Site Selection Factors for an Empowerment Resource Center

CED Empowerment Resource Centers Site Selection Factors

 Does the community have an expressed vision of being something better, larger, and more successful in terms of the quality of life enjoyed by all its residents?

 Does the community have a diverse population with some level of poverty or significant percentage of low and moderate income individuals who could be primary beneficiaries of the programs and resources provided through the Center?

 Does the local government have an enlightened vision of community betterment as demonstrated by where it invests its financial and staff resources?

 Does the local government demonstrate a sincere commitment to personal and community development through the allocation of HUD Community Development Block Grant funds and other Federal and State resources?

 Does the local United Way include a primary focus on capacity building with receptivity to funding new and innovative approaches to addressing root causes of problems?

 Do the community leaders appreciate the importance of fostering youth empowerment as evidenced by existing well supported youth service agencies?

 Is there a Community Foundation serving the area with a demonstrated commitment to one or more of the primary goals of the Center such as youth leadership and development, community partnerships and collaboration, capacity building, community economic development, etc?

 Is there an active Chamber of Commerce with a commitment to these same goals?

 Are there community based and or faith based development organizations such as Community Development Corporations that could benefit from having access to the Center’s resources?

 Is there an Indian or Public Housing Authority in or near the community whose residents and staff could benefit from having access to the Center’s resources for self-help, empowerment and capacity building?

 Are there available facilities that could meet the project’s needs at reasonable rates (preferably facilities that could be provided as a donation or in trade for shares from one of the participating corporate sponsors)?

 Are there one or more existing nonprofit organizations with a similar vision or mission with available space that would be suitable for co-locating the Center in their present facility?

 Are the local media resources supportive of positive community betterment activities to the extent that they participate as sponsors of major events and provide advertising space on a donation basis or in trade for tickets to training events?

 Is there a suitable facility in or near the community that will seat at least 1,000 to 2,000 people for the major development training programs the Center will produce in conjunction with other local nonprofits and corporate sponsors?