Bridging the Gap: Connecting Nonprofits and Designers

January 19, 2017

Learn more about our Public Design Impact Initiative!

"Sometimes community groups have this need and designers want to do meaningful work and they don't know how to connect with each other." Learn how [bc] Bridges The Gap between nonprofits and designers through our Public Design Impact Initiative.

The Public Design Impact Initiative (PDII) is a program to match nonprofit & community groups with local design professional services. This program guides selected projects through a community-engaged design process and partners communities and designers to build the knowledge and experience of both to better serve others.

The PDII 2017 Request for Proposals is OPEN! Are you a nonprofit or community group in the Rio Grande Valley in need of design? Would architecture, planning, landscape architecture, or design expertise help with a project you've had in mind but not the resources to move forward? We encourage you to submit a project proposal! Proposals are due Thursday, February 2nd, 2017.

ACD 40 Call for Sessions

January 17, 2017

The Association for Community Design has launched their Call for Sessions for their 40th Annual Conference.
Deadline for proposal submission has passed.

[bc] has been selected to host the 40th Annual Conference of the Association for Community Design in Dallas, Texas to be held June 23rd - 24th, 2017. You are invited to submit proposals to present at the conference. Proposals are due at 5pm on March 3, 2017. Selected proposals will receive free registration to the ACD Conference.

“40 years ago, the field of Community Design grew out of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s with the intention of redistributing design resources to support under-invested neighborhoods. Looking forward another 40 years, ACD would like to invite the growing field to actively participate in the equitable development of neighborhoods and intentionally push our practice towards justice in our collective everyday lives.” - Theresa Hwang, ACD President

CommUNITY: Exchange. Explore. Envision.

As ACD turns 40, it is time to reflect back on the why ACD was formed and how it is serving its members today. This year’s conference will be hosting sessions that are centered around the many models of practice that inform how community-based design centers and practitioners operate. The conference will seek to advance the practice of Community Design by connecting and sharing this collective experience.

TRACKS

Exchange: What technical skills are essential to practicing community-based design? Proposals should teach these skills to attendees of all experience levels. From budgets, fundraising, and contracts to project delivery and design tools that are essential to practice, what can you teach others looking to enter or advance their community practices further?

Explore: What are key examples of best practices in the Community Design field? Proposals should go beyond case studies, clearly explaining the lessons learned and how an example project further refined the model of practice for that individual or firm. Example projects that push the boundaries of community design and do not fit traditional models of work are encouraged.

Envision: What will the next 40 years of the Community Design field look like? Proposals should present ambitious visions of the future for community-based design practice, the role of ACD and its members in that vision, and/or methodologies to create and achieve a future vision.

SESSION FORMATS

90 minute sessions: In-depth sessions that teach a key skill to the attendees, presents a lesson learned by experience in the Community Design field, or that engages the audience in a visioning process. These sessions must include an interactive component that engages the audience in the proposed session.

30 minute sessions: Short presentations or hands-on workshops for a small group of attendees that fits one of the three tracks described above.

5 minute sessions: Very brief presentations that tell a story that fits one of the three tracks described above.

Additional opportunities include the Pre-Conference Workshop on Racial Justice in the practice of Community Design and hosting a public event, exhibit, or tour during the conference.

To submit a proposal and for more information, visit www.communitydesign.org!

Disaster Recovery Round 2

January 15, 2017

See more posts about Disaster Recovery Round 2 here!

Disaster Recovery Round 2 has nearly come to an end, over 240 homes have been built to date across 6 neighborhoods throughout the city of Houston. In August the program was extended with an additional 44 homes. [bc] has met with 33 of those homeowners to select their new homes, 21 home designs have been submitted for permit to date.

10th Street: Construction Set To Begin

January 9, 2017

Learn more about People Organizing Place (POP)!

The 10th Street house is a small-scale rehabilitation project on an existing house in the historic 10th Street District, one of the few remaining freedmen's towns left in Dallas. The rehabilitation efforts to the existing house will be minimal and true to the original structure, honoring the history of the neighborhood, and original aesthetic of the home. Construction is set to begin at the beginning of 2017. Once complete the home will be a community design hub for the neighborhood.

