Project List

 

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc. Visit website

NCMI is a 501(c) 3 non-profit corporation as well as a 509(a)3 support organization serving as the intermediary for domestic and international nonprofits and NGO’s affiliated with the Church of the Nazarene. NCMI collaborates with a network of 50 international non-government organizations (NGOs) in 150 countries around the world and with over 170 faith-based organizations (FBOs) in the United States developing humanitarian projects to address poverty and other humanitarian issues.

 

SAI staff members serve as the Global Resource Coordinators for NCMI, assessing local, country and regional capacity to develop and sustain humanitarian and development projects. This includes developing key relationships with US Embassies, strategic planning, funder/donor development, capacity building and sustainability. These efforts have resulted in a number of projects in the United States and internationally.

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Swaziland

NCM Swaziland is a new NGO formed in 2009 to carry out projects to address HIV/AIDS prevention, care, treatment and care of orphans. This includes Saving A Generation, Water for A Generation and the Community Linkages Project sub-award from CDC.

 

Saving A Generation

Saving A Generation is partnership between Swaziland Nazarene Health Institutions (RFM Hospital, 17 clinics and Nursing College), Nazarene HIV/AIDS Task Force, Bethany First Church of the Nazarene, Swaziland National Board of the Church of the Nazarene, New Hope Center, ACTS II Clinic, and Servant Forge.

  • Renovated 5 clinics and built or renovated nurses housing
  • Water at all Nazarene Clinics
  • Donated millions in medicines, medical equipment and medical services to SNHI
  • Trained 140 Home-Based Care Supporters
  • Expanded Home-Based Care Task Force from 1 to 4 regions
  • Developed Pediatric Standard Treatment Book

Water for A Generation

Water for A Generation is the Swaziland Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) funded by The Coca Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) to develop 50 solar water systems focusing on clinics that are decentralizing ART and TB care and treatment, schools, HIV Support Groups with garden projects, and orphan care centers. Visit the Water for a Generation page for more information.

  • Year One-15 solar water systems producing 26 million liters of water a year
  • 11 clinics, 7 schools, 4 agricultural projects
  • 4 chlorine dispensers to purify contaminated water containers
  • 15,000 people trained in health, sanitation and hygiene

Community Linkages Project

Community Linkages Project is a five year project to decentralize ART and TB care and treatment by mobilizing community assets and infrastructure to improve adherence and retention in treatment.

  • 9 clinics, 9 community outreach coordinators, 225 home visitors, 65% return of defaulters to treatment
  • 2,000 new patients referred for treatment.
  • Community Advisory Groups formed to address health hotspots
  • Developing a “Treatment as Prevention” mobilization strategy

 

Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Africa Visit website

NCM-Africa has been instrumental in mobilizing resources and developing initiatives to respond compassionately to the neediest people in the marginal and poor rural and urban communities. Throughout the 36 countries where the Church of the Nazarene is ministering in Sub-Saharan Africa, NCM-Africa has been developing such projects as community based health care, education and nutrition for children, agricultural training, disaster response and HIV/AIDS prevention and outreach programmes. Throughout NCM-Africa, we tangibly demonstrate the love of Christ – promoting and developing a compassionate lifestyle in those with whom we work.

 

Partnering to Restore Hope in the Horn of Africa

The drought in the Horn of Africa – the worse in 60 years – has had devastating consequences.  It has undermined agriculture, causing famine, impacting 12 million people. The political chaos in the country of Somalia has complicated global action to respond to the famine and provide desperately needed humanitarian relief.  Refugees pouring into Kenya and Ethiopia from Somalia have complicated an already severe health and safety crisis in those two host countries.  The City of Dadaab, Kenya originally established to handle 90,000 refugees from Somalia is now about 400,000 people with new camps emerging each week.  Right now Dadaab is the fourth largest city in Kenya.

