2023-2025 Strategic Plan Update: Fall 2024
Key Focus Area Progress March-September 2024
1. Aligning Program Operations for Community Impact
Center human dignity in the delivery of programs focused on short and long-term collective impact.
Progress Updates
- Served more than 48,900 children and adults in 2023—a 39% increase over the number of people we served in 2022.
- Developed a capacity-building partnership with Xcel Energy that extended the reach of our staff and led to more than 600 additional clients receiving Energy Assistance benefits.
- Reduced application processing time for Energy Assistance by 36% in Federal Fiscal Year 2024 compared to Federal Fiscal Year 2023.
- Relaunched the Water Program July 1.
- Launched a new Solar Program July 1 in partnership with All Energy Solar.
- A website redesign project is well underway with plans to launch a new site with more accessibility features by the end of 2024.
2. Building Community Wealth Through Collaboration
Promoting an environment for community prosperity that maximizes resource access for all.
Progress Updates
- In partnership with Youthprise, jointly received $250K Childcare Economic Development Grant from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). CAP-HC will act as fiscal agent while Youthprise will use the funds to expand childcare capacity in North Minneapolis to address the shortage of care.
- Currently, we aren’t able to report on whether clients who are referred to third-party organizations are able to access services as a result of the referral.
3. Affecting Policy to Build Momentum for Systemic Change
Addressing the root causes of poverty as a collective effort.
Progress Updates
- During the 2024 legislative session, worked in concert with the Minnesota Community Action Partnership (MinnCAP) network to build the case for additional Minnesota Community Action Grant funding in 2025.
- Partnered with the Minneapolis Federal Reserve to administer a Worker Experience Survey to CAP-HC clients. Results were shared with the public via a Minneapolis Fed webinar in July.
- A multi-sector coalition, of which CAP-HC is a member, jointly submitted and received a grant from Youthprise to develop a community-designed Child Savings Account program to support youth populations facing the greatest wealth and opportunity disparities in Hennepin County. Community engagement and program design efforts are underway.
4. Activating Change through Robust Funding Development
Diversify funding and grow unrestricted revenue to increase sustainability and maximize program flexibility and impact.
Progress Updates
- Fund Development Task Force members have led discussions about fundraising at two board meetings so far in 2024 and will be holding 1-to-1 fundraising engagement discussions with each board member.
- While social media engagement was strong during Community Action Month (May), it yielded only 1 donation.
- Cummins CARE Initiative year-two funding supporting Financial Wellness Workshops has been secured so that families with low income can improve their financial well-being now and set goals for the future.
- Received $36,000 in unrestricted revenue in Q3 2024 between a new United Way grant and a generous individual donor.
- We have continued to cast the net wider for additional grant funding by increasing the number of annual grant proposal submissions year over year.
5. Investing in Team Members for a Thriving CAP-HC
Foster a vibrant and positive environment where staff can expand their capabilities and utilize their unique advantages as they further our mission.
Progress Updates
- Conducted a “Leading with a Stewardship Mindset” staff training, which introduced a three-part series that will be facilitated this fall.
- Successfully hired Housing and Urban Development Counselors to complete the 3-person team. Two of the counselors are certified and the most recent hire will be certified next month.
- Two staff members attended the MinnCAP Annual Training Conference in Duluth in July.
- At 21% from January through July, the staff turnover rate for 2024 is higher than we’d like it to be.
- Energy Services employees were furloughed during the summer months between program years and were recalled in late August as we prepare for the 2024-2025 program year to begin on Oct. 1. About 10 new employees will also be hired for Energy Services as we expect demand for the program to remain high.