Macon Starks: The First Unit

January 9, 2017

Learn more about Macon Starks!

Macon Starks is a housing development which provides rental units for seniors in the ideal neighborhood. The project consists of new single family houses, duplexes, and the renovation of an existing single family home. The first unit under construction will be complete in January 2017.

South Boulevard Update

January 9, 2017

Learn more about South Boulevard!

South Boulevard, the four new town homes located in the Jeffries-Meyers neighborhood of South Dallas are currently for sale. The project has been permitted and construction will be underway early 2017.

Casitas Los Olmos Nearing Completion

January 9, 2017

Learn more about Casitas Los Olmos!

Casitas Los Olmos is an 80-unit multifamily development currently under construction in Raymondville, TX, built in partnership with Community Development Corporation of Brownsville (CDCB). The design of the project incorporates Low Impact Development (LID) strategies, including vegetated swales and permeable driveways to manage stormwater, single family units, and shaded community amenity buildings. Casitas Los Olmos is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2017.

Public Design Impact Initiative | 2017 Request for Proposals

January 5, 2017

Learn more about the Public Design Impact Initiative!

Our 2017 Request for Proposals is now open!

You can now submit your Project Proposals for [bc]'s 2017 PDII program.

Are you a nonprofit or community group in need of design? Would architecture, planning, landscape architecture, or design expertise help you with a project you've had in mind but not the resources to move forward? Read through the Request for Proposals: English | Español and submit your project idea!

In 2016/2017, as part of a collaborative effort to extend equity in design to rural, colonia areas, [bc] is seeking proposals from nonprofit organizations and community groups based in the Rio Grande Valley. More details are below.

SOMETER UNA PROPUESTA DE PROYECTO

El plazo para someter una propuesta completa es el JUEVES, 2 de FEBRERO de 2017. El formulario de la Propuesta de Proyecto puede someterse a traves de correo, email, o usando el formulario online. Puede encontrar una version editable, y impresible del Formulario de Propuestas de Proyecto

Para someter a traves del formulario online:
Use este enlace - bcworkshop.typeform.com/to/SHMOBq

Para someter a traves de email:
Envíe su Propuesta de Proyecto completada en formato PDF a elaine@bcworkshop.org. Escriba “PDII Project Proposal” en el título del email.

Para someter una propuesta de proyecto por correo:
Envíe una copia impresa de su Propuesta de Proyecto a la siguiente direccion. Se le notificará cuando su propuesta sea recibida utilizando la dirección email que provea en la primera parte de su propuesta. Las propuestas deben ser RECIBIDAS EN O ANTES DEL JUEVES, 2 de FEBRERO de 2017.

Attn: Public Design Impact Initiative
bcWORKSHOP
609 E. 11th St.
Brownsville, TX 78520

ELEGIBILIDAD

Todos los groups comunitarios o sin fines de lucro en RGV (incluyendo orgnizaciones sin fines de lucro, asociaciones de vecindario, grupos PTA de escuelas, etc) son invitados a someter una Propuesta de Proyecto. Los solicitantes deben estar organizados en grupos de 3 o más indiviuos y deben estar localizados en el RGV. Los Proyectos Propuestos deben estar localizados en el RGV y atender problemas o asuntos relacionads a Colonias.

Propuestas de todos grupos y organizaciones comunitarias son bienvenidas, así sean grandes sin fines de lucro o pequeñas y menos formales, independiente de su tamaño o la escala de su trabajo.

Se le dará preferencia a:

Grupos comunitarios y sin fines de lucro que usualmente no pueden accesar recursos o servicios de diseño.
Propuestas de proyecto que atiendan directamente problemas que enfrentan las comunidades rurales y colonias.

Preguntas y comentarios relacionados al programa de Public Design Impact Initiative deben ser dirigidas a Elaine Morales, al elaine@bcworkshop.org o 347.607.2593

SUBMITTING A PROJECT PROPOSAL

The deadline to submit a completed Project Proposal is THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, 2017. The Project Proposal Form may be submitted through mail, email, or using the online form. Click here to download an editable, printer friendly version of the Project Proposal Form

To submit via online form:
Use this link - bcworkshop.typeform.com/to/o41qZl

To submit via email:
Send your completed Project Proposal Form as a PDF file to elaine@bcworkshop.org. Include “PDII Project Proposal” in the subject line.

