Your Monthly Update
from the Community Development Partnership
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A Word from Jay... Poised for growth
While 2021 presented numerous challenges for our community, the small businesses we serve, the residents of our affordable homes, as well as our Board and Staff, the year included some major successes that have positioned the CDP for significant growth in 2022.
Over the past year, we received five contributions from new, anonymous donors that totaled $325,000. The largest contribution of $150,000 was targeted to our housing advocacy efforts through the Lower Cape Community Housing Partnership. These new resources, combined with $500,000 in state funds through the American Rescue Plan Act, will allow the CDP to launch several new initiatives in the coming year that were identified through our Strategic Planning Process.
In collaboration with the Homeless Prevention Council, we will launch a Housing Resource Center with the CDP taking on the immediate task of assisting homeowners with creating ADUs – accessory dwelling units to meet some of the immediate short-term housing needs in the region. Details on this new initiative should be ready for us to announce in the first quarter of 2022.
We will also be hiring a Community Organizer to provide deep support to housing advocates working to advance pro-housing policies in our communities. This new staff position will also take the lead in advancing our proposal to build 46 units of affordable housing on Lawrence Road in Wellfleet.
Finally, the CDP Board will finalize the adoption of new strategies as part of our new Strategic Plan and I look forward to sharing more about this in the months to come.
All of these exciting developments are possible thanks to the generous support we receive from people like you who are committed to our mission to lead the Lower Cape in building a diverse year-round community of people who can afford to live, work and thrive here.
Best wishes for a healthy New Year,
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Jay Coburn
President & Chief Executive Officer
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Supporting Local Business
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Shifting our Strategy: A New Focus on Small Business Outreach
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“Instead of waiting for businesses to come to us, we want to go directly to them.”
–Jay Coburn, CDP, President & Chief Executive Officer
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Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Community Development Partnership (CDP) has seen an increased demand for its business and credit services. The need for assistance with applying for government relief programs, and the technical assistance offered by the CDP brought many existing and new clients through our virtual doors.
Each year the Business and Credit team assists nearly 200 businesses, but we believe there are many more who could benefit. “Instead of waiting for businesses to come to us, we want to go directly to them,” says Jay Coburn, the CDP’s President & Chief Executive Officer.
To meet the new demand and to broaden our outreach efforts, the CDP has expanded our Business and Credit team. In September of 2021, Tricia Murray was hired as our new Business & Credit Program Manager, to focus on outreach to the small businesses on the Lower Cape, particularly businesses that are not aware of or reluctant to seek support.
*Photo: Tricia Murray, Business & Credit Program Manager
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Creating a Welcome Environment for Recovery
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“We really tried to pick nice materials. We wanted to create a more welcoming environment and have the work hold up over the years.”
–Kayla Baier, CDP, Director of Property Management
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Since 1992, the Community Development Partnership (CDP) has provided a broad range of programs and services to improve the lives of low to moderate-income residents of the Lower Cape. One of the first programs was a community-based effort to provide housing for people struggling with addiction and needing a living environment that would support their sobriety.
Established in 1996, Canal House is the only sober living residence on the Lower Cape that serves low-income individuals in recovery from alcohol and substance abuse. The property houses 5 men, 3 women, and an on-site manager. Canal House supports residents in recovery by providing a safe, affordable living environment free from the pressures that can fuel addiction, allowing them to focus on recovery and a successful transition back into a healthy community. Rents at Canal House are subsidized by the Federal Government and never exceed 30% of a resident’s income. Nearly 200 individuals have been served by Canal House.
*Photo: The renovated Manager's kitchen
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Supporter Spotlight: Fran McClennen
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“Without a home, you cannot have a healthy family. And without healthy families,
you cannot have a healthy community.”
–Fran McClennen, CDP Board Member
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Fran McClennen, like many Cape Codders, enjoyed summer visits to her grandparents as a child. Fran’s great-grandfather had purchased property in Orleans and ordered a cottage from a catalog! Her time at the cottage made her feel emotionally grounded to the Cape. She and her husband Alan, who also spent summers on the Cape as a child, decided to move to Orleans year-round to retire here and support their aging parents.
In 2015, Fran was introduced to the Community Development Partnership (CDP) through friends and recalls reading our newsletters. She was invited to be on the CDP Board of Directors. But at that time, Fran was President of the Orleans Pond Coalition and was not ready to take on an additional commitment. A year went by, and Florence Seldon, a friend and CDP Board member, reached out again to Fran, and this time she was happy to say “yes” to the invitation!
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Join our Advisory Council!
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The Community Development Partnership (CDP) is currently recruiting nominations for new members of our Advisory Council (AC). This is a terrific opportunity to lend expertise to the organization and be more formally involved with the CDP.
