Community Development Technologies Center

CIVIC LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Builds the capacity of grassroots leaders and community based organizations to effectively engage their communities and lead them to act collectively on critical issues; invest in youth/families social justice leadership development and civic agency; conduct large-scale outreach, education, and engagement projects that allow residents and organizations to positively affect community and economic development. Provide training/coachin in leadership development, coalition building, community organizing, surveying and data collection/analysis/reporting; apply leadership through community service projects; engage leaders in dissminating critical information to residents through canvassing, tabling, phone banking,systems navigation and technical assistance Through our programs, trainings and engagement efforts we assist in developing collective solutions to change the quality oflife for South Central LA and the LA County regions's most marginalized communities.

ECONOMIC AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: Manage and continue to develop a higher education and career development pipeline to careers in the nonprofit community change sector including a state-approved Certificate and AA degree in Community Planning and Economic Development in the LA community college district and internships/apprenticeships in the nonprofit sector through the California Youth Leadership Corps and Public Allies LA Americorp program. Work in partnership with local economic development organizations to invest in the capacity of enterpreneurship, small business and small business corridors to increase employment opportunities and household income for local residents, and develop the capacity for community wealth building strategies to be developed and implemented across the region. Impact the quality of careers, training to leverage public and private investments into procurement opportunities that will help stabilize and generate revenue leading to stable and higher wages for area residents. Create models of small business development opportunities targeting mom and pop businesses in redevelopment projects through community benefit agreements or policy generating opportunities attempting to challenge gentrifications and displacement of small to midsize businesses that are a key resource in the area.

STRENGHTENING NONPROFIT INFRASTRUCTURE/COALITION BUILDING: Serve on the steering/executive committees of local, regional, and statewide bodies focused on improving economic, environmental,political, and social conditions in areas of concentrated poverty. Strengthen and develop the capacity of South LA based nonprofits to be sustainable and active in developing programs, advocationg for resources and collaborating on funding opportunities that can improve the quality of life for South Central residents and strengthen the effectiveness of non profit community based organizations and public institutions to develop a culture of collaboration. This strategy allows community-based organization to be sustainable, strengthen their own organizations and work achieve long-term goals. Develop the infrasture that allows South LA community-based stakeholders to be at the policy and decision making table, to assist in framing issues, developing solutions that generate resoures, programs and opportunities.