Effective community development requires honest self-evaluation and concrete steps for continuous improvement. Oregon’s state housing agency, Oregon Housing & Community Services (Oregon Housing), understands this well. Oregon Housing originally contracted with NeighborWorks Organizational Assessment Services (OAS) to offer specific ways to work with local organizations to help them improve their operations and maximize housing production in Oregon communities. The experience was so positive that, three years later, Oregon Housing contracted with OAS again to maximize the effectiveness of housing and community development nonprofits receiving Oregon Housing funding. The nonprofits came from all around the state and several were in the midst of managing changes.

OAS expert reviewers visited six organizations in total, including both community development corporations (CDCs) and housing authorities. Each of the organizations had distinct geographies, constituencies, and objectives. Locations ranged from rural areas on the Idaho border to coast communities and urban and suburban areas of Portland. Through conversation with OAS and Oregon Housing, nonprofit staff came to understand that this process was an investment offering an opportunity for great benefits to the communities they serve.

To evaluate organizational effectiveness and help the nonprofits manage change, OAS reviewers examined their programs, management, finances, leadership and other pertinent data. The reviewers also spent time with staff and board members, analyzing strengths and challenges. In each case, the process culminated with a report offering an analysis of what was working well and specific recommendations on how to improve outcomes, including tools and templates based on industry best practices. Regional Advisors within Oregon Housing regional staff members provided valuable local context and participated in final presentations of findings.

In northeast Portland, Executive Director Victor Merced had joined Hacienda Community Development Corporation (Hacienda) within weeks of when the OAS review team arrived. Merced had senior level experience, including prior leadership of Oregon Housing, but welcomed the assessment as part of his transition to Hacienda. He later said, “The NeighborWorks assessment was the best thing that ever happened to Hacienda. It crystallized for me as a new executive director the path we needed to take in order to be a stellar organization that delivers quality programming and housing to our Latino community. It identified our strengths and weaknesses while at the same time outlining a clear direction for improvement .”

Executive Director Todd Johnston of the Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA) viewed the assessment in a similarly positive light. NOHA wanted to pursue a larger role in providing affordable housing in its sprawling service area, and the recommendations focused on ways to strengthen asset management oversight. Johnston said the reviewer, “was very professional and got to know our organization very well, helping to provide a relevant and meaningful assessment.”

State Housing Agencies such as Oregon Housing are great candidates to sponsor group capacity-building assessments. Foundations, intermediaries, and state associations have also sponsored assessments in support of organizations that they fund. For more information about OAS, please contact Jeff Baloutine, jsbaloutine@nw.org.

Learn more about the organizations we’ve served in Oregon >>