When we first started the Community Development Corporation of Oregon we interviewed dozens of organizations who were already providing services. We discovered a bewildering array. It seemed that the individual elements did not add up to more than the sum of their parts.

We mapped them on a continuum between relief and development. Then we looked at those services that were being done for our neighbors versus those that we do with our neighbors.

The vast majority of the resources went into relief for people.

While fewer of the efforts went into development with people.

Our strategy is to drive resources from the lower left hand corner to the upper right hand corner, which adds permanent, sustainable value to the community.