CDP's technical assistance and capacity building work offers NYC grassroots community groups training and assistance related to their formation and operation as not-for-profit entities. This work is motivated by the philosophy that well-managed groups with effective organizational infrastructure can be more successful in their organizing, advocacy and other efforts on behalf of their communities. The goals of CDP's technical assistance work are to build these groups' capacity for effective organizational management and support their organizing and advocacy efforts in the communities they serve. The technical assistance and capacity building services that CDP offers include the following:

Fundraising and Development

• Assistance and training for grantwriting and foundation research
• Developing individual donor programs and solicitation mailings
• Developing major donor programs
• Planning special event fundraisers

Financial Management for Nonprofits

• Organizational and program budgeting
• Bookkeeping
• Cash flow management
• Finding an accountant for audit/tax preparation

Marketing and Promotion

• Designing newsletters, publications and websites
• Media relations: writing press releases, talking to the press, getting your story in print

Technology Assistance and Planning

• Assessing your organization's technology needs
• Database development and troubleshooting
• Computer networking

Organizational Development

• Board development
• Developing organizational policies and procedures (personnel manuals, program guides, human resources policies, etc)
• Strategic planning (program-specific or organization-wide)
• Human Resource Management

CDP provides technical and capacity building assistance to community-based groups working in a number of areas, including education, youth organizing and advocacy, tenants' rights and community health. Examples of our recent technical assistance and capacity building work include:

Community Action Project (CAP) Brooklyn: Conference on Immigration Fraud

CDP provided extensive assistance to CAP Brooklyn, a social justice and community-building organization in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, with the logistics of planning a city-wide conference on the issue of fraud committed against individuals seeking immigration legal services.

Project Advantage: Educational Achievement in the South Bronx

CDP helped Project Advantage, an after-school program for high school students in the South Bronx, obtain tax-exempt (501(c)(3)) status and is currently helping the organization with foundation fundraising.

Please visit our get help page for information on how to contact us for technical assistance and capacity building services.