We were overjoyed to have a lively crowd of project directors and staff, partners, and allies join us for our very first open house February at our Oakland location. Check out our photo album of smiling faces in our sun-filled conference room. We hope to host additional events in the future to promote the sharing […]
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In 2018 we met a long-held customer service goal, and for the first time, our Annual Project Survey was conducted by an external evaluator. Thanks to Research Evaluation Consulting (REC) and your participation, we took an independent and comprehensive look at our projects’ activities and experiences. In total, 75 projects (85%) participated in the survey. […]
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I am pleased to announce the exciting launch of Community Initiative’s refreshed brand and website! I invite you to take a tour to get to know us, again. Our dynamic new project page showcases the incredible diversity of our community. The approximately 90 projects can easily be sorted by topic area to help network members […]
Read MoreThe Board of Directors of Community Initiatives is pleased to announce the selection of Ruth Williams as its new President and Chief Executive Officer. Ruth has served on the Board of Community Initiatives for nearly 8 years, and as Chairman of the Board since 2014. Ruth was most recently Chief Operating Officer at the Osher […]
Read MoreProjects may have noticed that we have started to refer to our Fiscally Sponsored Projects as both “clients” and “partners.” This is not a slip of tongue, but a deliberate step towards clarifying our role and relationship with the community we serve. We also are not abandoning the term project. There are times its use […]
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Sometimes at Community Initiatives, we have the opportunity to support our projects in unexpected ways. One such story happened last month, and it so fun and heartwarming, we just have to share it with our community. As many projects use our mailing address, we sometimes get unexpected visitors. Leonor showed up and needed a helping […]
Read MoreWhile nonprofit organizations are tax-exempt, that does not mean we are completely free from IRS oversight. The IRS requires that nonprofit organizations annually submit very detailed information on “IRS Form 990,” commonly simply called “990.” The 990 requires a great deal of meticulous organization and information extraction in order to remain compliant with the law. […]
Read MoreFor the past year and a-half, the Community Initiatives Board and staff have been engaged in an intensive strategic planning process. Many of our projects have contributed as well through surveys and interviews. We are proud to announce that the Board recently approved an exciting three-year strategic plan, which you will learn more about in the […]
Read MoreLast fall, Community Initiatives commissioned a Satisfaction Survey to determine how well we are doing with our fiscally sponsored projects. This project was led by Professor Jeff Prottas of Brandeis University, and was informed by his extensive experience with nonprofits and fiscal sponsors. It was a confidential survey to projects to ensure the objectivity of […]
Read MoreWe’ve all heard about the rise of the sharing economy or collaborative consumption in the context of for-profits. Such high profile examples like e-Bay where anyone can become a retailer or Airbnb where owners of underused assets rent out their home are becoming the norm for how we think and access services. So far, the […]
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