Tedford Housing Receives Dirigo Award for Nonprofit Excellence

The Maine Association of Nonprofits (MANP) has named Tedford Housing as one of the 2008 recipient of the Dirigo Award for Nonprofit Excellence.

The award is given to organizations that demonstrate management and outcome excellence in several areas of performance including governance, financial management, communications, strategic partnerships, and fund raising.

 

 

Tedford Housing submitted an application that displayed their ability to innovate and adapt in a difficult funding environment. The organization changed its mission in 2003, which shifted their focus from providing shelter to ending homelessness, and they have undergone a positive transformation over the six years since. They have implemented successful supportive housing and homeless prevention programs, diversified funding sources, and greatly enhanced community outreach and strategic alliances with other similarly-aligned organizations. Here are a few highlights from their application:

• Tedford has worked hard to diversify funding sources in order to secure their future viability. They devote significant time to developing their individual donor program and annual fund donations; they collect rent from their supportive housing facilities, generating significant earned income; and they completed a successful capital campaign that raised over $800,000.

• Tedford operationalizes their mission of advocacy for constituents by being a part of key coalitions and partnerships, reexamining their current relationships, and seeking new partnerships that are suggested during strategic planning sessions. They host a chapter of Homeless Voices for Justice, a consumer-led advocacy organization, and participate in the Statewide Homeless Council. They seek strategic partners for all of their programs, and have created strong relationships with the chamber of commerce, neighborhood organizations, and many other nonprofits and businesses.

• Tedford has used MANP’s Guiding Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence in Maine to greatly improve their organizational practices, policies and strategy. They are a great example of a learning organization.