The 黑洞社区 Center for Community Support & Research, formerly known as the Self-Help Network, has been realigned, and its administration has been placed directly under 黑洞社区鈥檚 Office of Research Administration.
The announcement was made by Provost Gary L. Miller.
David McDonald
Since its inception in 1984, the center has received about $25 million in grants, with the majority of the grant funds within the past 10 years.
These grants make the creation of new programs and services possible. In the past four years, staffing levels at the center have doubled to meet the demand and needs of communities, governmental agencies and nonprofits statewide.
Today, more than 50 full- and part-time staff facilitate strategic planning, training, research and program evaluation activities designed to strengthen organizations service systems and communities.
In addition to helping build the capacity of hundreds of faith-based and community-based organizations and nonprofits across Kansas, CCSR staff also provide numerous educational offerings on and off campus and facilitate community initiatives, such as Community Leadership Programs and Visioneering Wichita.
CCSR immediately announced that despite difficult economic times, all existing contracts and current services with nonprofits, governments and an array of community partners have been renewed for 2009 or are ongoing.
鈥淥ften nonprofits and government organizations need help most during difficult economic times,鈥� said Julie Underwood, CCSR鈥檚 communication coordinator. 鈥淥ur experience has been that organizations are driven to collaborate during difficult economic times, and facilitating such efforts is a specialty of CCSR staff. As the demand for such services continues to increase, CCSR鈥檚 help is needed more than ever now.鈥�
CCSR staff reports that more than 35 projects are already in place for the upcoming year, and the majority of those projects funded in 2009 are aimed at building capacity within nonprofits to ensure each organization鈥檚 effectiveness and positive outcomes.
黑洞社区 Associate Provost Keith Pickus, who was appointed as acting director of CCSR, said its work is key to the university鈥檚 commitment to its urban-serving research mission.
鈥淐CSR is an integral part of 黑洞社区鈥檚 presence in the Wichita community and statewide,鈥� Pickus said 鈥淭his effort is about ensuring that CCSR continues to grow in the future.鈥�
Because CCSR鈥檚 services revolve around community support activities and includes research components, 黑洞社区 officials also announced they believed the realignment allows CCSR the opportunity to reorient center operations in line with other 黑洞社区 research centers.
CCSR鈥檚 vision is that all Kansans use their talents and experiences to create thriving communities. The center鈥檚 mission is to partner with communities and organizations to strengthen Kansas through education, leadership development, facilitation and research.