Session 1 Community Asset Mapping & Fundraising. Presented by Kurt Houghton To

Transcription

1 Session 1 Community Asset Mapping & Fundraising Presented by Kurt Houghton khoughton@yesmontreal.ca To January 16 th 2018

2 Workshop Outline What are community assets & Why should we map them? What is an asset mapping process? Asset Mapping with Youth example. Connecting assets with fundraising. Discussion 2

3 Community Assets What are assets? Assets are physical and intangible things that we want to retain, build upon, and sustain for future generations. 3

4 Community Assets Physical Intangible 4

5 Community Assets Why not focus on community needs and problems? needs based approaches tend to divide communities into competing interest groups and solutions are more commonly sought outside of the community, leading to greater dependence on external resources. 5

6 Community Assets Community asset mapping contributes more to local capacity building and empowerment & as a process has the potential to be inclusive of all community dimensions and interests. 6ANDREW RICH VIA GETTY IMAGES

7 Community Assets Important considerations An asset s value is inherently subjective. Different people attribute different levels of value to assets within their community. 7

8 Community Assets Important considerations Ideally the whole community is represented in your asset mapping process, however this may be impractical, or even impossible. 8

9 Community Assets Important considerations As a result, it may make sense to consider your community in terms of segments. Some logical ones would be: Students (K-6 & 7-11 could be distinct segments) Parents School admin & teachers Local business leaders Cultural community groups Seniors, etc. 9

10 Community Assets Important considerations More segments represented in an asset mapping process will lead to more relevant and constructive results. Through an understanding of what assets are valued by different segments of the community, we can identify common interests and brainstorm new programs that build bridges within the community. 10

11 Community Assets Important considerations Remember, this process is meant to be: Realistic A form of discovery Inclusive 11

12 Community Asset Mapping Asset mapping is a critical process in any community development initiative Asset mapping encourages a shared understanding of the most important elements in the community 12

13 Community Asset Mapping Local initiatives that take into consideration collectively acknowledged assets will have greater impact and longer term sustainability. 13

14 Community Asset Mapping A good asset mapping process will: create an inventory of all the good things about your community create a ranking of the most valued aspects of your community define the reasoning for the high values attributed to certain assets in your community 14

15 Community Asset Mapping A good asset mapping process will: engage & empower assess the interests of heterogeneous communities facilitate the development of strategies and initiatives that build on established resources 15

16 Asset Mapping Process Potential goals include: Identify important local assets Build an understanding of the group s appreciation of these assets Plan how the group can protect, sustain and build on the collective value of the assets Create activities that will mobilize segments of the community Leverage community interest to source financial support 16

17 Asset Mapping Process The map may look like a real map, an assets chart or wheel, or simply a list of assets. 17

18 Asset Mapping Example Multiple mapping approaches have been developed and a few examples have been shared via . We ll be looking at the approach developed by The Field Museum of Chicago. 18

19 Asset Mapping Example This hour activity is focused on environmental issues in the community. With a predetermined list of questions, individually youth are given 10 minutes to list assets that are significant to them (where they shop, worship, play, etc.) and where they see environmental issues occurring. Both qualitative and quantitative questions are used to gather assets and the reasoning behind the answers. 19

20 Asset Mapping Example Next, small groups are created for youth to share and merge their lists/maps. Groups are encouraged to focus on the positive assets, not just the problem areas, in order to overcome the sometimes negative attitudes that youth can have towards their community. 20

21 Asset Mapping Example The presentation of assets is an important opportunity for discussion amongst participants to underline the values associated with assets and how commonly they are shared. 21

22 Asset Mapping Example Elements that are mentioned often and/or by multiple segments can be highlighted in order to emphasise their importance to the community. This exercise can be repeated as often as desired and with different stakeholders to create a diverse list of assets. 22

23 Assets Mapped. Now what? INTERNAL DIY - Identify yourself the most valued assets from the process and develop a project for the students. Risk of bias & lack of relevance to the participants Not as empowering for the participants More work for you! 23

24 Assets Mapped. Now what? That same day or in a follow-up session, get the participants to identify the priority assets and brainstorm a project with them. Dot democracy process from Asset Mapping: A Handbook pg 16 Avoid issues that are too broad Aim to focus the group on ONE issue. 24

25 Assets Mapped. Now what? EXTERNAL Identify players within the school ecosystem that would be supportive of specific highly valued assets & solicit their participation in a project. Communicate with external groups who also share an interest in certain valued assets and assess their ability to contribute financially or in kind to a project. 25

26 Fundraising The 5 key elements to effective fundraising: 1. Know what motivates individuals/groups to donate 2. List potential sources of funding 3. Know your project & your organisation 4. Develop your strategy 5. ASK! 26

27 Fundraising Know what motivates individuals/groups to donate People give because of the people involved Because they believe in the cause Because they want recognition/status If you don t understand why people give, then you can t design a program for them. 27

28 Fundraising List your sources of funding From local governments to local businesses, there are numerous potential sources. Make yourself a diversified list you can turn to for different projects. Different assets will attract different supporters. 28

29 Fundraising Know your project & organisation People will want to know what & who they are being asked to support. Know the anticipated benefits, the costs, the timeline, etc. so that potential donors can assess how it fits with their priorities and feel confident in your capacity to run the project successfully. 29

30 Fundraising Develop your strategy Set a realistic timeline & budget. Set donation goals that fit with the budget Pursue the most obvious donors first Consider what return can be offered to donors Ensure that donors aren t in conflict with your organisation s values or other donor s values 30

31 Fundraising ASK!! There s no room shy people in fundraising. You won t get any contributions from people you don t ask. For the sake of the children, ASK! 31

32 Resources & Sources Asset Mapping: A Handbook by Tony Fuller, Denyse Guy, Carolyn Pletsch. Mapping your community assets tool by the Ontario Healthy Communities Coalition ASSET MAPPING WITH YOUTH: A Community Environmental Inventory by the Field Museum of Chicago. Youtube Video series on Youth Community inventory by Earth Force Tips for Effective Fundraising by Community Sector Council of Newfoundland & Labrador 32

33 Next Session January 30 th 10:00am The Non-Profit Business Model Canvas Explore the fundamental building blocks common to successful non-profit programming and service delivery organisations; Learn a business tool that can be used to quickly identify the viability of a new idea by examining critical elements that make the project, program or service work. 33