| Name | Candy |
|---|---|
| Last Name | Johnson |
| Home Address | 730 E. ML King Blvd. Chattanooga, TN 37403 United States |
| Organization Name | Urban League of Greater Chattanooga |
| Describe Your Role In The Organization | President & CEO |
| Organization Address | 730 E. ML King Blvd. www.ulchatt.net Chattanooga, TN 37403 United States |
| Website | https://www.ulchatt.net |
| Best Phone Number To Reach You | 423-756-1762 |
| Alternate Phone Number | 931-561-3123 |
| Email Address | cjohnson@ulchatt.net |
| Alternate Email Address | vbone@ulchatt.net |
| Please Describe Your Project In Detail | Our Mission and Impact: The Urban League of Greater Chattanooga (ULGC) is an affiliate of the National Urban League, the nation’s oldest and largest community-based movement devoted to empowering African Americans and other underserved individuals to enter the economic and social mainstream. For nearly 40 years, our local Urban League affiliate has worked to enable African Americans, other ethnic minorities, and disadvantaged persons to secure economic self-reliance, parity, power, and civil rights to live a better quality of life. The ULGC is at a critical transition point with a new CEO, Candy C. Johnson, who took the helm of the organization in January 2021. Mrs. Johnson has a bold vision to build upon the legacy of the late Warren E. Logan, Jr. and continue to expand the Urban League’s efforts to meet the needs of the Black Chattanoogans and disadvantaged persons in our community. Unfortunately, the pandemic—coupled with historical disparities—has exacerbated racial and economic inequities due to job losses and financial hardships that have hit minority and low-income communities hardest. To address these immediate and long-term challenges and expand its community impact, the ULGC has launched three new Empowerment Centers to streamline programming and services to better serve the needs of the community: Center for Education, Workforce, and Family Empowerment, Center for Economic and African American Business Success, and the Center for Equity and Inclusive Leadership. These centers are designed to meet the emerging needs of people of color and low-income individuals—supporting the overall economic prosperity for those we serve. Our Vision for the Future: In order to expand our impact—and become a landmark institution in the heart of downtown Chattanooga—the Urban League needs a larger and more accessible building that can accommodate our ambitious growth plans for the future. For decades, minority neighborhoods have suffered from disinvestment and neglect, resulting in inequitable and uneven growth. Chattanooga’s downtown, specifically the MLK Corridor (formerly the Big Nine), is only one example of how divestment in minority-serving institutions and communities has driven Black owners and culture from the heart of the city over several decades. As we begin to rethink what a more equitable and inclusive Chattanooga reflects, we must begin with the heart of our city, fostering placed-based equity investments to ensure a strong representation of who we are—a place where people of color can see themselves thrive and be represented. In addition, distinct quality of place has been cited as important to young diverse professionals seeking to live and work in a city. Through place-based investments and fostering a density of black-owned and cultural institutions, we can make our city more vibrant and attractive to young talent with the Urban League serving as a pillar of hope and providing opportunity to those who don’t see themselves in the fabric of this city’s prosperity. The ULGC can be a catalyst for rebuilding an inclusive culture downtown. For nearly 40 years, the ULGC has been on the ground working to help others achieve economic power; however, historically the ULGC has not had the capital, assets, reserve, or feasibility to own its own space. The ULGC is positioning the organization to be financially stronger, and ownership will play a role in achieving this goal. As a renter, the ULGC pays nearly $85,000 per year to occupy space and deliver its programs. The ULGC’s lease will end in two years, requiring a decision to find a new home. With the recent growth of the organization and new empowerment center model—coupled with community demand to offer greater access to people of color to see themselves in the fabric of this city—we believe the time is now to invest in Chattanooga’s diverse future. Through a strategic vision, the ULGC has worked over the past year to study feasibility, real estate options, and lending options and has secured a new construction (in progress) along E. M.L.K. Boulevard valued at $3.8 million. The new building will include nearly 13,000 square feet with three floors, and we will offset a portion of the monthly mortgage through a tenant already secured (a Black-owned eatery that will lease the first floor). The ULGC has also secured a bank loan with a required $450,000 down payment, and we have launched a capital campaign to pay off the remainder of the building cost so we can direct all of our resources back into programs and services that will support economic empowerment and economic recovery efforts dismantling the longer-term negative impacts that the COVID pandemic has had on Black and Brown communities. Funding is requested from the City of Chattanooga’s ARP grant to cover a portion of the cost of the new building, which will help us to reach our goal of paying off the building within the first two years of occupancy and ensure we can continue to be responsive to the emerging needs of the community without a longer-term burden of debt . Our vision—like the Mayor—is to drive equitable economic recovery and create lasting solutions to spark generational change in our community. This investment request is similar to what other Urban League affiliates across the U.S. have partnered with their local governments on to sustain the longevity and value an Urban League affiliate brings to each community. For example; the Knoxville Area Urban League (KAUL) received an investment of $600,000 on the renovation of their new building from the City of Knoxville government. Similarly, other cities have supported the long-term success of the Urban League movement. |