To submit a project proposal via mail:
Send a hardcopy of your Project Proposal form to the address below. You will be notified when your submission has been received using the email address provided in your Project Proposal. Mailed copies must be RECEIVED BY THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2ND, 2017.

Attn: Public Design Impact Initiative
bcWORKSHOP
609 E. 11th St.
Brownsville, TX 78520

ELIGIBILITY

All RGV-based community and nonprofit groups (including nonprofit organizations, neighborhood associations, school PTA groups, etc.) are invited to submit Project Proposals. Applicants must be made up of a group of three or more individuals and should be both located within the RGV area. Proposed projects must also be located in the RGV and address issues related to colonias.

Proposals are welcome from all not-for-profit groups, from large and established nonprofit organizations to small/less formal community groups, regardless of the scale or scope of work.

Preference will be given to:

Community and nonprofit groups that cannot typically access design resources or services.
Project proposals that directly address issues facing colonias and rural communities.

Questions & comments related to the Public Design Impact Initiative should be directed to Elaine Morales, at elaine@bcworkshop.org or 347.607.2593.

Brownsville City Design Studio 2016: ShopFronts and Openshops

January 2, 2017

During 2016 the programming for the Brownsville City Design Studio focused on two efforts, the OpenShop and the Shopfront.

The OpenShop invites local designers to provide their services through a series of design sessions in order to increase design & planning access to the general community. During 2016 we hosted two OpenShops, one for Park(ing) Day and one for the facade improvements program of Main Street Brownsville. These OpenShops not only matched participating designers and business owners but guided participants on how to move forward after the activity. With the Park(ing) Day OpenShop by providing schedule of activities and guidelines and with the Facade and Signage OpenShop by sharing information about the facade improvements program and funding opportunities for building owners in Downtown.

The Shopfront is a series of public events focusing on important issues and topics facing the community and city. These series ought to assess and inform the state of the city through the lens of the different topics in order to understand where are we are and where can we go. We hosted our first ShopFront about Open Space and Recreation Spaces focused on one of the most underserved areas in Brownsville, the Southmost neighborhood. For the ShopFront we analyzed the state of the Open and Recreation Spaces in Southmost and during the Shopfront we gathered community input about the improvements of a neighborhood park, stormwater practices in parks, and how to rehabilitate an empty/abandoned space in favor of the community.

LUCHA Library to be launched in 2017!

January 2, 2017

In 2016, the LUCHA [Land Use Colonia Housing Action] initiative made some big strides in developing a collection of community education materials for the Rio Grande Valley. Building off prior work, [bc], ARISE, LUPE, CDCB, and TxLIHIS have been working together with colonia residents to write and design a series of educational tools. The LUCHA Library, which will launch in 2017, offers resources focusing on Governance, Drainage, Housing, Public Services, and Planning and Development.

What makes these new resources unique is the process by which they were made. [bc] has leveraged the expertise of LUPE, ARISE, colonia residents, local and regional experts, and our other partners in developing these 15 educational tools. Believing that residents hold critical local knowledge, [bc] has put our organizing partners and community members at the core of this content development process. From the beginning, organizers and colonia residents informed the priorities and direction of each topic area. As we continued in development they reviewed and provided feedback on all draft outlines and materials. This iterative process served to support [bc]’s content development process, while also preparing organizers to go out and share the materials with colonia residents.

2016 also brought the addition of a graphic designer to LUCHA - a first for many of the organizers and colonia residents. The transformation of the LUCHA content into a graphic learning tool is another way the LUCHA Library is seeking to make technical information accessible and applicable to low-income and colonia residents. To achieve this goal together, [bc], organizers, and the graphic designer developed the style and graphic language for future LUCHA materials. So far, draft materials for Drainage and Governance have been developed, tested by colonia residents, and will be released in early 2017. Materials for the remaining topics, Housing, Public Services, and Planning and Development will be released throughout 2017.

