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Building Changes 

Description

Building Changes is transforming the ways communities work together to prevent and end homelessness. 

Communities throughout Washington State have dynamic networks of service providers, government agencies, and nonprofits assisting those who become homeless. But they cannot do this work alone or in isolation.

Our communities need a collaborative approach that addresses the complexity of homelessness. They need a reliable source of funding and investments. They need providers with high-quality services, programming, and staffing. And they need public policies that support change.

Building Changes is making progress in the fight against homelessness across Washington State by helping to design a better response. We work as an “intermediary,” facilitating transformation and collaboration by aligning funding, sharing best practices and skills, and advocating for policy change.  By combining the efforts of nonprofits, government and philanthropy, we can effectively and efficiently address the complex needs of every homeless individual and family.

Mission Statement
Building Changes believes everyone deserves the opportunity for a home, a health life and a good job. We unite public and private partners to create innovative solutions through expert advice, grantmaking and advocating for lasting change.

Our vision: End homelessness together.
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Building Changes
2014 E Madison Street, Ste. 200 
Seattle 
WA
98122-2965 
(206) 805-6100 

Ms. Alice Shobe 
Executive Director 

Programs

Building Changes Programs

Building Changes is taking the lead in developing real solutions and best practices. With the right investments, we know we can prevent and end homelessness.

We Make Grants
We identify, support, and evaluate innovative programs and service models that prevent and end homelessness and strengthen communities throughout Washington State. We work to develop more effective and systematic approaches to preventing and ending family homelessness.

We Provide Training and Technical Assistance
We provide consulting, training, and technical assistance to agencies around the country and across the state who serve vulnerable populations.

We Advocate for Change
We promote strategies for ending homelessness through policy changes, legislative outreach, and advocacy training for nonprofit boards.

Five proven strategies guide our work:
  • Prevent homelessness by keeping individuals and families housed and linked to services
  • Improve access to coordinated support services
  • Tailor programs to deliver the right level of service at the right time
  • Rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families
  • Increase economic opportunities through education, training, and employment
Watch our video, From Homelessness...to Hope, which features some of the voices, faces, and places that benefit from the work of Building Changes and our partners. 

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

Our Washington Families Fund programs have been successful in stabilizing families in crisis and transitioning them to healthy, self-sufficient lives: employment rose by 50 percent among heads of households; income rose by 32 percent; and children's school stability improved by 80 percent.

People experiencing homelessness need to earn a living wage. Our recent 18-month capacity building program has helped nonprofits in many of the state's most economically distressed counties improve their employment services programs and partnerships. Through the program, 25 agencies across 19 counties have received 100 hours of training, 250 hours of technical assistance, and $600,000 in financial assistance grants.

On any given night, nearly 23,000 people are homeless in Washington. Of these, more than 10,000 are families with children. Homelessness among families deprives children of the stability they need to succeed in school, build relationships, and maintain physical and mental health. Today’s homeless children are at risk of becoming tomorrow’s homeless parents and single adults.

With support from the community, Building Changes will:
  • Ensure that families get the help they need to stay in housing 
  • Create better employment opportunities for homeless families and individuals 
  • Work for policy and funding changes at the local, state, and national level 
  • Raise awareness and understanding about the solutions to homelessness

Evaluation


Building Changes (BC) works to end homelessness by improving the ability of nonprofits to transition homeless clients from crisis to stability. They make grants, provide technical assistance and advocate for change.

Best Practices
Building Changes administers two grantmaking programs:

  • Washington Families Fund awards long-term grants to housing programs that deploy the best models for ending homelessness in Washington State. BC has seen positive results for over 1,000 families in obtaining permanent housing, increase in employment, and stability for children in school in the past five years.
  • BC is managing the Economic Opportunities Initiative, an 18-month (April 2010 to September 2011) capacity-building program for nonprofits seeking to improve their ability to address broad economic recovery issues present in their communities. They received a $1 million federal grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. BC has provided training, technical assistance, and financial assistance to help nonprofits improve their employment services programs and partnerships.
BC advocates for legislation that will maintain or increase public funding directed toward preventing and ending homelessness.

BC is partnering with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to conduct a study of new approaches to helping high needs families. They expect to enroll over 200 families and this will be the largest study of its kind nationally.

Financial Health
Building Changes strategic business plan includes measureable strategies for long-term sustainability. This plan allocates resources to reserves each year, reduces administrative costs, increases individual donors, and generates earned income through their consulting service.

23 philanthropic partners continue to fund the Washington Families Fund and prioritize ending homeless in our communities. In the recent legislative session both the House and Senate approved $2 million in funding to continue their work re-granting long-term funding to homeless services non-profits statewide.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2012 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2011 $20,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2008 $35,000.00support general operating expenses.
12/15/2005 $35,000.00support general operating expenses and the purchase of equipment.
12/16/2004 $25,000.00provide general support to the Homeless Families Services Fund. (Now known as the Washington Families Fund as of January 2005)
12/18/2003 $35,000.00support general operating expenses.

Financials

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