 

SAI’s client, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, INC is identifying ways to respond to this current crisis. Cosmos Mutowa, Regional Coordinator for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Africa has challenged the denomination to raise $500,000 to initiate and be part of a global effort to respond to this crisis by providing water, sanitation, food, shelter, and services to protect women and children.  The famine requires an immediate response and swift action.  However, Nazarene Compassionate Ministries is committed to building capacity in its congregations and NGOs to address the systemic issues around health, education and safety. SAI, in our role as Global Resource Coordinators for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, INC., was asked to help assess the current capacity and opportunities for NCM-Africa to develop a response to this current famine and drought. 

 

Because of SAI's current work in Kenya with the Kenya Youth Employment and Empowerment Initiative, we began looking at Kenya resources and opportunities for collaboration in response to the famine.  We conducted a site visit to Garissa and then to Dadaab on August 4-6, 2011.  During these visits, SAI met with Kenya Red Cross, Food for the Hungry, UNICEF, UNHCR, Samaritan's Purse, CARE International, and OXFAM to assess what current efforts are focusing on, where the greatest need is, and what contribution our team could make to be most affective.  Base on these meetings, SAI is currently working with NCMI to finalize an action plan.  Part of this plan will include addressing both the current needs caused by the crisis as well as long-term capacity building to increase longer-term resilience among vulnerable populations.

 

Africa Nazarene University Visit website

SAI in its consulting relationship with Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, INC. is working with Africa Nazarene University in its role as Secretariat for the Kenya Youth Empowerment and Employment Initiative. Responding to a youth unemployment rate of 60 percent, ANU is focusing on job readiness and job creation. They are facilitating collaborations between business, faith communities, government and education. ANU is determined to stem the tide of violence and poverty by working with all sectors to employ youth. SAI on behalf of NCMI wrote a Global Development Alliance Grant to USAID. ANU is currently working under a $1.2 million matching cooperative agreement with USAID.

 

Kenya Youth Empowerment and Employment Initiative (KYEEI) Visit website

The Kenya Youth Empowerment and Employment Initiative (KYEEI) is an effort to prepare youth for the world of work and to facilitate job creation in Kenya. There, over 500,000 youth graduate secondary school each year with no marketable skills and no prospects for sustainable employment. This is contributing to the 11 million unemployed youth in a country where poverty is common and idle youth have been manipulated by conflicting tribal leaders into crisis situations of violence and crime.

This effort is funded in part by the U. S. Agency for International Development. Strategic Applications International through Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, Inc supports Africa Nazarene University (ANU) in their role as secretariat of the KYEEI. In this role, ANU brokers, facilitates, and mediates the work within each of the SEAs. They strengthen connections between key domain leaders; maintain regular communications between stakeholders and partners; and conduct all monitoring, evaluation, and reporting of the KYEEI.

 

Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) Visit website

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (the COPS Office) is the component of the U.S. Department of Justice responsible for advancing the practice of community policing by the nation’s state, local, territory, and tribal law enforcement agencies through information and grant resources. Community policing is a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies, which support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques, to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime.

 

COPS is a willing partner and has collaborated with SAI on many projects in a joint effort to enhance collaborative relationships between federal agencies.

 

The COPS Tribal Meth Initiative Training and Technical Assistance Project

The COPS Tribal Meth Initiative Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) Project will work with the twenty-five Tribal Meth Grantees, representing 36 Native American Tribes, to build their capacity to implement the three community policing pillars of Partnerships, Problem Solving, and Organizational Transformation to reduce methamphetamine production, distribution, and use. The Tribal Meth Initiative is an exciting opportunity to build the capacity and to impact the field more broadly as innovations and key learnings emerge.

 

Strategic Applications International’s (SAI) use of a culturally sensitive training and technical assistance model based on mutual learning, indigenous leadership development through the Tribal Meth Fellows, the formation of multi-disciplinary teams to problem solve key issues using community policing principles, and the use of a community-led assessment model provide the COPS Office with a powerful support system for the Tribal Meth Grantees. SAI proposes to use the role of data collection, monitoring and evaluation as an opportunity to train Tribal Meth grantees on cutting edge community-led research and evaluation methods to support their own efforts to understand the nature of the issues they are dealing with and to study the impact of their community policing interventions.