| Please explain how your project meets the requirements of the American Rescue Plan | Serving nearly 14,000 people annually, our primary constituents come from high poverty, urban neighborhoods where youth, young adults, and families struggle with economic hardships, building assets, and low educational attainment. In our service area, 76% of residents aged 25+ have not earned a college degree, and 20% of individuals do not hold a high school diploma. The lack of educational attainment has led to a cycle of generational poverty in Chattanooga’s urban core. In our primary service area, the poverty rate is 32%, which is more than double the poverty rate in Hamilton County (12.8%) and the state (15.2%). There are many historical disadvantages faced by racial and ethnic minorities that must be addressed as a path to inclusive economic recovery in communities, especially those that have been impacted by the COVID pandemic. In Chattanooga, African Americans continue to remain at the bottom for household income as nearly 50% of Black residents make less than $30,000 annually. Further, the racial gap in household earnings in Hamilton County remains 30% greater than in the US average, with the typical white household in Chattanooga earning twice as much as the average black household. In addition, the lack of educational attainment has an adverse effect on poverty as nearly 40% of individuals with less than a high school diploma are impoverished, compared to 6% of individuals with a college degree. Black business owners also face significant barriers to success, with only 1% receiving a loan from a bank during their first year of business. COVID-19 has disproportionately impacted minority-owned businesses, with a 41% drop in the number of Black business owners between February 2020 and April 2020. These historical disparities—coupled with the COVID-19 crisis—are exacerbating the existing challenges low-income, low-wage, and under skilled residents experience. Our new building—located in the heart of the MLK Corridor—will support economic recovery and empowerment programs that directly address the goals of the American Rescue Plan. Our unique empowerment center model will streamline programming and services to better serve the needs of the community as the ULGC serves as a “hub” for helping individuals achieve economic stability and upward mobility—especially those who have been impacted the most from the pandemic. All of the programs within our centers align with the economic recovery goals of the City of Chattanooga and American Rescue Plan. The core focus and and programs within each Center include: ● The Center for Education, Workforce, and Family Empowerment strives to provide an integrated services approach to address family prosperity through programs and activities which foster educational attainment, personal well-being, and increased economic power. Core programs include the LEAPs Afterschool Program, Urban Youth Summer Camp, National Achievers Society (high school), job readiness and soft skills training, educational credentialing (IT, construction, healthcare), Parent University and Boot Camp, housing and financial literacy workshops, health and wellness educational programs, and wraparound supports. Through our education and workforce development programming, the ULGC provides intensive case management support to address family prosperity and specifically ensure low-skilled, low wage, or non-credentialed workers of color will persist and complete credential attainment through various integrated supports in high growth industries. ● The Center for Economic and African American Business Success provides a culturally responsive ecosystem of support for African American and other minority-owned businesses to accelerate growth, expand networks, and access knowledge for business success. Programs include the Next Level Business Accelerator (Streetwise MBA curriculum), back-office supports and set-up for entrepreneurs, the Readiness Inventory for Successful Entrepreneurship (RISE) web-based tool for measuring entrepreneurship skills, exposure and promotion of new ventures such as franchising and market research, networking and collaboration events, TVA Minority Contractor Building Futures Program, government contracting insights and supports, and a downtown marketplace to increase density and commerce for minority owned businesses. By creating a “hub” of supports, the Center will have a measurable impact on the growth and success of minority-owned businesses in our community. The goal is to create an ecosystem of support to remove barriers to entrepreneurship success and sustainability that will accelerate long term progress for upward economic mobility and wealth creation. ● The Center for Equity and Inclusive Leadership seeks to engage and empower diverse community members to promote an understanding of social and racial equity and foster inclusive leadership opportunities. Under this new Center, the ULGC will expand its equity work through the Inclusion by Design Executive Leadership Development Program, Urban League Emerge Leadership Fellows, racial equity education in the community, and the Urban League Young Professionals. The Center will create a stronger pipeline of talent for mid-level management and executive roles while building a more inclusive community through training and outreach. |
