Solutions for Better Living Development Initiative
The Solutions for Better Living project management team assists community project leaders with:
- Identifying available resources,
- Executing goals/deadlines,
- Marketing and public relation strategies, and
- Securing funding.
SBL utilizes the knowledge and talents of local, national, and international consultants, educators and community leaders who have multifaceted expertise. As part of the PSBH network, these leaders are committed to improving the quality of life by fostering creative problem solving and project sustainability at the local and national levels by promoting cooperative partnerships. The SBL project management team is cross trained and works collectively to perform such task as fundraising, grant writing, community workshops/seminars, specialized client support, etc. They are required to have ongoing direct and indirect interaction with donors, project coordinators, community partners, and other entities that have an interest in SBL.
The concept is to offer an array of services that will assist in project development, implementation, and sustainability. Community project coordinators receive guided assistance through the resource center, community project workshops, and special services tailored to each particular project. Our services are designed to meet the needs of small community projects while often impacting the populations about its perimeter.
The Problem Solving for Better Health (PSBH®) methodology is utilized during SBL’s workshops for the development of its community projects. PSBH® is based on the knowledge that health is both a product of, and a vital factor in, community development. The PSBH model was developed in 1988, to be used as a tool to enable individuals in a community to identify solutions to local problems. It is the centerpiece of the Dreyfus Health Foundation mission, the SBL affiliate organization.
Problem Solving for Better Health (PSBH) Community Project Workshops
The objective of the workshops is to attract coordinators of grass roots small community efforts to apply for funding and services from SBL. If they are interested, they are encouraged to visit SBL’s website and complete the online application. The application includes questions pertaining to the coordinator’s past or current volunteer efforts, experience with field/area of their proposed project or idea, as well as a brief summary.
The two-day workshop takes the project coordinator through a step-by-step problem-solving procedure that includes defining their problem (nature, size, cause, and contributing factors), prioritizing the problem (taking a realistic piece), defining a solution (Will doing what, with whom, where, and for how long, achieve the desired objective?), and creating a good action plan (why, what, how, and evaluation). The action plans are then submitted for approval for seed funding.
Submissions are reviewed and assessed for the following:
- Candidate suitability and/or eligibility (volunteerism, capacity, and experience)
- Idea or project purpose (targeted demographic and overall scope of services)
- Idea or Project Sustainability (What has been done thus far, to make this project sustainable? Does this program currently rely on grants for most of their revenue? At what stage in development, if any, could we anticipate a decrease in the need for ongoing grant income? Would the scope of services being offered be essential and therefore marketable enough to generate new sources of revenue? Would SBL grant funds mainly be utilized to keep the current program sustainable?)
Leadership for Life Workshop
Leadership for Life is a rigorous 3-month course, which utilizes a service leadership model and a problem-solving curriculum. Corporate professionals, non-profit managers, community organizers and others will be encouraged to connect to a higher purpose and their own innate strengths through a real world approach.
Participants will be challenged to rethink a problem in their community and follow a structured path toward solving it. They will be encouraged to utilize additional in-kind resources and through networking opportunities (offered by their fellow participants and/or their companies or organizations) that will aid in the implementation of a project for the successful completion of the program.
Through this process, participants will learn to:
- Embrace innovative strategies to meet objectives
- Execute strategic goals/milestones
- Develop effective marketing and public relation strategies
- Effectively measure outcomes through the development of evaluation tools
- Build valuable professional and social networks for necessary for career advancement and successful community initiatives
- Learn accountability through a No Excuses® approach
- Achieve success, by placing importance on the value of human capital
The Solomon Project
A fluctuating economy has motivated many wealthy donors to take a more active role in the charitable giving decisions that are made in terms of how they give. However, hectic schedules and subsequent social commitments may prevent many from doing so on consistent basis. Others, particularly those new to charitable giving, have not been able to identify a specific cause or interest about which they are passionate. Yet, they still wish to make a clear public statement of their beliefs and values.
The Solomon Project was developed by Solutions for Better Living (SBL) as a way to assist a growing number of high net-worth philanthropists who seek to invest in those non-profits or grass-roots initiatives, which have greater social impact than more established non-profit organizations. By providing ongoing and transparent project management, our goal is to facilitate open and more direct lines of communication between these donors and the initiatives they support.