Toledo program trains neighborhood groups to pursue funding, partner with city

The Toledo City Council Housing and Community Development Committee on April 24 heard a briefing on the Toledo Neighborhood Capacity Building Institute, a Community Development Block Grant-funded program that provides training and technical assistance to grassroots neighborhood organizations.

Department of Housing and Community Development Director Rosalind Clements, who led the presentation, told council the institute aims to build neighborhood groups' capacity to organize, develop strategic plans and access funding. "We want to build up that skill in our neighborhoods," Clements said. She said the program is now in its second cohort and is funded from CDBG planning and administrative dollars.

The institute, run in partnership with Reinvest Toledo, trimmed an original 21-module curriculum to 12 modules focused on areas city staff identified as most important for nonprofit sustainability. "By investing in capacity of our residents and small nonprofits, the true heart of our disinvested communities, we unlock their potential to revitalize homes, heal our streets, and offer safe havens for our youth," said Lucinthia Jones, neighborhood navigator for the department.

Semester 1 ran Oct. 7 through Dec. 18, 2024, with nine in-person modules and three virtual modules. Modules met once a week in the evening; participants were required to complete six full hours per module and received mentoring and extra help from instructors. The program named 13 organizations to the current cohort after an application and interview process; instructors included local grant-writing and nonprofit-development consultants and City of Toledo Planning Commission Director Thomas Gibbons, who led a mock planning exercise and provided copies of the Fort Toledo plan for participants to reference.

Cohort work culminates in capstone projects: groups developed program proposals or pilot programs that fall within CDBG guidelines. The city will highlight two top capstone projects at a graduation ceremony on June 5 at 5:30 p.m. in City Council Chambers. One participating organization, BESNX Community, led by Timothy Fields, said the training helped it secure a white box grant of $24,680 and other funding. "This program has been fascinating," Fields told council, and said BESNX plans a summer 2025 STEM event tied to its capstone work.

Clements told council the city invested roughly $150,000 per year to pay consultants, facilitators and seed money for capstone projects. She said Reinvest Toledo was selected through a competitive RFP and that the department hopes to continue level CDBG support; if CDBG funding is reduced, she said staff would pursue council support or national partners. "If Reinvest Toledo can now go out and leverage another $450,000 because of this investment, that's what we were talking about," Clements said.

Council members asked about post-graduation support and scaling. President Hartman said the committee should seek ways to continue funding the program even if CDBG allocations change. Committee members suggested modules on municipal code changes, how affordable housing gets developed and funded, and food-access policy to help neighborhood groups understand how to bring ideas to council or pursue local approvals. Jones said the department plans to invite cohort members to monthly briefings with the planning commission starting in June or July so participants can learn the land-use process.

Participants and presenters emphasized outcomes beyond funding: improved board development, succession planning, grant-writing skills and civic engagement. The Old West End Association representatives said the program built confidence and operational knowledge; Justin Bayes, volunteer coordinator for activities mentioned in the presentation, said he gained practical skills without the high cost of private training.

Clements said the department and Reinvest Toledo will seek to sustain the model and explore scaling with partner organizations such as the National Community Reinvestment Coalition. No formal council action or vote was taken during the briefing.

The committee invited the public to the graduation and concluded the presentation before moving to the scheduled public comment period.