The Cottages at Hickory Crossing are nearing completion!

December 23, 2016

Learn more about The Cottages!

The Cottages at Hickory Crossing, a permanent supportive housing project in South Dallas, is weeks away from completion. Once fully inhabited the complex will house and support 50 residents that have been identified as chronically homeless. Residents have begun to move into their 335 square foot homes and use The Cottages on-site services, including comprehensive case management, psychiatric care, mental health treatment and support, substance abuse treatment, life-skills training, and employment counseling.

Congo Street Initiative - Phase 2

December 23, 2016

Learn more about our work in Dallas!

Congo Street: Phase 2 is a partnership between Jubilee Park Community Center Corporation (JPCCC) and [bc] to design homes on Congo Street. The work on Congo St. seeks to combat vacancy through the design and completion of six owner-occupied homes on currently vacant properties. The project combines an overall site strategy developed through a community-informed process with current residents and individual home designs driven by the choices of the new homeowners. The completed homes will address issues of environmental sustainability, with a target goal of LEED Silver certification for all six lots.

Currently, the new homes are being constructed. The first house of the second phase has already been completed, two more are under construction and expecting completion in 2017, and the last three are currently being designed with their prospective owners.

PDII 2016 Project Selection

December 23, 2016

Learn more about the Public Design Impact Initiative!

In May 2016, as part of a collaborative effort to extend equity in design to rural, colonia areas, a Request For Proposals was released to invite Rio Grande Valley nonprofit organizations and groups to submit project proposals to be matched with pro bono design services. From this RFP, we received many excellent proposals, and in July, a jury of nonprofit, community and design leaders convened to review the proposals, recommending the following project to be selected for 2016:

The Hope Family Health Center

The Hope Family Health Center (HFHC) is a primary medical and behavioral health clinic with a mission to exclusively serve the uninsured in the Rio Grande Valley (RGV).

HFHC proposed a planning and infrastructure design project for a newly acquired 1,460 sq ft rectangle space attached to the current HFHC clinic facility in South McAllen. Due to the continued high rate of medically uninsured adults and children in the RGV and in order to meet its mission of serving the uninsured population, in the last two years, HFHC has sought and secured major grant funded projects to deliver increased quality and quantity of services. The services include medical appointments, mental health counseling, nutritional counseling, community health education classes, support groups, vision screenings, and information & referral services. All of these services have outgrown the physical space of the clinic. The additional 1,000 sq ft of space will greatly increase the number of services available on-site and on the same day knowing that patients have many challenges in arranging transportation to the clinic.

HFHC was in need of the extra space in order to house its growing programs and activities. However, the new open space requires infrastructure that could include walls to define rooms, moveable walls to keep space multi-use, interior design to maximize floor space, and use of green and sustainable materials. The board of directors and medical volunteers have many ideas and thoughts on how best to use the space; however, through PDII, HFHC seeks professional and innovate planning and design assistance to discover, design, plan and implement the optimal use of the space for use by patients, staff, volunteers, and partner organizations.

Optimal use of the new space would immediately increase the number of laughter yoga classes, nutrition classes, grief support groups, stress management groups, exercise classes, staff planning meetings, medical volunteer meetings, professional development workshops, community group meetings, partner organization workshops, and many other opportunities for individuals to gather in groups. Currently the only space available for these types of activities is the public lobby or a small meeting room that cannot hold more than 10 people comfortably. In addition to the group space, the additional space for desks or offices would give patients more opportunities to meet privately with a nutritional counselor, information and referral specialist or social worker on the same day as their medical appointment instead of having to come back on another day. HFHC expects that the new space will achieve increased quality and quantity of all the current and possibly new services for its patients.

Healing Hands Ministries

December 22, 2016

We are publishing a collection of reports and documents prepared by bcANALYTICS to help nonprofit and community-based organizations serve their clients and communities through data-driven research and analysis. Check out more bcANALYTICS reports here.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Four of the primary challenges that negatively impact the health of Americans are:
(1) The high cost of healthcare
(2) The high rate of uninsured
(3) The high rate of poverty
(4) Poor transportation access to care

By providing affordable healthcare to thousands of uninsured patients earning at or below 200% of the poverty level, Healing Hands Ministries effectively and compassionately remediates three of these challenges for people in the Lake Highlands and greater Dallas area.

