Affordable housing is a pressing need in many communities. Churches with surplus facilities, or making changes to worship practices, can meet this core community need. Indwell, for the first time, is partnering with a local church to develop a blended worship/ministry space and an affordable housing community. Developing a workable long-term operating agreement between a church and a charity is innovative and mitigates risk.
| Organization Name: | Indwell |
| Location: | Hamilton, ON |
| Project Name: | Church and Charity Partnership for Affordable Housing Project |
| Amount Awarded: | $115,000.00 |
| Date Awarded: | 12/10/2016 |
| Participating Grantmakers: | Bridgeway Foundation, John & Rebecca Horwood, Kehila Fund, Redleaf Foundation, River Dali Fund |
| Purpose of Investment: | To develop an innovative model to benefit both a local church for worship and provide a ready process for affordable housing within communities. |
Executive Summary from Indwell:
Indwell and Hughson Street Baptist Church in Hamilton are transforming church owned lands into a new worship center with 42 new affordable housing units. Indwell will lend its development expertise and operate the housing program, while the church will invest its assets, retain ownership, fund raise for the entire project, and continue to serve their community. We have already partnered to leverage federal, provincial and municipal funding, and anticipate final approval of the proposal by the end of September. Prior to commencement of construction, projected for May 2017, Indwell will focus on formalizing the partnership.
The direct impact of this project is a permanent worship space for over 350 people, and permanent homes for 42 people in need of poverty relief and support. Success of this project will create the opportunity for Indwell to reproduce similar partnerships with other churches. We will create a resource guide by December 2017 for our future practice, and make it available to other churches and charities. Indwell is requesting partnership with Stronger Philanthropy to support the cost of staff, legal fees, research and other resources to create the operating agreement and resource guide.
The outcome of Stronger Philanthropy’s investment will be a prototype of an agreement that will stretch the boundaries of ministry. The operating agreement will address significant risks associated with shared ownership, long-term sustainability, succession planning and conflict resolution. Creating this kind of partnership lies outside Indwell’s typical business process and we welcome support in this innovative venture. Partnership with Stronger Philanthropy will ensure that we are successful in this project and set the stage for ourselves and others to minister together.
Measurable Outcomes:
- Create a 20 year operating agreement between Indwell and Hughson Street Baptist Church regarding development and operation of a worship and ministry space, and 45 affordable supported housing units, within 12 months.
- By December 2017, create a business model and resource guide to replicate similar agreements that can be shared with churches and other Christian charities.
- By December 2017, fulfill the goals of a current 5-year strategic plan which will double the housing provided between 2013 and 2017.