 

New England Methamphetamine Summit and Listening Post (2008)

The purpose of this 1-day meeting was to both identify the nature of the methamphetamine problem for law enforcement, prevention, and treatment in the New England states; and to examine promising strategies to stem the tide of this emerging drug abuse threat. The meeting was a “listening post” for federal agencies and an opportunity to provide current data profiles and trends of methamphetamine use in the region. Participants received tools and resources to enhance and support their capacity to respond in a comprehensive and strategic manner.

 

SAI facilitated the New England Methamphetamine Summit for the COPs Office and the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to assess and determine the level of methamphetamine activity in the New England States. SAI published a report and assessment of current methamphetamine activity and strategies for moving the region forward to enhance treatment and prevention activities.

 

Eight State Meth Initiative

Methamphetamine remains one of the most compelling and challenging problems facing America’s families and communities. The private and public sector, including local, state, tribal, and the federal government continue to face the social and economic consequences of methamphetamine use. The insidious reach of this drug engages more stakeholders and has led law enforcement to conclude that it is the number one law enforcement problem facing our nation. However, as with any challenge, we are also given an opportunity to rethink and redesign the ways in which different systems work together to produce positive change.

 

The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) of the U.S. Department of Justice places a high priority on reducing the impact of methamphetamine production, distribution and use nationwide. In partnership with prevention and treatment, the COPS office seeks to advance community policing practices that promote collaboration, problem solving and systems change. The COPS Eight State Combat Meth Initiative targets states where the Governor's Office commits to lead a statewide planning and implementation process to combat methamphetamine. Other federal partners include the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Visit website

The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. BJA supports law enforcement, courts, corrections, treatment, victim services, technology, and prevention initiatives that strengthen the nation’s criminal justice system.

 

Rural Law Enforcement Methamphetamine Initiative (RLEMI)

Despite progress made to reduce clandestine drug labs through precursor chemical legislation and Mexico’s restrictions on ephedrine, methamphetamine production, distribution, and use remains a widespread problem. Meth affects rural America in particular, taxing already limited and over-burdened law enforcement, treatment, and public health resources. In response to meth remaining the largest drug problem in most rural states, Strategic Applications International (SAI), in partnership with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U.S. Department of Justice, is launching the Rural Law Enforcement Meth Initiative. This initiative is funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

SAI's work on this project includes:

  • Hosting the National Rural Law Enforcement Methamphetamine Summit
  • Conducting on-site state assessments
  • Developing and implementing state-specific action plans
  • Technical assistance and training at the state and local level
  • Developing and Implementing a Webinar Series
  • Policy Development

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Visit website

Behavioral health is a component of service systems that improve health status and contain health care and other costs to society. Yet, people with mental and substance use disorders, because of their illness, have largely been excluded from the current health care system and rely on public "safety net" programs. Last year alone approximately 20 million people who needed substance abuse treatment did not receive it and an estimated 10.6 million adults reported an unmet need for mental health care. As a result the health and wellness of the individual is jeopardized and the unnecessary costs to society ripple across America's communities, schools, businesses, prisons & jails, and healthcare delivery systems

 

SAMHSA is a willing partner and has collaborated with SAI on many projects in a joint effort to enhance collaborative relationships between federal agencies.

 

The National Summit to Promote Public Health, Partnerships and Safety for Critically Affected Populations

The Summit was held November 16- 19, 2008 in Washington, D.C. in June 2007, the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) convened a planning group to provide input into the design of a national summit focused on methamphetamine use in the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community and strategies for addressing it on a national, state, and community level. Input from that original group was used as the foundation for a summit design. Based on additional input and guidance from SAMHSA, the critically affected populations selected for the focus of this national summit would be expanded to include justice-involved individuals, LGBT individuals, and women.

 

Strategic Applications International (SAI) facilitated the Summit and provided support in designing and implementing activities following the summit. These activities included Technical assistance and training to state action teams, development of a webinar series, and ongoing support for national and federal partners.

The National Methamphetamine Training and Technical Assistance Center Visit website

The National Methamphetamine Training and Technical Assistance Center (“National Meth Center”) was developed and launched to address methamphetamine abuse across the U.S. and to provide a clearinghouse of information and training about methamphetamine for all the stakeholders in the fight against this powerfully addictive drug. The National Meth Center serves equally all users from undercover narcotics agents to soccer moms worried about their family or friends.