Currently, however, Healing Hands Ministries is underserved by public transportation, and patients seeking to use their facilities must walk more than one-half mile from the nearest bus stops along inhospitable and fast-moving arterial roads. To more effectively serve a greater population in need, Healing Hands Ministries must be better connected to the Dallas Area Rapid Transit system.

This report will argue for enhanced transportation access for Healing Hands Ministries by drawing attention to the heightened significance of their service provision due to the severe need for quality, affordable healthcare in Dallas; demonstrating the breadth of scope and quality of care Healing Hands provides patients; revealing the inadequacy of transportation connectivity surrounding the intersection of Greenville Avenue and Royal Lane; and recommending several paths forward for pursuing improved integration into the Dallas Area Rapid Transit transportation system.

Below is an excerpt from the Healing Hands report. Read the full report here!

THIS WORK IS SUPPORTED BY
As the largest community foundation in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) works with families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen our community through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking initiatives. The foundation professionally manages more than 900 charitable funds and has awarded more than $1.3 billion in grants since its founding in 1953. Increasing financial stability of working families is one of the two key focus areas of CFT’s community impact funds. To support this area, CFT has launched the Data Driven Decision-Making (D3) Institute. The D3 Institute is designed to provide organizations that offer programs and services for low-income working families the power to accelerate their development of enduring solutions to the social and economic problems facing this population. www.cftexas.org/D3

Little Free Libraries Code Amendment Update

December 22, 2016

See more posts on Little Free Libraries!

On October 26, 2016 the Development Code Amendment regarding Little Free Libraries in the City of Dallas was heard by the Dallas City Council:

Item 60. A public hearing to receive comments regarding amendments to Chapter 51 and Chapter 51A of the Dallas Development Code, Section 51-4.217 and Section 51A-4.217, “Accessory Uses,” providing regulations for book exchange structures as accessory outside storage and an ordinance granting the amendments.

The adopted motion was to “treat landscaping, ornamental structures (front yard accessories) and lawn furniture by right,” meaning no new code restrictions would be placed on “book exchange structures” or Little Free Libraries.

Voting Yes: [14] Rawlings, Alonzo, Wilson, Griggs, Medrano, Thomas, Callahan, Young, Clayton, McGough, Kleinman, Greyson, Gates, Kingston
Voting No: [1] Arnold

While the City of Dallas will not restrict the size or location of Little Free Libraries on private property, if you are considering placing a LFL on your private property, we recommend contacting you HOA (if applicable) for any restrictions that may affect your library structure.

Our thanks goes to everyone who contacted their councilperson and expressed their opinion of the Development Code Amendment!

See lfldallas.org and the links below for more resources for Little Free Libraries!

Our summary of the impacts of the new Development Code Amendment https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5248ebd5e4b0240948a6ceff/t/580a7222579fb335f9dc6d91/1477079601148/LFL_codes_package.pdf
Our previous post on the Development Code Amendment http://www.bcworkshop.org/posts/dallas-development-code-amendment-affecting-little-free-libraries?rq=little%20free%20libraries
City Council Agenda 10/26/2016 (Page 15) - http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/pdf/CC2016/102616AG.pdf
City Council Meeting Minutes 10/26/2016 (Page 67) - http://citysecretary2.dallascityhall.com/pdf/CC2016/102616min.pdf

DC Cultural Plan

December 21, 2016

See more posts about our work in DC!

[bc] is leading the community engagement strategy for the District of Columbia's first Cultural Plan. In collaboration with the DC Office of Planning (DCOP), DC Commission on Arts and Humanities (DCCAH), the Office of Cable Television, Film, Music and Entertainment (OCTFME) and HR&A Advisors, [bc] hosted four "Community Conversations" across the District to better understand the concerns of residents and challenges they face in reference to the arts, culture and humanities. These conversations worked to evoke and develop potential strategies and solutions from participants. Over the coming months, HR&A Advisors and [bc] will be undergoing continued engagement and developing draft strategies for the plan.

bcANALYTICS Catalog Launch

December 21, 2016

See more posts about bcANALYTICS here!

