Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo
Defining Goals for a New Century of Service
The Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo (CFGB) provides community grants, scholarships, and runs programs to serve the Greater Buffalo region. The Foundation was founded in 1919 and is one of the oldest such institutions in the country. In 2006, the board for the nearly 90 year-old organization saw that CFGB needed some new direction. The Board partnered with TCC Group to craft a new strategic plan. "TCC came in and helped the Foundation look outside itself and evaluate its role in the community in a strategic way," said Perez-Bode Dedecker, Vice President for Programs at the time.
Working with a Changing Population
While financial support for CFGB had remained strong, other variables relating to the Foundation were in flux. The organization itself was growing, and was anticipating an executive transition. Also, the face of the Buffalo-Niagara region had changed significantly since the Foundation's inception. The population had declined and there were growing racial disparities on various indicators. In addition to issues of community segregation, the Buffalo region was experiencing rising poverty and unemployment rates. The region is also home to an impressive legacy of natural, architectural, and cultural resources that could be leveraged for greater community benefit.
CFGB felt that it was in a good position to ad-dress these issues through its programs and grant initiatives. TCC began by interviewing Foundation board and staff members as well as community stakeholders. It then facilitated a retreat with CFGB board and staff to discuss results from its research and identify priorities. "TCC offered an impartial yet informed expert opinion," Dedecker said. TCC then worked with CFGB to create a strategic plan outlining how the Foundation would address these needs and opportunities for the next five years. "The result was a whole new level of engagement, both within the Foundation and between the Foundation and the community. This heightened level of interface is an intentional part of the plan," commented Dedecker.
An Increase in Partnerships & Collaborations
Now, six months into the strategic plan, Dedecker feels that TCC "provided a tremendous level of clarity as to the results we want to be part of in our community." In the strategic plan, TCC helped CFGB focus its efforts on "impact areas," including the complicated issue of equity. The Foundation has seen an increase in grant requests in response to its newly published priorities. In addition to grants, CFGB has also "seen an increase in partnerships and collaborations" addressing these issues.
CFGB is particularly happy with the increased connectivity between the organization and its stakeholders. Dedecker sees CFGB continuing to focus its grantmaking and increase its community partnerships. With the strategic plan in place, CFGB should be able to more effectively achieve its mission of "Connecting people, ideas, and resources to improve lives in Western New York."
