Comments on: Resources, Examples, and Inspiration for Meeting Community Needs

By: Carolyn Koole

Carolyn Koole — Thu, 21 May 2009 15:35:11 +0000

What if you are a nonprofit that wants to partner with an existing church to do ministry with them on their site? Does this cause any issues with city governments? We are a pregnancy care center and with funding so tight would benefit from this kind of partnership. We’d like to keep our autonomy.

By: Claudia Greer

Claudia Greer — Wed, 13 May 2009 18:58:14 +0000

Thanks, Bruce and James, for the recommendation and advice. We’ve ordered Force for Good and will include it as a resource in the Congregational Resource Guide!

By: Rev. James Pollard

Rev. James Pollard — Mon, 11 May 2009 16:36:15 +0000

In a study several years ago in Buffalo and Western New York, one of the findings was that the region had too many non-profits seeking to address community concerns, all seeking funding from the same regional donor base and regional foundations. Therefore, I sould suggest that any church envisioning a community ministry consult with their Community Foundation and with the United Way to learn about existing non-profits seeking to address their particular concern. It may be better for a congregation to develop a partnership with an existing non-profit rather than to establish “their own” agency. The sense of call and passion for a particular ministry might be just what an existing non-profit needs to strengthen its efforts and serve more effectively.

By: Bruce Larson

Bruce Larson — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:41:56 +0000

A related resource that may be of interest is:

Leslie R. Crutchfield and Heather McLeod Grant, Force for Good: The Six Practices of High-Impact Nonprofits (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008).

Although the book is based upon the practices of twelve nonprofits that are not church based, the lessons of effectiveness should largely be the same for those that are. Once the decision has been made to go the nonprofit route, effectiveness will be essential and Crutchfield and McLeod provide clear suggestions how to achieve it.

On a final note, the book lends itself well to small group discussion–I am in the process of convening my second six-week group. Give it a look!