COMMUNITIES FOUNDATION of TEXAS
2014 Impact Report
greatest success also received more intensive services. Another study showed that clients who received bundled services saw larger income gains—an average of $1,752 in additional annual income—than those who did not receive these services. Also, a 2012 review of data on existing sites shows that clients who received bundled services saw their net income increase and their credit scores improve—both of which are key metrics of economic progress. There is also growing evidence from providers that the cost of using this strategy decreases over time because of increased enrollments and program efficiency, both of which increase the impact of investments. At one integrated service delivery site in Baltimore, the annual cost per client for services decreased from $2,280 in the first year to $1,031 in the third year—a 55 percent reduction in cost per client. In early 2014, CFT received applications from agencies interested in piloting the integrated service delivery framework to help low-income families increase their earnings and income, reduce their financial transaction costs, and generate new wealth for themselves and their communities. Grant funds will be available to nonprofits interested in providing a broad range of employment services, income supports, and financial and asset-building services, whether as a single agency or in tight collaboration with others. Selected agencies will be assisted via a multi-year grant to grow their agency into a family-friendly venue that provides bundled services leading to increased economic well-being, and these agencies will be provided significant program guidance, training, and technical assistance to support their adoption of the integrated service delivery model. Grantees will also form a learning cohort—not only to support each other but also to share best practices and key learnings that can be used to further expand the implementation of this model in the North Texas community.
Results, Learning, and Refinement The evaluation completed by the initial cohort of nonprofits serving the working poor shows that the initial D3 agencies serving this population have benefited from their involvement in the D3 Institute. Though the participating agencies have a basic understanding of the working poor in context of the services and programs these nonprofits deliver, the work of CFT in this funding area has helped establish a broader understanding of the needs and challenges of working poor in the North Texas community. Also, the evaluation finds that organizations that are further along on the spectrum of data driven decision-making are actively providing best practices to lessestablished organizations, thus helping the larger community that serves the working poor with information needed to shape better services and programs. The evaluation shows that the agencies most successful in their data driven decision-making exhibit four key characteristics: (1) strong leadership, (2) investment in technology supporting data-gathering and analysis; (3) datafocused personnel; and (4) organizational commitment to data that are informing and driving strategic direction. Evidence of the existence of these characteristics will inform the selection of future cohort groups. Based on these results, the evaluator recommended CFT consider implementing a pre-D3 seminar for agencies that would help enhance current data collection practices for agencies that may not yet be “ready” for the D3, based on the key characteristics of successful participants. This recommendation was accomplished in 2013–14, with six applicants receiving scholarships to attend The University of Texas at Dallas’ Certificate in Program Design and Development course, hosted by The Institute for Urban Policy.
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