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Our staff and Board members are grateful for the strong support shown to our organization. With the recent wildfires and the current pandemic, NeighborWorks Umpqua’s services are needed more than ever. Our funding partners recognize that leadership transitions happen to long-standing and healthy organizations and that our ability to regroup and move forward to serve the citizens of Southern Oregon is our primary focus. NeighborWorks Umpqua is one of more than 240 nonprofit organizations affiliated with NeighborWorks America (NWA); participation in the NeighborWorks’ network requires an annual audit, transparency in financial and program reporting, and use of best practice processes and policies. NeighborWorks Umpqua holds an exemplary rating within the network and has received multiple awards for our work through the network including the recent Dorothy Richardson award to our Board member Tasha Oliverson. Staff recently met with the Western Region Relationship Manager, Chad Klawetter to discuss continuing relationships and potential funding to help defray the expenses of the current leadership transition. 

Another nationwide funder who has reached out to NeighborWorks Umpqua staff is Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC). Recently, they have been partnering with NeighborWorks Umpqua to launch the Financial Opportunity Center. Shared Michelle Martin, who leads the Financial Opportunity Center, “LISC’s support in the last month has been phenomenal. Not only have they continued to be great program partners in helping us develop our financial education programs, but they have also asked what they can do to offer additional financial support for our operations”.

Statewide funders and important program partners for NeighborWorks Umpqua including The Ford Family Foundation, Meyer Memorial Trust, and Umpqua Bank have also met with leadership to discuss what accommodations our grant project needs to be successful. The Ford Family Foundation’s post-secondary success division has partnered with us to help build savings skills of youth and low-income adults through Individual Development Accounts. We are currently working with staff at the Foundation to develop new savings programs for childcare providers who would like to start a childcare business. More childcare and childcare that is available for working families in our area is a need that has become very evident during the pandemic. We are currently working with fifteen childcare providers in Douglas County to help them save money to start or expand their childcare business or make improvements to existing businesses.   

In early 2021, NeighborWorks Umpqua was awarded a multi-year grant from Meyer Memorial Trust to work with other partner agencies to help justice-involved families find permanent housing. Staff met with Elisa Harrigan, the Program Officer who is responsible for managing the pilot program through the Trust, to see what adaptations might need to happen to the project to help NeighborWorks Umpqua and partners succeed with that effort. 

These are only a few of the many support initiatives provided to us from our partners. We are grateful to be a part of the growth in our local communities and to be part of the NeighborWorks America network community. Shared Betty Tamm, our interim CEO, “We have longstanding trusting relationships with our funders. They realize how important the services we offer are for residents in our region.”