Members of the AC are community and business leaders who support the mission of the CDP and who counsel, advocate for and contribute to the success of the organization.
There are no formal meetings of the AC, but members are invited to attend the Annual Meeting and may be asked to serve on a Board committee or special working group. The role of the Advisory Council is limited to the provision of advice and assistance. However, their viewpoints and advice are actively solicited and encouraged.
It is hoped that every member of the AC will be an advocate for the CDP in the community at large and make an annual financial contribution to the organization. If you are interested in joining the advisory council for a three-year term, please contact Jay Coburn, President and Chief Executive Officer, at jay@capecdp.org.
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Apply for a Housing Rehab Loan
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Our Housing Rehabilitation Program is available to income-qualified residents of Eastham, Truro, and Provincetown. Qualified residents can receive up to $40,000 per household to pay for critical home repairs (such as roofing and siding, electrical, heating, and plumbing work), lead paint abatement, and energy efficiency upgrades to keep their properties in good condition for the long term. And with local contractors doing the work, it helps keep our local economy strong.
The program is designed to preserve existing homes for year-round residents at or below 80% of the median area income.
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Join Us for our Third Housing Institute Workshop
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Join the CDP and Mass Housing Partnership, for our third Housing Institute virtual workshop.
In this workshop, we’ll focus on the aesthetic side of housing development. We understand that we can’t build our way out of the housing crisis without intensifying density, but this can be a major barrier at the local level. In this workshop, we’ll redirect the conversation to the importance of good design.
We are in a special moment right now where four towns have acquired large parcels of land that can include housing. We hope that this workshop will help our communities articulate bold visions for those land opportunities by opening our eyes to the possibilities of beautiful affordable housing design.
Friday, January 21st - 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
This workshop is free and is designed for municipal officials and town staff including Finance Committees, Select Boards, Affordable Housing Trusts and Affordable Housing Committees, Finance Directors, and Town Managers and Administrators.
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You can watch our last Housing Partnership Workshop, How to Fund Community Housing, below!
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Business & Credit Offerings
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Free Small Business Assistance
The CDP's Business & Credit program team is available for one-on-one technical assistance. If you have questions about managing your business or need support with programs like QuickBooks, the CDP is here to help!
Pam Andersen, Director of Business and Credit Programs, is available for free small business support over the phone or via video conference. Find a time that fits into your schedule so you can get the assistance you need to prepare your business for success!
Click the link below to schedule a 30 or 60-minute appointment!
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QuickBooks Online
How do you keep track of your business income and expenses?
QuickBooks Online by Intuit is a cloud-based financial management software designed to slash the time you spend managing your business finances.
This FREE three-part workshop series is a terrific opportunity for new QuickBooks users to get an introduction to the program, and for veteran users to ask questions and better understand the record-keeping process. Even if you are using a different method or program, see if QuickBooks Online is right for you!
Hosted by Crystal Mucci, owner of CRM Bookkeeping & Consulting and a SCORE Subject Matter Expert, and Jim Dannhauser, SCORE Mentor, to learn how to correctly set up and navigate QuickBooks Online.
Tuesday, January 11th, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Tuesday, January 18th, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
Tuesday, January 25th, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
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Virtual Instagram 101 Workshop with SCORE of Cape Cod
The Community Development Partnership and SCORE of Cape Cod are hosting the final session of their marketing workshop series.
Learn how to maximize your Instagram efforts to raise brand awareness, create new contacts, and increase your sales!
Thursday, January 20th, 9:00 - 10:30 AM
With Dale Shadbegian, Cape and Plymouth Business
After the session, the CDP staff will host a 30-minute Zoom call to answer questions, share ideas, and discuss how to apply what you learned to your business.
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Tools for Starting Your Food Business with the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
Are you interested in selling a food product or a value-added agricultural food product?
Join in a virtual walkthrough of the newly released Massachusetts Food Processors Guide. Resource topics include: Market Research, Scaling and Licensing, Food Safety Basics, Calculating Costs, and more!
Monday, January 31st, 6:00 – 7:30 PM
Where: Zoom or Hybrid in Eastham (TBD)
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The CDP continues to offer all trainings, workshops, technical assistance sessions, and appointments virtually.
We remain committed to serving our business clients and our community. Staff is working both remotely and from the office. While we are not taking in-person meetings at this time, we will continue to meet with clients via phone or video conference.
If you would like to schedule an appointment, please reach out to Pam Andersen at pam@capecdp.org or 508-240-7873 x18.
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Additional Resources for Businesses
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We have created a separate page on our website that is a compilation of resources for local businesses, including various SBA, unemployment, and other federal programs.
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If you or someone you know is interested in receiving weekly updates from our Business and Credit Program that are targeted to small businesses, please sign up for our Inside Scoop.
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