 

Strategic Applications working in collaboration Dr. Priscilla Lisicich and Dr. Terree Schmidt-Whelan helped design and secure funding for the development of the National Methamphetamine Training Center (NMC). The Center is an effort to provide comprehensive, one-stop shopping for individuals, parents, organizations seeking to address the meth epidemic that has faced our country. The decision to locate the Center in Washington State where methamphetamine has long been an issue was to create a vehicle for technical assistance and training on the west coast where the methamphetamine problem has had its most serious impact.

Fighting Addiction Through Education (FATE) Visit website

Fighting Addiction Through Education (FATE) is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate the general public on substance abuse and addiction in Oklahoma and to significantly reduce the incidence of abuse and addiction in the state.  FATE partners with notable sport personality and engages them in educational efforts in middle schools, high schools and on college campuses.  FATE also spreads the word about substance abuse through the media campaigns, social networking, advocacy, and research.

 

SAI's team is working with FATE to strengthen strategic planning efforts, build organization capacity for a deeper impact, and support funder/donor development.

National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children Visit website

The National Alliance for Drug Endangered Children (NADEC) helps communities make a difference in the lives of children who are in danger because their parents or caregivers are manufacturing, dealing or using drugs. NADEC creates and sustains multi-disciplinary DEC alliances around the country. These alliances are supported by: connecting practitioners across disciplines to increase expertise and enhance their work with children and families; educating the public about this issue and ways to help; and advocating for funding and services to assist drug endangered children. In addition, NADEC hosts a National Resource Center with information on effective practices, recent research, frequent training opportunities, and an online training and technical assistance forum.

 

Strategic Applications International / Servant Forge supports NADEC by providing input to their program planning and design; improving access to and partnerships with federal and national organizations; facilitating a 27% expansion of their NADEC statewide alliances; as well as assisting in writing grants in support for their programs.

Oklahoma City First Church of the Nazarene Visit website

OKC First Church is a new client for SAI. We have facilitated and conducted an assessment for this congregation of nearly 1,000 Christian believers. The assessment focuses on their capacity to manage external funding from both private and government sources. OKC First Church of the Nazarene does innovative youth ministry, literacy projects and supports an international initiative in Zambia. Completing a new community center, SAI is working with the leadership of this congregation on how best to utilize their center for compassionate ministries.

 

Shepherd Community Visit website

Shepherd Community Center works with neighborhood youth and their families to break the cycle of poverty by cultivating healthier children, stronger families, and safer neighborhoods through supportive relationships that meet the physical, emotional, academic and spiritual needs of area residents.

 

A core set of programs make up a Continuum of Care, which is available to participants from birth through adulthood. The comprehensive services include emergency/basic services, preschool, after-school and summer programming, college access programming, family relationship programming, and job training and placement assistance.

 

SAI provides grant writing and technical assistance on program and project development for Shepherd Community. We broker and facilitate meetings with members of Congress and other federal agencies to secure support for Shepherd Community projects.

The Luke Commission Visit website

The Luke Commission (TLC) is a faith-based, non-profit organization operating in Swaziland since 2005. Dr. Harry and Echo (PAC) VanderWal work with a team of 15 highly-trained Swazis to deliver 40-50 comprehensive care clinics a year to 25,000 rural patients a year in a country with the highest HIV/AIDS rate worldwide. TLC provides basic medical care, counseling, testing, referrals and follow up for TB, HIV/AIDS, diabetes and hypertension, prescriptions, vision care and eye glasses, disabilities assessment sand assistive devices (wheelchairs, crutches and walkers), sponsored surgeries and long term care, delivering over 65,000 medical services a year.

 

SAI works with TLC to develop partnerships with the Ministry of Health, the US Embassy, USAID, CDC and other NGO’s delivering healthcare services in Swaziland to promote the role of TLC Comprehensive Care Clinics (mobile clinics) into the broader national strategy to decentralize HIV/AIDS and TB care and treatment. This includes the development of strategic alliances, grant writing, domestic and international fund development, a capital campaign to fund a new campus for TLC, communications and congressional relations.