Do you want to learn more about bcANALYTICS? Visit the bcANALYTICS Catalog to see a few of the reports completed by the bcANALYTICS team. Reports from the past few years will be added to the catalog in the coming months, and new reports will be added when ready.

Association for Community Design's 40th Annual Meeting

December 20, 2016

[bc] is proud to be hosting the Association for Community Design’s 40th annual conference, CommUNITY: Engage. Exchange. Envision on June 23-24, 2017, in Dallas, Texas. At this conference we will ignite conversations centered around the different models of practice that are used in the field of community-engaged design to operate successfully. We envision a conference that will connect people working in and around public interest practices from all across the country, such as community members, academics, practitioners, nonprofits, CDC’s, local government, and students.

This conference will ENGAGE: to build new connections, allowing us to share best practices and provide trainings, and workshops, EXCHANGE: ideas and methods that will improve professional, academic, and personal practice – to ENVISION: equitable neighborhoods, ethical practice, new business models and funding mechanisms to strengthen the field to thrive for another 40 years.

YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas

December 20, 2016

INTRODUCTION

The YWCA of Metropolitan Dallas (YW) is moving from operating as a virtual organization with dispersed services to opening the YW Women’s Center Ebby’s Place located at 2603 Inwood Road in Dallas, increasing its public presence and ability to offer wrap-around services. As YW prepares for this shift, the organization is considering how to sustain its current clients, how existing and new clients access the Center, and opportunities for outreach and programming to neighborhoods and organizations nearby.

This study provides contextual data on low-income women and families and the difficulty of making ends meet, local data on YW’s target clientele, visualization of YW’s current service delivery, and information on the neighborhoods, resources, and transit access near the new YW Women’s Center. The goal of this report is to aid YW in informed decision-making on their outreach and service delivery as they work to guide women toward self sufficiency.

Below is an excerpt from the YWCA report. Read the full report here!

THIS WORK IS SUPPORTED BY
As the largest community foundation in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) works with families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen our community through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking initiatives. The foundation professionally manages more than 900 charitable funds and has awarded more than $1.3 billion in grants since its founding in 1953. Increasing financial stability of working families is one of the two key focus areas of CFT’s community impact funds. To support this area, CFT has launched the Data Driven Decision-Making (D3) Institute. The D3 Institute is designed to provide organizations that offer programs and services for low-income working families the power to accelerate their development of enduring solutions to the social and economic problems facing this population. www.cftexas.org/D3

Literacy Instruction for Texas

December 9, 2016

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Through research and analysis, [bc] has mapped and profiled Literacy Instruction for Texas’ (LIFT) current service delivery and identified key demographic factors commonly associated with low literacy populations. This report offers recommendations to guide LIFT’s potential expansion in Dallas County.

Currently, LIFT, has 14 outreach locations around the Dallas/Fort Worth area that serve approximately 3,313 individuals, ages 18 to 90, through its various programs. LIFT has served the region for over 50 years.

While much research has been done on childhood literacy, low literacy among adults is largely unstudied. Indicators commonly associated with low literacy rates among adults include poverty, English proficiency, race, ethnicity, immigration, and unemployment. In this study, estimate data from the American Community Survey were used to identify geographies with a prevalence of adult literacy indicators and risk factors. In Dallas County, these include neighborhoods in South Oak Cliff, near Fair Park, and Pleasant Grove. It is recommended that explorations for service expansion start in these neighborhoods.

Social service and ESL adult education providers in and near identified neighborhoods are located and listed. Examples of these include primary and secondary schools with higher prevalence of ESL students, workforce centers, churches, and libraries. It is also recommended that literacy outreach efforts begin at community centers already integrated and engaged within the community. Partnerships and alignment with other organizations should maximize impact in areas with the highest need.

Below is an excerpt from the LIFT report. Read the full report here!