Program Description
The Boston Capacity Tank (“the Tank”) was founded in 2002 through a partnership between the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston (BMA), United Way of Massachusetts Bay (UWMB), Emmanuel Gospel Center (EGC), and Boston TenPoint Coalition (BTPC), to build the capacity of faith-based organizations (FBOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Boston that serve at-risk and high-risk youth. The Tank’s services are funded by a 2005 Compassion Capital Fund grant from the US Department of Health and Human Services in the amount of $1.4 million over 17 months, from October 2005 through February 2007. Click here to view the press release.
The Tank currently provides Training Workshops, Individualized Technical Assistance, Capacity Building Grants, and a High-Risk Youth Network. All services are free of charge. The Tank’s services address the following five priorities: organizational development, leadership development, programs and services, fundraising capacity, and community engagement. These services are intended to help agencies grow stronger and more sustainable, and to provide more effective youth programs.
Services Provided:
Training Workshops. All are welcome to attend our training workshops, even those not eligible for technical assistance and grants. CORE Workshops are offered three times during the year, once in each of three series. Each series will run from February – May, June – September & October – January. Elective Workshop schedule is subject to change and may only be offered once. Click here for Series 1 Workshop Listings.
Individualized Technical Assistance. Please see eligibility requirements and intake instructions below. After an initial intake interview, agencies will participate in an assessment interview and work with a Project Manager to create a technical assistance plan to address their capacity building goals. Agencies may receive either Short TA (2 to 5 hours of individualized technical assistance) or Extensive TA (20 to 80 hours of individualized technical assistance). Technical Assistance is provided by Tank and Partner staff, and may be supplemented on a limited basis by a pool of Tank consultants. After the TA is provided, agencies will participate in a final assessment/evaluation.
Capacity Building Grants. The Tank plans to award approximately 19 capacity building grants in 2006 to individual FBOs/CBOs and to clusters of agencies working together on a common goal. Guidelines are expected to be released on or about January 25, 2006. To apply for a grant, agencies must be enrolled in the Tank’s Individualized Technical Assistance. For more information and eligibility requirements, please refer to GRANTS / Apply for a Grant.
High Risk Youth Network. The Network is a public planning process intended to strengthen the connections between high-risk youth providers, City and State agencies, public schools and faith-based and community organizations, to expand and enhance services for high-risk youth and reverse the trend of youth violence. The Network meets monthly at Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center, starting Friday, January 13, 2006, from 1-4 pm. All are welcome to attend the Network meetings, even those not eligible for technical assistance and grants. For more information, please see the High-Risk Youth Network website, www.bostonyouthnet.org .
To Begin Intake Process for Individualized Technical Assistance
Call one of the following staff at any Partner agency for a 20-minute intake interview: BMA, EGC, BTPC, or UWMB:
EGC: Nika Elugardo , Eva Clarke, Philip Hou 617-262-4567
BMA (starting 1/3/06): 617- 445-2737, Ellen Bass x13, Deandra Robinson x26
UWMB: Katrina Shaw 617-624-8154
BTPC: Matt Gibson or Rochelle Barros 617-524-4331
OR you may download the following intake form, and either email or fax it to Deanrda Robinson 617-445-3557 (fax) (Word Format, PDF Format)
Eligibility Requirements for Individualized Technical Assistance:
- be a faith-based organization (FBO), or a community-based organization (CBO), which provides direct service to youth.
- have paid staff or plans to hire, at minimum, a 25% paid staff person;
- operate within Boston (see exceptions below);
- have a demonstrated record of at least one year of program operations;
- must complete a pre-TA assessment interview
Exceptions to geographic eligibility:
- BCCBP applicants must be a Black congregation or FBO from Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, Lynn, or Chelsea.
- UWMB Faith-And-Action (FAA) applicants must have a prior relationship with FAA, and may be from the 64 cities and towns that comprise the UWMB target area. For more information, please see www.uwmb.org.
Timeline of current Tank services (Word format, PDF format)
Contact
To learn more about the Boston Capacity Tank contact
Ellen G. Bass
Director, Boston Capacity Tank
The Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston, Inc.
2326R Washington Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
617.445.2737 x13
The Boston Capacity Tank and its partner services are funded by a $1.4 million Compassion Capital fund grant, through the Administration for Children and Families of the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services, representing 67% of total project costs. The remaining $.4 million, representing 22% of total costs, is funded by non-governmental sources.
