Redwood Community Action Agency

Lloyd Throne has been the Executive Director of RCAA since 1985. In that time it has grown to become one of the region's largest and most diverse social service agencies, offering nearly 160 programs in seven main divisions, and employing some 200 people on an annual budget of $17 million.

A host of social and economic challenges face RCAA as it strives to increase personal well-being and empowerment. Per capita income in Humboldt County stands at a little less than 80 percent of the national average, and 30 percent of children under the age of five grow up in poverty. Affordable housing is a challenge as income fails to keep pace with the price of homes, and a widening income gap between the top 20% of households and all others threatens to make this problem worse.

A glimpse of representative programs and services gives a sense of the broad range of activities the organization is involved in and the strategies used to meet community needs. The Redwood Community Action Agency:

• provides emergency shelter and case management services to homeless families;
• helps welfare recipients overcome barriers to employment;
• operates three thrift stores;
• implements projects that integrate natural resource stewardship with community and economic sustainability;
• owns and manages property in order to provide affordable housing;
• provides loans to low income families for home repairs;
• offers a first time homebuyers program;
• provides insurance enrollment services;
• helps weatherize and insulate homes;
• conducts lead-based paint inspections and does licensed removal work;
• administers Community Development Block Grant programs;
• offers crisis intervention, delinquency prevention and transitional living services for youth;
• operates a street outreach program for disenfranchised youth;
• contracts to distribute food stamps;
• promotes and partners in quality mentor programs;
• administers AmeriCorps and VISTA programs.

Keeping such a broad spectrum of programs afloat is a major challenge, particularly since many programs reflect the long-term commitment RCAA has made to clients and community. A unique aspect of RCAA is the approach it has taken to maintain fiscal health. Over ten years ago, RCAA decided that developing an asset base would be one way to avoid the economic difficulties many non-profits face. RCAA currently owns some 80 buildings, as well as cars, trucks and equipment.

This institutional philosophy stems from Lloyd Throne's belief that businesses provide a model of operational rigor and responsibility for non-profits. "I haven't seen too many non-profits close down because they operate ineffective programs. More often it's because of financial irregularity. The house needs to be in order." When Lloyd talks about building equity within the organization, he sounds more like a banker than a nonprofit director. The key, however, is that assets are linked directly to the efficient delivery of services needed in the community.

"Eureka has a two percent vacancy rate," says Lloyd. "We have low-income people who go to work every day, husband and wife.They play by the rules and they still can't afford first month, last month and security deposit. So we made the decision that we would get into property management, providing affordable housing." In this case, providing affordable housing not only meets an obvious need, it also allows RCAA direct access to a population often able to benefit from additional services.

"This approach has worked for us," he cautions, "but it might not work for somebody else. Every community is different, has a different feel to it, and has different political and social networks."

Those political and social networks have helped RCAA generate community support and understand needs; they have also helped RCAA track and anticipate policy and funding shifts. As Lloyd says, "When Washington sneezes, we get pneumonia." RCAA program directors often sit on other boards and advisory groups, and strive to have a broad base of connections in order to understand and anticipate changes in their fields.

Sun Gnome Madrone, co-director of the Natural Resources Services (NRS) Division has a plaque on his office wall that acknowledges his prowess as a "Great Hunter of Contracts." Over the years Natural Resources Services has shifted focus from construction and watershed restoration to current opportunities in planning, consultation, and community coordination. This has been possible due to a staff of highly motivated and dedicated individuals in NRS. Through his broad network, Sun Gnome has become an expert in contract services in the natural resources field. He and his coworkers have been able to "read the tea leaves," keep RCAA employees at work, and further institutional goals to integrate resource stewardship and community economic opportunity.

RCAA also regularly works with Humboldt businesses. Close contact with local business people provides a barometer to assess community spirit and need. Engagement with the business sector highlights another major component of RCAA's long-term success. This is its willingness to collaborate and get involved in partnerships. RCAA regularly partners with agencies and municipalities, businesses, schools, non-profits, and other community initiatives. Collaboration brings on a host of challenges and is a time-consuming endeavor, but it brings clear rewards. "Partnerships take a lot of time.They don't happen over night. But it's too complicated to do things all by yourself these days," says Lloyd.

RCAA's management structure reflects its mission. RCAA's board is composed of five people representing low-income citizens, five from the private sector, and five selected by county government. This diversity at the board level has allowed a broad spectrum of committed citizens to be actively and regularly involved in setting direction and assessing success. It has been a key ingredient helping keep the collective RCAA ear to the ground and focus on the task at hand. It's a structure that holds the promise of offering Humboldt County benefits from the next twenty years of RCAA programming.