| Where would your project take place? | Our new building is located at 401 M.L. King Blvd., which is a strategic and easily accessible location to serve the community. In addition, the ULGC has responded to a City RFP for a long-term lease for the Kelley building to operate a Minority Business Development Center for the City. The Kelley building is located across the street from our new building, which provides an excellent opportunity to expand the “hub” of supports available in a convenient location where we can have the greatest impact on the community. This location is important because of the populations we serve as many require a bus line to access service. It is also significant for the historical presence of the Urban League to remain along MLK where the availability of real estate for purchase is lacking. |
| How much will your project cost in total? | 3800000 |
| Do you have any matching funding sources from other local governments, private entities, non-profits, or philanthropic entities for your project? | Yes |
| Please describe the source and list amounts of any other funding. | The Urban League has secured $350,000 for the required down payment for the loan, which includes the following funders: Benwood Foundation ($150,000); Maclellan Foundation ($150,000), Community Foundation ($50,000), and one additional request to close out the remainder of the required down payment. |
| What portion of the project are you asking the city to fund? | We are requesting $1 million , which is 26% of the total cost of the building. |
| If funded, when would your project start? | March 1, 2022 |
| How long would your project take to complete? | Construction on the building is currently underway and is slated to be completed in April 2022, which is when we will close on the loan and move into the new building. Our goal would be to put any donations received toward the payoff of the loan. Construction is estimated to be completed by April 2022, and we will then move our offices to the new building. Once we are moved into our new building, we will be able to significantly expand our programs and impact across our three empowerment centers. |
| What milestones would you use to measure your project’s progress? | We will track our project’s progress based on two areas: ● Construction: Our executive team is overseeing the progress of construction and ensuring we are on target to meet milestones related to closing on the loan and moving into the facility. ● Expanded Programming: We have created metrics and target outcomes for each of our empowerment centers, which we will use to measure our impact as we expand programming in the new building. Please see the next section for target outcomes in each center. ● We will be able to offer a larger learning computer lab in this new space and serve as an access point for the American Job Center to better serve clients who don’t have the ability to make it to sites for services in the current centers. |
| How would you ensure accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle? | The ULGC has a strong track record with managing large federal and state grants and will ensure there is accountability and transparency throughout the project lifecycle. Our CEO, Candy Johnson, will ensure the construction stays on track and the ULGC is positioned to close on the loan and move into the facility in April so we can work on scaling the impact of our empowerment centers. Compliance and outcome tracking for all of our programs is led by Vickye Bone, Compliance and Special Projects Officer. She will work alongside the staff within our empowerment centers to ensure programs meet target outcomes and impact in the community. Our CFO, Pierre Pinkerton, will manage the financial management of the project and ensure compliance with any financial reporting requirements for the City. Brandon Bacon, a licensed general contractor serving as a member of the ULGC building transitions coordinator is monitoring progress of the building and coordinating the move. |
