Demonstration Project: Habitat for Humanity International

Urban Strategies Initiative

The Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) Urban Strategies Initiative (USI) has been an intense 30-month partnership between Habitat and the Amherst H. Wilder Foundation (now Fieldstone Alliance) to build the capacity and productivity of urban affiliates across the United States. This initiative has also focused on what is needed to build Habitat's internal capacity to support and strengthen its urban affiliate programming over time.

Initially, five urban affiliates were selected for intensive assessment and strategic planning work. It was certainly intended that this work would strengthen the productivity, standing and operations of these five urban affiliates, in particular. From all early reports, it has, and in substantive ways. But the intent of this 30-month project was much more expansive than this alone. Our larger mission was to understand the particular challenges facing urban affiliates across the country, identify key factors which contribute to their success, and capture tangible best practice examples and tools for success.

The results of the intensive work with the five urban affiliates provided an excellent learning laboratory and starting point for this more extensive work. These early results were blended with outreach to and consultation with other urban affiliates, HFHI departments and external resource people. Two national urban conferences were also developed as part of the USI and provided both added context and palpable momentum for an Urban Program.

A vision and core values were developed for the Urban Program. The subsequent creation of the Seven Factors for Urban Success Framework proved to be pivotal for the USI, and we recommend it as foundational to the future of the Urban Program. Highly practical best practice cases were identified and then written as Models of Success for each of the seven factors, with a total of 20 models in all. Other excellent tools for success are being created, in addition to the Models of Success.

For more information, please contact Sandy Jacobsen at 651.556.4510 or email her at sjacobsen@FieldstoneAlliance.org.