Year One Progress Report
Focused on reforming and improving the way more than $4B of annual LA County funding makes its way to area nonprofits, the pioneering work of LA County Economic Resiliency Task Force Nonprofit/Philanthropy Working Group is already starting to yield results.
Last summer, 45 foundations, all members of Southern California Grantmakers, signed a letter supporting recommendations by the LA County Economic Resiliency Task Force Nonprofit/Philanthropy Working Group outlining what LA’s nonprofit sector needs to recover from the devastation of the pandemic. Our sector was overwhelmed, delivering services to millions who lost jobs, family members, and homes, but the threats to sustainability were not new. We called out the fact that black and brown communities were hardest hit and that for community-based organizations to have more impact, it was time to recognize that, in part, County contracting practices created this preexisting condition and if we wanted to see more public dollars invested in an equitable recovery, County contracting had to be reformed.
The message in our recommendations was clear: Nonprofit organizations provide essential services to county residents as partners, not vendors. To achieve economic resiliency across our sector, and produce better outcomes, the County’s contracting, auditing, and reimbursement practices must evolve and change.
Equity in Contracting
This week, with leadership from the CEO’s Office and its Service Integration Branch, in partnership with the Economic Resiliency Task Force’s Nonprofit/Philanthropy Work Group; four Action Teams, co-led by County staff and nonprofit leaders, will focus on:
Expanding access
Expediting and increasing reimbursement
Streamline auditing
Redefining technical assistance
One year later these key milestones, based on our recommended goals, have now been set in place by the Board of Supervisors.
Nonprofit Resiliency: Equity in County Contracting
June 2020 through August 2021
Given the relentless challenges facing our communities and service delivery providers over the past 16 months, we know all the participants in this process are stressed and stretched. A heartfelt thanks to the Board of Supervisors, their deputies, and the leadership in the CEO’s office for their willingness to take this on now. Thanks too, to the hundreds of nonprofit leaders who participated in our focus groups to set priorities that will make a difference in vulnerable communities. Having the letter of support signed by dozens of diverse foundations and more than 400 nonprofit organizations signaled that we all take these issues seriously.
We are proud of our progress and know that it will take several years to address these epic challenges, but we are ready to take them on. Over the next several months, the 100 members of the four Action Teams will work through the details of changing outdated contracting and reimbursement practices, challenge time-consuming auditing policies, remove barriers to access, and unpack legal parameters to find more efficient solutions that focus on greater results over administrative processes.
The Weingart Foundation, the California Community Foundation, and the Anthony and Jeanne Pritzker Foundation have our gratitude for supporting the Economic Resiliency Task Force’s Nonprofit/Philanthropy Working Group over the past year, with organization and coordination provided by the Center for Nonprofit Management.
Yours sincerely,
Nonprofit/Philanthropy Working Group
LA County Economic Resiliency Task Force
Task Force Members
Va Lecia Adams, St. Joseph Center
David Carroll, Southern California Grantmakers
Ken Chawkins, The Children’s Partnership
Diana Colin, California Community Foundation
Vera deVera, Weingart Foundation
Efrain Escobedo, California Community Foundation
Rudy Espinoza, Inclusive Action for the City
Wilma Franco, SELA
Neel Garlapati, Pomona Fairplex
Shashi Hanuman, Public Counsel
Johng Ho Song, Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Claire Knowlton, Nonprofit Finance Fund
Sam Lewis, Anti Recidivism Coalition
Janet Marinaccio, MEND
Ellah Ronen, DoGoodery
Lucy Salcedo-Carter, CalNonprofits
Martine Singer, Children’s Institute
Joe St. John, Koreatown Youth and Community Center
Benny Torres, CD Tech
Matthew Trujillo, The Advancement Project
Winnie Wechsler, Anthony & Jeanne Pritzker Family Foundation
Jonathan Zeichner, A Place Called Home
Action Teams
Action Team #1:
Access, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building
Purpose:
Responsible for developing recommendations and strategies for better access to County contracting opportunities by CBOs and nonprofits.
Qualifications:
Experience providing technical assistance to CBOs and/or nonprofits or growing a CBO or nonprofit to obtain government funding. Experience with strategic planning.