| If successful, how would your project benefit the community? | Our new building will allow us to fully realize the vision and impact of each of our empowerment Centers and create a 'hub’ of support to improve economic recovery efforts in Chattanooga for African Americans, other ethnic minorities and disadvantaged persons. The targeted outcomes for each Center are detailed below. Center for Education, Workforce, and Family Empowerment: ● Serve at least 300 K-12 students through afterschool programming, summer academic and STEAM enrichment camps, and career readiness programming. ● Serve at least 100 first - third grade students through our Connected Literacy high dosage tutoring program ● Serve at least 25 high school students across the county through National Achievers Society, Academic and Leadership development program, annually. ● Serve at least 50 individuals annually through the Family Prosperity Plan initiative, which provides comprehensive, wrap-around support to achieve a postsecondary credential and job placement and/or apprenticeships in high demand and livable wage industries, financial empowerment support and credit repair. ● Provide high growth opportunities for participants to earn industry-recognized credentials in the ULGC’s suite of educational offerings, which are approved by the TN Higher Education Commission in fields supporting upward economic mobility (i.e., IT, construction, and healthcare). ● Provide soft skills training to all K-12 and workforce development clients, as well as up to 100 other community members who do not participate in the overall education training component. ● Serve 100 parents through the parent advocacy center ● Serve 50 individuals at risk of developing diabetes through our Diabetes Prevention Program in partnership with Hamilton County Health Dept. and the CDC ● Serve at least 10,000 residents through our Volunteer Income Tax program (VITA) saving low-income families $3.8 million to taxpayers. Center for Economic and African American Business Success: ● Impact at least 100 minority owned businesses in the community through business training, classes (i.e., Next Level, Co. Starters), business plan development, business counseling and coaching, government contracting and referrals to other business services. ● Provide the new Readiness Inventory for Successful Entrepreneurship (RISE) assessment and coaching and support to at least 50 business owners/entrepreneurs, annually. ● Support at least 50 African American entrepreneurs via back office supports (accounting, legal check-up, and marketing) at no to little cost. ● Serve as a physical resource hub and referral point for all African American and other ethnic minority business owners in Chattanooga. Center for Equity and Inclusive Leadership: ● Serve at least 10 diverse individuals annually through the Inclusion by Design Executive Leadership Program to create a pipeline of highly skilled women and leaders of color prepared to function successfully in an executive assignment. ● Serve at least 25 individuals annually through the Urban League Emerge Leadership Fellows program, which will build emotionally intelligent, civic-minded, and strategic leaders who possess the tools and knowledge to shape a more inclusive and productive workplace. ● Provide racial equity education for the community and partner organizations impacting at least 150 individuals, annually. ● Engage at least 50 Urban League Young Professionals members in volunteer opportunities in the community expanding the impact of social and racial equity initiatives. ● Release the first bi-annual State of Black Chattanooga Report in 2022 (February) |
| How will you attract community buy-in for your project? | Serving the community for over 40 years, the ULGC has a long history of community building and collaboration within the community, which has been essential to aligning our strategies with community needs and bringing together partners from across the community to work alongside us in addressing these needs. The ULGC has been involved with a variety of initiatives that impact education, economic empowerment, and equity in our community. Core partners supporting our workforce development and economic empowerment initiatives include, but are not limited to, governmental agencies, higher education institutions, philanthropic organizations, faith-based organizations, neighborhood associations, private industries, and many other organizations. Our education partners are critical to the success of our afterschool programming and include Hamilton County Schools, GCLA, Howard Connect Academy, Barger Academy, Woodmore Elementary, Orchard Knob Elementary, UTC, Chattanooga Public Library, YMCA, Creative Discovery Museum, TN Aquarium, La Paz, Chattanooga Area Food Bank,Unum, Society of Automotive Engineers, and the Urban League Young Professionals. We also work with several strategic partners who support business development in the city through referrals, events, and joint training activities, including the TNSBDC, the Chamber’s INCubator, Co.Lab, LAUNCH, Edney Innovation Center, Truist Bank, Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, several bank partners, and Kiva Chattanooga, among others. |
| Name | Sarah Morgan, Benwood Foundation |
| Contact Information | 423-267-4311 |
| Name | Maeghan Jones, Community Foundation |
| Contact Information | 423-265-0586 |
| Is there anything else you would like us to know about your project? | At our core, the ULGC is focused on addressing racial and economic inequities that affect our entire community and ensuring Chattanooga is a caring and inclusive community where all can thrive—regardless of gender, race, education, zip code, or socioeconomic status. The root cause for too many of the issues faced by individuals and families in our community is generational poverty, lack of access to success, segregation, and institutional racism which continue to disproportionately impact people of color from experiencing greater prosperity in the Chattanooga region. Now more than ever before, civil rights organizations like the Urban League must lead targeted efforts for economic recovery for communities of color, post-pandemic, and focus on wealth-building opportunities leading to longer term family prosperity. |