Best Practices for Diversifying Funding for ECBO Sustainability

This webinar is presented by Switchboard, a one-stop shop for refugee service providers in the United States. Learn more about Switchboard at www.SwitchboardTA.org. Hosted on January 25th, 2024, the training was delivered by Hilary Binder-Aviles, nonprofit consultant; Nao Kabashima, co-founder and Executive Director of the Karen Organization of San Diego (KOSD); and, Yacouba Jacob Bogre, Executive Director of the Association of Africans Living in Vermont (AALV).

All ethnic community-based organizations (ECBOs), no matter their size or scope, need funding for programs and activities, training for staff and volunteers, and basic operational expenses such as meeting space and computers. Limited funding is typically one of the biggest obstacles ECBO leaders face as they seek to grow their programs and increase their impact. ECBOs serving newcomer populations often look first to the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) or other federal agencies for support. However, many ECBOs struggle with the federal grant application process, and if they do receive a grant, it will eventually come to an end. It is therefore critical for ECBOs to have diverse sources of funding to sustain their programs for their communities over the long term. The question is, “How?” ECBO leaders in particular may not be aware of or have access to the diversity of resources that exist. This webinar will provide insight from a panel of ECBO leaders who have weathered similar challenges and successfully diversified their funding. The panelists will discuss different potential sources of funding to support your organization’s sustainability, as well as resources to help ECBO leaders find funding opportunities.

By the end of this webinar, you will be able to:
– Identify sources of funding for ECBOs beyond federal funding
– Identify common challenges when pursuing diverse funding sources and name strategies to overcome them
– Leverage key resources when pursuing new sources of funding