Congratulating our ADVANS 6 Graduates!
The two year program helped five nonprofit organizations self-assess under the guidance of trained consultants, with the intention of growing their impact and helping them function more efficiently.
Gifford team members and ADVANS participants gathered at the Dinosaur BBQ last month to celebrate the end of a two year capacity building initiative. ADVANS (Advancing and Developing the Value and Assets of Nonprofits in Syracuse) is a program that helps select organizations self-evaluate and take clear steps toward improving their operations and planning for the future. Each participating organization also receives a grant to help fund their internal development.
The idea behind the Gifford Foundation’s commitment to capacity building is to provide mission driven nonprofits with more than just funding. By strengthening their ability to self-organize, define their goals, and identify problems within their organizational structure, these programs can help them expand their impact. The ADVANS program has been active since 2007 and has graduated over 34 organizations and invested over $3.9 million over four counties.
The Volunteer Lawyers Project is one of five organizations that participated in this year’s ADVANS program, pictured here with the Gifford Foundation’s Associate Director Lindsay McClung.
The ADVANS 6 graduates are:
- The Child Advocacy Center of Oswego County: A safe, child-friendly site where members of the MultiDisciplinary Team of Oswego County gather to assist child abuse victims and their families. Learn more
- The Volunteer Lawyers Project of Onondaga County: A non-profit legal aid organization that provides free legal information, assistance, and representation in civil legal matters to low-income people. Learn more
- Clear Path for Veterans: An all-inclusive community-based resource center that connects service members and their families to the resources they need. Learn more
- AccessCNY: Offering person-centered services that empower individuals of all ages and abilities to reach their full potential as part of our shared community. Learn more
- The Center for Community Alternatives: A leader in the field of community-based alternatives to incarceration. Their mission is to promote reintegrative justice and a reduced reliance on incarceration through advocacy, services and public policy development in pursuit of civil and human rights. Learn more
AccessCNY provides services to over 3,000 individuals in five primary areas: programs for individuals with developmental disabilities or acquired brain injuries (ABI), services for those with mental health issues, clinical services for those with disabilities, preschool education and Consumer Directed Homecare. All services empower individuals to reach their unique level of independence.
In addition to direct services, The Center for Community Alternatives aims to bring about a more just and humane criminal justice system. We have achieved success in persuading the State Legislature to adopt “reintegration” as a goal of sentencing; in reforming New York’s drug laws; and in realigning New York’s juvenile justice system so that more youth are placed in programs in their home communities, rather than detention or incarceration.
The mission of the Child Advocacy Center of Oswego County is to provide a safe, child-friendly environment that supports a timely, multi-disciplinary response to child sexual abuse, physical abuse and trauma, and promotes healing of victims and their families.
Recognizing the responsibility of communities to help those who serve, Clear Path for Veterans empowers active service members, Veterans, Guard, Reserves and their families through supportive programs and services in a safe, respectful environment.