Action Team #2:
Contracting Nuts and Bolts
Purpose:
Responsible for developing recommendations and strategies for simplifying the County’s contracting process and resolving systemic contracting process issues and contracting barriers.
Qualifications:
Experience with County contracting either with the County or as a contractor. Knowledge of County contracting requirements.
Action Team #3:
Access, Technical Assistance, and Capacity Building
Purpose:
Responsible for developing recommendations and strategies for better access to County contracting opportunities by CBOs and nonprofits.
Qualifications:
Experience providing technical assistance to CBOs and/or nonprofits or growing a CBO or nonprofit to obtain government funding. Experience with strategic planning.
Action Team #4:
Contracting Nuts and Bolts
Purpose:
Responsible for developing recommendations and strategies for simplifying the County’s contracting process and resolving systemic contracting process issues and contracting barriers.
Qualifications:
Experience with County contracting either with the County or as a contractor. Knowledge of County contracting requirements.
Supporting Organizations
Arts Alive
Assistance League
Aviva Family & Children’s Services
Bandini Foundation
Beach Cities Volleyball
Best Planet Foundation
Bethesda Presbyterian Church
CAPC, Inc.
Children’s Bureau of Southern California
Chrysalis Staffing
City National Bank
College for Officer Training, The Salvation Army
Community Services Unlimited Inc.
Crystal Clear Learning Center
Dancessence, Inc.
David A Feldman CPA, Inc.
Day One
Deaf Ability Resource, Inc.
DPH-Office of Violence Prevention
Enlightened Resources Services
Executive Support Network
ExED
Former VP California Community Foundation
Futuro Infantil Hispano
Glendale College Foundation Incorporated
GRAMMY Museum
Green Hasson Janks
Greenway Arts Alliance
A Noise Within
Action Now
Alkbulan Cultural Center
All Peoples Community Center
America Vive Foundation
Happy Trails for Kids
Hathaway Ranch Museum
Historical Society of Long Beach
Hitachi Automotive Systems
iFoster
Institute of Arts, Music & Science
International Eye, Los Angeles
Japanese American National Museum
Jennifer Byram Fundraising Consultant Services
LA Commons, A Project of Community Partners
LAND (Los Angeles Nomadic Division) Light Of Knowledge Child Care Center Inc.
Linc Housing
Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra/The Industry/Antaeus
Lost Angels Children’s Project
Lula Washington Dance Theatre
Marva Smith Consulting
Mi Familia Resource Center
Moon Global Foundation, Inc.
Organizational Development Consultant
Pasadena Latino Forum
Pathways Volunteer Hospice
Peace Over Violence
Pony Box Dance Theatre
Random Acts of ProgressSchool on Wheels, Inc.
Silence No More, Inc
Sisters on the Streets
SLATE
Social Change PR & Marketing
Southern California Consulting Associates
Stars Athletic Foundation
Strategies for Hope Foundation, Inc.
Streetlights
Students 4 Students
Talma Shultz Consulting
Tarzana Treatment Centers Inc.
The Actors’ Gang
The Advot Project
The Children’s Partnership
The Rose Theater Foundation for the Arts
The Victory Theatre Center
Tierra del Sol Foundation
TRR Foundation Inc
UCLA Mobile Eye Clinic
Venice Community Housing
Viver Brasil
Watts Labor Community Action Committee
Westside Family Health Center
WHH Foundation
Supporting Individuals
Jerry Oliver
Joemy Wilson
Lovell Fleming
Marcus Pritchett
Margaret Starbuck
Maria Madrigal
Matthew Zarcufsky CFRE
Prentice Deadrick
Rachel Davenport
Rosalind Goddard
Scott Pansky
Shari Davis
Stephanie Pinnock
Yvonne Mariajimenez
Ali Meisel
Ann Greer
Audrey Yoder
Brigida Salinas
Cathy McClure
Cecile Oreste
Courtney Clark
DeBorah Charles
Gemma North
Heather Tunis
J Yudell
James Amato
Jen Dawson
Jennifer Baughman
