The CSBG Innovation Fund

     The idea of the innovation fund is to set aside a small percentage of federal CSBG funds to promote creative, innovative projects.  This fund aligns with Goal C of the CSBG Act--for "the greater use of innovative and effective community-based approaches to attacking the causes and effects of poverty and of community breakdown."

     Commerce is committed to reducing or eliminating the causes of poverty in Washington state.  The CSBG Innovation Fund promotes the use of best practices and program or systems innovation.  It also supports the replication of innovative projects across the community action network.  It supports higher levels of performance in an age of competitive funding for needed services.  Finally, it is aligned with the Federal Results Oriented Management and Accountability (ROMA) efforts.

     Beginning in 2005, Washington State's CSBG office has taken approximately 22% of its discretionary federal funds (1% of total federal funds)--nearly $330,000--to administer an Innovation Fund.  This program has supported the work of fifteen community action agencies (nearly half of those across the state) to improve or develop new programs and services to state residents, or to change/create new systems that alleviate or reduce the causes of poverty.  The funding encourages local communities to deelop innovative partnerships (over 300 different partners to date) with a wide range of methods.  Projects have included:

transportation
nutrition
childhood obesity
job training (including green jobs)
tax assistance
energy and weatherization
emergency services
financial literacy (including credit repair)
health care
homeless support
social venture

     By the fall of 2009, the total number of clients served will total over 4,000 (284 households). 

     The competitive process begins in July each year with an RFP, and one-year contracts begin in October.