SOAR – LEADERSHIP Leadership
What They Said
OUR PARTNERSHIPS “We excel at relationships - partnership, being authentic, being organic. Someone asked what FCS from being colonial - we value relationships. We listen to the community well. Have folks live in the neighborhood. Makes a huge difference.” OUR INNOVATION “Most proud of - How we innovate - entrepreneurial mindset. Habitat - ReStore - FCS pioneered that in the 80s and 90s. We did that and modeled. Piloted and proven out. We have schools like the Atlanta Youth Academy (Spun). Started Wesley International Academy (Spinoff). A number of things that were conceived and incubated at FCS. Majority homeownership. 1/3 of neighborhood, low-income, below 80% AMI Carver Market / Community Grounds - keeping it healthy, serves neighbors in a unique way. Didn’t lose staff during covid. Owner/operator” OUR IMPACT “Transitioned the organization beyond founder – got beyond founder syndrome in a holistic healthy way, board members, staff members, scaling work and organization. Neighborhood, our mission has worked out – percent of rental to homeownership.” “Really good at understanding our neighborhood and having meaningful relationships with residents. Have gotten there with longevity and intention. “New ideas are coming from the community. Real unified vision for the community. And there is an appetite for affordable housing. NIMBYism doesn’t exist or it gets called out. It’s a community ripe for innovation, equity, economic development. We don’t have the same political hurdles - freedom, support and collaboration.”
• Our Partnerships (authentic, organic & mutually beneficial) • Our Innovation (Entrepreneurial mindset) • Our staff/organization longevity (Longevity - 40+ years, 20+ years in on place and founders 35, Katie 20+ years) • Our sustained impact over time • Our Proximity (majority of staff in neighborhood) • Our commitment to valuing neighborhood’s voice • Our staff’s diversity (35% non-white board) • Homeownership rates
STAFF “Longevity - 40+ years, 20+ years in on place and founders 35, Katie 20+ years. Sustained impact over time.”
PARTNERSHIPS “We struggled with it until we got a grant. Looking to have someone make that investment. There’s a lot of opportunity there. There are a few key foundations out there that care about community development and housing, and I’d like to see them as a partner. Would like to see them as a partner to meet their goals.” (The Home Foundation) “Create a group of businesses so they break even. Its’ a supply chain gap, being competitive is extremely difficult. Gap in Thomasville Heights - FCS as a community quarterback.”
• Scale/Growth (increase partnerships, increase donors, organizational focus) • Home financing opportunities • Vision of impact • Economic Development • Housing affordability • Purpose Built schools and community
“Our mission to provide holistic development.”
• Staff/Talent (Intention recruiting, honor tenure, increase salaries) • Philanthropy (to better prepare for shifts)
SCALE/GROWTH “We got into South Atlanta for 20 years. We have a good strategy that works with lead time. Continuing to provide affordable housing.”
“Fickled philanthropy - We’re in a good space now but we never know how things might shift. (for example - west side blank). We’re holistic so we should be able to shift.”
“We need to now determine what does impact now look.”
HOME FINANCING OPPORTUNITIES “City’s desire for affordable housing - new financing opportunities. City is changing some of its zoning. Beltline - if done well. We’re on their radar as a good example of an equitable neighborhood. Growth happening all around the city that’s impacting all neighborhood. We’re excluding from the HOT GROWTH areas that are driving gentrification, etc. Purpose Built Schools and Community.”
STAFF/TALENT “We can do diversity, equity and inclusion but may be opportunistic - we have room to improve in terms of the board - being intentional - recruiting, etc. Managing board dynamics.”
“Talent Acquisition - Grassroots scrappy team, we’re getting more sophisticated. Our current team can’t take us to where we need to be. Stronger staff. Might mean changing compensation. Also, we want to honor tenure.”
FINDING YOUR FORTE SOAR SUMMARY & DETAILS
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