Unit VI Project Topic

Running head: NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA 1

NeighborWorks America

Oril Demas

Columbia Southern University

Professor Michael Spurlock

PUA6304 Local Government

Unit VI Essay

August 14, 2018

Commented [ET1]: Here is a link to the APA Citation Guide, which is a highly useful tool for anyone new to APA style. Refer to this guide for any generalized questions you may have as you continue to improve your APA formatting knowledge.

NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA 2

NeighborWorks America is a national nonprofit organization established by the Congress

to issue financial support, technical assistance and training for community-based revitalization.

NeighborWorks was established in 1968 as a resident-led campaign for better housing in

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania’s. The organization consists of more than two hundred and forty

community development organizations who work in the urban, suburban and rural communities

across America (Home, 2018). The organization seeks to create and preserve affordable housing,

foster the expansion of networks of the organization, train and develop the nonprofit workforce.

Additionally, the organization aims at increasing capital investment in America and educate

homeowners. The mission of the organization is to give the American people an opportunity to

live in affordable houses and also improve and strengthen the lives of the community members

(Home, 2018).

The organization operates through a five-year plan in which its operating principles and

services are based. The success of the NeighborWorks America lies in its collaboration with

various institutions both private and public. First, the organization collaborates with the

governmental and nongovernmental organizations to help in establishing a safe environment for

the community members. A secure environment is a key to the achievements of comprehensive

community-development strategy. The collaboration seeks to aid in developing local network

health, improving education and ensuring employment services are available to all Americans

irrespective of class (Li, Bai, Goodman & Zhu, 2016). In 2007, NeighborWorks collaborated

with various Foundations Communities in Austin, Texas to address on determinants of health by

establishing on-site healthy food access sites and implementing smoke-free policies in the

residential areas. Second, the organization creates partnerships and collaborations with various

financial institutions who help in providing capital. When people have access to capital, they

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manage to come up with plans to assist in generating revenue. The development of the

community lies in its ability to be self-sustainable (Li et al., 2016). In the year 2011,

NeighborWorks America collaborated with Citi Foundation on a two-year term with $5 million

aimed at expanding its financial capability programs for the low and medium income Americans.

The initiative helped in boosting the capacity of various nonprofits organizations to provide

financial education and coaching to the families. Families were educated on ways of saving, pay

down debt and managing their finances (Schnake & Norman, 2017). The program collaborated

with thirty-one organizations aimed at strengthening financial coaching programs to the

Americans.

Third, the organization collaborates with other organization like Red Cross society,

Unicef, WHO and other nongovernmental organizations to provide resource assistance and

lessons after an occurrence of natural disasters like hurricane and earthquakes (America, 2014).

Last, NeighborWorks America has collaborated with various organizations who act as training

partners in the community. WELLS FARGO is the lead partners, chase bank a National

Vanguard Partner and Bank of America a National Champion Partner (Home, 2018).

The collaborations with various institutions both private and public aid in building local

capacity. Capacity building is based on creating enabling environment by setting appropriate

policy and development goals like equality on a gender basis and human development.

Additionally, it helps in developing organizations that respond to emerging community needs

especially in medical services and financial matters (Atkinson, 2015). The collaboration with Citi

Foundation managed to educate more than sixty-five thousands Americans on skills related to

financial knowledge and skills. Additionally, NeighborWorks works with national partners to

Commented [ET2]: Never use all caps anywhere in your paper with the exception of your running head.

Commented [ET3]: Do you mean Chase Bank “is” a partner?

Commented [ET4]: Numbers in APA: In APA, numbers ten and under are spelled out, unless it’s a statistic (i.e. 3%, 2 out of 3). Numbers that are 11 and above, leave in their numerical form.

NEIGHBORWORKS AMERICA 4

provide state-of-the-art financial capability programs in local American communities. Also, the

organization together with other partners involved in the various level of capacity building

mainly on the individual level (America, 2014). Here, the organization equips the community

members with greater understanding, skills, and access to essential information that enables them

to perform better in their communities. Various collaborations engaged by the organization are

all meant to benefit the community as a whole since decisions and policies are adequately met.

NeighborWorks America corporation engages in various activities and programs that help

in achieving the mission strategy and help in sustaining itself. Networking and collaboration with

multiple organizations is the primary activity that earns the organization capital to maintain its

strategy and meet its mission. The organization gets financial assistance from other financial

institutions that support its strategy (Home, 2018). The government especially the Congress issue

a certain amount of money in every year to NeighborWorks organization to help in community

developments. NeighborWorks Training, certification and education programs on obtaining

home ownership generate adequate income for the running of the organization. According to a

survey, NeighborWorks generate more than $19.5 billion in reinvesting in American

communities.

Partnership with other communities has helped many families in America especially the

low families faced with financial constraints. Most community members have benefited mainly

when buying a home as they get guided through the process and assisted in obtaining a

mortgage. Also, the partnership has helped the community by rendering their services in time of

crisis like a natural disaster (America, 2014). The number of homeless residents has subsidized

in America with the help of Neighbors Works and other partners who connects community

Commented [ET5]: Oxford Comma: The comma before “and” in a list is necessary in academic writing. This has not always been the case; however, it is now a requirement. This particular comma is called the Oxford comma. The Oxford comma adds clarity, as, sometimes, leaving it out can make a sentence confusing. Without: “I’d like to thank my parents, Lisa and John.” This could mean that my parents are Lisa and John or that I’m thanking Lisa and John in addition to my parents. With: “I’d like to thank my parents, Lisa, and John.” This makes it clear that Lisa and John are not my parents. While that confusion does not always happen with lists, it is critical in academic writing to be clear and consistent. So, the Oxford comma should be used in all lists to avoid that issue.

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members to rental services. The issue of poverty has also been reduced as the organizations offer

job training to the residents and also link them to the employers. Above all, the community

members have benefited regarding health since the organizations advocate for the establishment

of health clinics across all communities primarily in the rural and suburban. The quality of life

has improved, and the wellbeing of the residents is improved due to the cost of saving Medicaid

(Schnake & Norman, 2017).

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References

America, N. (2014). NeighborWorks impact, national results in 2013

Atkinson, A. (2015). Gaining and Sustaining Housing Stability.

Home. (2018). Retrieved from http://www.neighborworks.org/network/

Li, W., Bai, B., Goodman, L., & Zhu, J. (2016). NeighborWorks America’s Homeownership

Education and Counseling: Who Receives It and Is It Effective?

Schnake-Mahl, A., & Norman, S. (2017). Community Development Organizations Contributing?

Commented [ET6]: Your references are incorrect. See to pages 9-12 in the APA Citation Guide for examples of basic reference types.