development of Villa Victoria, an 895-unit low and moderate income, mixed-use community which today houses more than 3,000 residents. IBA knew that in order to create a strong viable community, more than shelter was needed. Hence, a comprehensive service delivery model to meet the community's social and economic needs was developed. These services emanate from four departments: Community Development: creates and preserves valuable affordable housing. HUJDan Services: provides programs for youth, families, adults, and the elderly. Arte y CUltura: promotes pride in, and understanding of, Latin American heritage through its cultural awareness programming. Community Planning works with residents to create and and Organizing maintain a community based plan for the development of Villa victoria and neighboring areas. 3. Characteristics of Constituenqy * Predominantly Latino community. * Approximately 46% of the population is under 18 years of age. * Single mothers head 75% of the households. * 99% of residents receive public assistance (HUD subsidies). * Average gross family income is $10,975 (approximately 60% less than the average household income of the surrounding South End community) . * Dropout rate for Latino students approaches 40% citywide. 4. Staff and Board Structure IBA carries out its multi-faceted programming with the help of an experienced and capable staff of 32 (30 FT and 2 PT). Staffing is divided up into IBA's four departments: Community Development (1 FT), , • I ~ • { lBA's Propasal to The Boston Foundation. page 3 Human Services (11 FT, 1 PT), Arte y Cultura (5 FT, 1 PT), and Planning and Organizing (4 FT). Adrninistration employs a staff of six (6 FT), which includes the Chief Executive Officer, the Comptroller, the Director of Development, Associate Director of Development, Office Manager and Adrninistrative Assistant. Two secretaries and a receptionist provide adrninistrative support. The paid staff's work is supplemented by the efforts of a dedicated group of volunteers, who are most helpful with human service and cultural activities. As one of the largest minority-run community organizations in New England, IBA is deeply committed to affirmative action. More than 90% of the staff consists of people of color. Board: IBA is controlled by a 20 member Board of Directors. Twelve of the 20 seats are reserved for Villa Victoria residents elected by their neighbors and peers. The remaining eight seats are reserved for ll IIresource members , professionals and other non-residents appointed by resident board members. Fourteen out of IBA's 20 Board members (70%) are minorities. Resident board members are elected on a rotating basis (four per year) and serve three-year terms, with no limit on the number of terms a member can serve. Board officers (President, Vice President, Clerk, and Treasurer) are elected for one-year terms at the first board meeting of the calendar year. Only members of IBA -- Villa victoria residents who pay the $1 annual dues -- are allowed to vote in board elections. 5. Size and Scale of IBA Qperations The agency budget for FY 1995 is $1,710,000. This budget covers the breadth of the agency's programs. Overhead expenses are covered by approximately 15% of this budget. We are proud to accomplish all that we do, and to reach as many people as we do, with such a modest budget. 6. Boston Foundation Funding Bistoxy IBA's relationship with the Boston Foundation began as early as 1974, when the Foundation helped to support the creation of what is now Villa victoria, in the process establishing IBA as one of this country's most important community development corporations. Since that time, the Boston Foundation has supported our: renovation of the All Saints Church into the Jorge Hernandez Cultural Center in 1981, executive search in 1986, general operations 1984-88, Villa Victoria 2000 Initiative 1991-94 and our Areyto Program through the Arts in Community Initiative in 1994 and 1995. 111. STATEMERT OF DED Over the last several years, IBA has become acutely aware of some of the problems involved in our current organizational structure, • I ~!,. IBA' s Propasal to The Boston Foundation« page 4 particularly as they relate to the stewardship of the housing we have developed. The various assessments that took place as part of IBA's involvement in the Neighborhood Development Support Collaborative highlighted the contradictions between our productivity as a community based developer and social service provider and our cumbersome decision making system for managing IBA's properties. On the one hand, Villa victoria boasts an enviable record of community-based management. Over the years, IBA and ETC have disproved the maxim that nonprofit organizations are not capable of self management. Measured in years of experience and in the number of units we oversee, our managerial knowledge exceeds that of any other CDC in Massachusetts.