Community First

Community First
Name	Community First
Type	Nonprofit
Founded	1990s
Headquarters	Multiple locations
Area served	Local and regional communities
Focus	Community development, social services, advocacy

Community First Community First is a community-centered initiative and network that collaborates with local actors, nonprofit organizations, philanthropic foundations, municipal bodies, and international agencies to prioritize grassroots needs and participatory planning. It connects stakeholders such as civic leaders, faith-based groups, labor unions, municipal councils, and educational institutions to deliver targeted services, coordinate disaster response, and promote inclusive development across urban and rural settings. Through partnerships with foundations, banks, charitable trusts, and multilateral organizations, it scales pilots into regional programs while engaging professional associations, universities, and media outlets.

Introduction

Community First brings together actors including United Way, Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity International, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Ford Foundation alongside local groups such as Rotary International, Lions Clubs International, and community development corporations. It works with municipal entities like New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, regional authorities such as Greater London Authority, and international institutions like the World Bank, United Nations Development Programme, and European Commission. The initiative interfaces with academic partners such as Harvard University, University of Oxford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Stanford University to evaluate interventions, while collaborating with media organizations like the BBC, The New York Times, and Reuters for outreach. Legal and policy links include engagement with courts like the Supreme Court of the United States and legislative bodies such as the United States Congress, Parliament of the United Kingdom, and the European Parliament when advocating statutory reforms.

History

Community First emerged in the 1990s amid dialogues involving United Nations, World Health Organization, and influential NGOs following conferences such as the World Summit for Social Development and the Habitat II Conference. Early pilots drew on models from Jane Jacobs-influenced urban renewal projects, Muhammad Yunus-inspired microcredit initiatives, and cooperative movements associated with Rochdale Society of Equitable Pioneers. Partners included philanthropic entities like the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Rockefeller Foundation, and regional nonprofits including Catholic Charities USA and American Red Cross. The program expanded through collaborations with municipal programs like Mayor's Office of Los Angeles initiatives, disaster-response coalitions such as those organized after Hurricane Katrina, and international relief coordinated with Médecins Sans Frontières and Oxfam. Academic evaluations were published by institutes including Brookings Institution, RAND Corporation, and The Lancet-affiliated researchers.

Principles and Objectives

Core principles align with participatory planning advocated by figures such as Paulo Freire and Amartya Sen and development frameworks advanced by Sustainable Development Goals discussions at the United Nations General Assembly. Objectives emphasize localized service delivery, resilience-building in the style of Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, social inclusion reflecting Convention on the Rights of the Child commitments, and economic empowerment strategies reminiscent of Grameen Bank models. The initiative promotes cross-sector partnerships involving International Labour Organization, Chamber of Commerce of the United States, and professional associations like the American Planning Association to integrate housing, health, and employment supports. Ethical commitments reference standards from Human Rights Watch and accountability mechanisms used by Transparency International.

Programs and Initiatives

Programs range from housing projects inspired by Habitat for Humanity International to health outreach modeled after Partners In Health and education supports partnering with organizations like Teach For America and Save the Children. Economic initiatives include local credit cooperatives similar to Grameen Bank pilots and workforce development in coordination with International Labour Organization programs and UNICEF-linked youth services. Emergency response work has cooperated with Federal Emergency Management Agency and humanitarian logistics partners such as World Food Programme and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Environmental and green-space projects align with initiatives by Greenpeace and The Nature Conservancy, while digital inclusion efforts draw on alliances with Microsoft philanthropic arms, Google.org, and Cisco Systems community networking programs. Cultural preservation and arts engagement link to museums like the Smithsonian Institution and festivals supported by National Endowment for the Arts.

Governance and Funding

Governance structures often include boards with representatives from United Way Worldwide, regional municipal leaders (e.g., offices like Mayor of London or Mayor of New York City), philanthropic board members from entities such as Ford Foundation and MacArthur Foundation, and university advisors from institutions including Columbia University and University of California, Berkeley. Funding streams blend grants from organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, program-related investments by JPMorgan Chase Foundation, government contracts with agencies such as USAID and the European Union's funding instruments, and crowdfunding via platforms like GoFundMe. Accountability mechanisms mirror nonprofit practices endorsed by Charity Navigator and regulatory compliance with bodies like the Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt organizations in the United States.

Impact and Evaluation

Impact assessments have been conducted by research centers such as Brookings Institution, Pew Research Center, and Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, with outcome measures referencing indicators from the World Bank and United Nations agencies including UNICEF and UNDP. Evaluations examine social return on investment comparable to studies by Nesta and cost-effectiveness analyses used by National Bureau of Economic Research. Case studies have documented improvements in metrics similar to those tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for public health interventions and by municipal data teams like Seattle Office of Housing for affordable housing outcomes. Peer-reviewed publications have appeared in journals such as The Lancet, Journal of Urban Affairs, and American Journal of Public Health.

Criticisms and Controversies

Critiques echo debates involving Milton Friedman-style market critiques and Noam Chomsky-inspired civil-society analysis, with controversies over gentrification similar to disputes seen in Battle of the Overpass-era labor tensions and critiques of conditional aid reminiscent of discussions around Structural adjustment policies. Stakeholders including grassroots groups and civil liberties organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union have challenged aspects of surveillance, data-sharing, and policing partnerships modeled on controversies around programs like Stop and Frisk and debates at the European Court of Human Rights. Fundraising transparency and donor influence have provoked scrutiny akin to concerns raised about major philanthropic actors including Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Rockefeller Foundation, while effectiveness debates reference tensions highlighted by Easterly and Sachs in international development discourse.

Category:Community development organizations