Infusion of Community Economic Development: The Church as Catalyst

Presented by

Dr. Betty Glover PalmerChair, Department of Leadership Studies and

Director, Institute for Community and International DevelopmentBeulah Heights University

Atlanta, Georgia

What is Faith-based Community Economic Development?

I

Faith-based community economic development is:

• The involvement of faith-based institutions in projects designed to revitalize low-income communities

• Establish sustainable economic development initiatives, attract investments.

• Build wealth

• Encourage entrepreneurship

Infusion implies the blending of and the inclusion of something that gives newlife or significance. The church inspires new life in the community.

A Theology of Development

• Scriptures lay the foundation for the church’s role in community development.

• Theology is a discourse on the study of God, and we found that God is a God of the oppressed (spiritually, socially and economically)

Three Waves of Missionary Work

• 1st Wave: Evangelism –Witnessing and saving souls (20th century model)

• 2nd Wave: Human Services – Focus on providing health care, education, and social services (mid 20th Century model)

• Community Economic Development – Focus on developing jobs, small businesses, community development (late 20th Century and 21st Century Model

Theology of Development Cont’d

The following scriptures provides a framework for a theology o develoopment

• The Year of Jubilee Law, (Leviticus 25)

• The Sabbatical year Law (Leviticus 25)

• Tithing and Gleaning Laws• Jesus’ New Community (John 12:6, Matthew 19:11 )

• The Jerusalem Model (Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-37; 5:1-11; 6:1-7 )

• Economic Koinonia (Galatians 2:10)

• Nehemiah Rebuilding Jerusalem (Nehemiah 1 & 2) (

Theology of Development, Cont’d

Principles of Christian Community Development The Christian Community Development Association is a professional trade

Organization for Christian community developers. Below are their three principles

• Relocation – living among the people. Christ left heaven to come and live among the people.

• Reconciliation – reconciling our relationship with God and our fellow human beings, including all ethnic groups.

• Redistribution – equitable distribution of resources, skills and talents in the community. There should be no lack because everything belongs to God.

Target Communities for Revitaliation Low to Moderate Income (LMI)

• Moderate Income families (80% above poverty)

• Low Income families (50% above poverty)

• Very Low Income families (30% above poverty)

Faith Based Community Economic Development Activities

• Church sponsorship or independent ministry

• Affordable housing (multi-family & single family)

• Community Development Services• Activities that promote economic

development• Activities that revitalize or stabilize LMI

communities

Church Sponsored DevelopmentCreate a Separate Structure

• Create a 501 (C) 3 non-profit organization (CDC – Community Development Corp.)

• Partner with a community based organization

• Obtain A fiscal agent

Affordable Housing(Multi-family & Single family)

• Apartments: families, elderly, special needs, etc

• Houses: new construction, rehabilitation, subdivisions and mixed income developments

• Rural Housing• Funding Options • Special bank, state, federal funding, FHA,

Bonds • Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HUD

Community Development Services

• Homebuyer education• Credit counseling• Financial literacy: Budgeting, financial

planning• Investments• Family resource and community centers• Youth empowerment programs

Economic Development Initiatives

• Small Business Development • Small Business Incubation• Workforce Development• Job training and Job placement• Financial Institutions

(banks & credit unions)

Government Programs That Revitalize or Stabilize LMI Communities

• City/State designated target areas• Empowerment Zones• Enterprise Communities• HOPE VI

Funding Strategies

• Major Donors• Grants: Private, public & government• Local bond funds, tax set-aside, state, fed.• Federal: HOPE VI, HOME, CDBG • Banks: CRA products, comm. dev. loans• Agencies: City housing/comm. dev. dept, state

housing, HUD,• Commerce Dept., Dept. of Educ., Federal Home Loan

Bank

Implementation: Getting Started

• Cast the vision• Hold a planning retreat (form committees)• Preach relevant sermons leading up to the

retreat• Pray before you act. Seek God’s direction• Sense God’s timing for you• Inspire a spirit of cooperation.• Refuse to let the enemy distract you.

Getting Started Cont’d

• Conduct Self-Assessment of the organization (strengths & weaknesses, assess infrastructure • Community Assessment: survey the neighborhood or

business needs, with community residents• Practice Asset based community development vs. Needs

based community development. Asset focuses on what skills and community resources

are available Needs focuses on the negative aspects of the

community

Essential Components ofSuccessful Economic Development

1. An Effective Team with relevant skill sets2. Effective Community Involvement3. Market Analysis – conduct market

analysis and demographics 4. Offer the best service 5. Adequate Funding resources 6. Continuous prayer7. Serving our brothers and sisters with dignity

Local Models of Faith-Based Community Economic Development

• Antioch Urban Ministries (Multiple Housing, business partnership, health ministries) http://www.tolbertgraphics.com/antiochsite/antiochnorth.htm

• FCS Urban Ministries (housing, small businesses, senior and youth programs) FCSMinistries.org

• Hopewell Baptist Church, (shopping strip, school) http://www.hopewellbaptist.com/ • Wheat Street Baptist, (housing, shopping strip) http://www.wheatstreetbaptist.org/ • Cascade United Methodist Church (youth entrepreneurship and banking

program) http://www.cascadeumc.org/ • Greenforest Community Baptist Church (job training, housing,

educational institution) www.greenforest.org

Local Models of Community Development Cont’d

• Providence Baptist church: Job Training, Fatherhood Initiatives, Youth programs. www.pmbcatlanta.org/main.php

• Zion Hill CDC (Job Training, IDA Programs, Financial Literacy) www.zionhillcdc.org.

• Safehouse Outreach : Ministry to Homeless - Food, Clothing, Job training, Mentoring for Children of Incarcerated Parents. http://www.safehouseoutreach.org/

• Green Pastures Christian Ministries: Housing partnership in the West End with a major corporation, affordable senior housing, educational institution.

http://www.greenpastures.org/

Conclusion• The infusion of community economic development into a Church’s

outreach program may be daunting, yet the rewards are high. Transforming lives for the kingdom is priceless.

• This presentation presented strategies to embrace the new paradigm – community economic development. Pastors and key leaders must embrace this new paradigm and lead the way. Embracing a theology of development is fundamental in leading others to embrace community economic development and social action. When the church fully engages in community economic development, it will exemplify the “Jesus Love Ethic” – loving your neighbor, that master theologian Howard Thurman so eloquently wrote about in his book, Jesus and the Disinherited.