Capacity Building Project

About this grant

This grant will enable Federation of Congregations United to Serve (FOCUS) to build the capacity of community organizations in Alabama and Florida, as well as strengthen the overall organizing capacity in the Southeast. FOCUS – a local community organization in Orlando, Florida, and an affiliate of the Pacific Institute for Community Organizing (PICO) – has built a network of sister organizations in Florida and Alabama to help develop their individual and collective ability to train organizers and leaders. Multiyear funding will support objectives that include developing local and citywide leadership in the Southeast; expanding the number of organizations in the region; building relationships with other community groups; and participating in PICO’s New Voices project, an effort to build PICO’s national identity, and advocate for community improvement and education reform. During the past two years, the groups in Florida and Alabama have increased the number of members; recruited and sent two organizer candidates to national PICO organizer training; recruited and sent 40 leaders to PICO national leadership training; and worked on a total of 56 local issues.