2009
Recipient of the Excellence Award for Excellence in a Small Organization
Dakota Woodlands
Located
in Eagan, Dakota Woodlands is the only short term
housing facility specifically for homeless women
and children in Dakota County. Families can stay
at the Dakota Woodlands facility as long as necessary
to move from homelessness to homes of their own.
During this time, they are provided with a variety
of supportive and educational services, which address
the issues related to homelessness and help residents
to successfully obtain and maintain permanent housing.
Dakota
Woodlands shelters 22 families at a time. During
2008, they sheltered 279 residents, 116 women and
163 children and assisted at least 30 additional
families with supportive services. Approximately
90 percent of their residents move on to safe, affordable
housing. Dakota Woodlands continues to provide supportive
services to former residents to help sustain their
success.
Dakota
Woodlands qualified for the Nonprofit Excellence
Award after demonstrating that it is responsibly
governed, conducts conscientious planning, works
to be accountable and transparent to its publics,
conducts ethical fundraising, is a good fiscal steward
of its resources, employs strong human resource
practices, engages in public policy on behalf of
its mission, is strategic and uses good evaluation
methods.
Simpson Housing Services provides shelter for single
adults and provides affordable housing with support
services for both homeless families and single adults
in Hennepin County. The mission of Simpson Housing
is to house, support and advocate for people experiencing
homelessness. Their commitment is to help participants
gain housing stability using the Housing First philosophy:
provide homeless people with housing quickly and
then provide services as needed. Simpson Housing
Service’s housing programs and partnerships
currently serve 180 families with 480 children and
220 single adults.
In
27 years of serving the homeless, Simpson Housing
has learned that providing consistent advocacy and
support for the individuals and families is critical
to housing success. The support needs to continue
through the process, as permanent housing is located,
leases are signed, homes are occupied, and as the
formerly homeless individuals or families settle
into their new community.
In
qualifying for the excellence award, Simpson Housing
Services demonstrated that they align with MCN’s
Principles and Practices for Nonprofit Excellence,
in the role the nonprofit
plays in society, in governance, planning, transparency
and accountability, fundraising, financial management,
human resources, cive engagement and public policy,
strategic alliances and evaluation.
The
panel of judges was impressed with the organization’s
diverse board of directors, outcomes-based evaluation
process, and growth.