 

Global Peace Festival Foundation Visit website

The Global Peace Festival Foundation celebrates and promotes the vision of One Family Under God through building interfaith partnerships, vibrant families, and a culture of service and peace. Their work in Kenya is focused primarily on the following: Rivers for Peace, Character Education, and the East Africa Peace Service Corps. Their goals are to develop these programs into sustainable organizations with strong community-based networks; foster a collaborative funding network of Kenyan and international sources; and ultimately, to make a difference in the physical, spiritual, and political landscape of Kenya.

 

In 2010, Strategic Applications International / Servant Forge conducted an organizational assessment of GPFF and is currently supporting their work by mediating and facilitating meetings with Kenyan and United States funding and partnering opportunities; exploring corporate and foundation funding; and providing technical and staff assistance to the Kenyan leaders driving the work.

Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) Visit website

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), a component of the Executive Office of the President, was established by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1988.

 

The principal purpose of ONDCP is to establish policies, priorities, and objectives for the Nation's drug control program. The goals of the program are to reduce illicit drug use, manufacturing, and trafficking, drug-related crime and violence, and drug-related health consequences. To achieve these goals, the Director of ONDCP is charged with producing the National Drug Control Strategy. The Strategy directs the Nation's anti-drug efforts and establishes a program, a budget, and guidelines for cooperation among Federal, State, and local entities.

 

National Media Campaign Visit website

The U.S. Congress created the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign in 1998 with the goal of preventing and reducing youth drug abuse across the nation. The Campaign is managed by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Grounded in research and implemented in collaboration with the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, the Media Campaign is a strategically integrated communications program that combines paid advertising with public communications outreach.

 

SAI founding partner, Jim Copple works with the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign to review public service advertising focusing on methamphetamine prevention and treatment. He has been a part of the expert panel providing commentary and recommendations for the development of many of ONDCP’s anti-drug media campaigns.

One Heart Many Hands Visit website

One Heart Many Hands (OHMH) connects volunteers to opportunities that make a measurable, important, and visual impact in communities. To date, they have engaged over 10,000 volunteers to repair and rebuild 650 homes and other outdoor spaces – improving shelter, safety, and the sanitation of homes where elderly, disabled, single parent, and low-income families reside. Some projects are designed around a convention on a specific date with thousands of potential volunteers participating at the same time. Other projects are completed by local volunteers over the course of several months. In either case, OHMH collaborates closely with local communities to coordinate activities where they will have the greatest impact. They work within the United States as well as internationally.

 

Strategic Applications International / Servant Forge is supporting OHMH by providing guidance on strategic planning so OHMH can realize their dream of opening a more permanent office in their most popular service areas. This support includes developing and implementing fund development goals, providing input on marketing and communications techniques, and connecting OHMH with high profile conventions with the potential for the most positive impact in our nation.

MidAmerica Nazarene University Visit website

MidAmerica Nazarene University is a comprehensive liberal arts university offering undergraduate and selected professional and graduate degrees. Sponsored by the North Central Region of the International Church of the Nazarene, the University is committed to serving the church and its global mission. As a Christian community in the Wesleyan- Holiness tradition, MidAmerica Nazarene University seeks to transform the individual through intellectual, spiritual, and personal development for a life of service to God, the church, the nation and the world.

 

SAI is conducting an assessment of MNU’s capacity to receive and manage external funding to support applied research. SAI will make recommendations to MNU to support public funding of critical programs within the University.

Beam Global Spirits & Wine Visit website

Beam Global Spirits & Wine aims to set the standard for tasteful, responsible marketing and advertising to legal purchase age adults who choose to drink. They have partnered with International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (IIAA) for the past five years, supporting events and programs that address underage and problem drinking. Beam Global Spirits & Wine supports the following activities through IIAA:

 

Not in Our House Visit website

Not in Our House is a campaign developed in partnership with the International Institute for Alcohol Awareness (IIAA), The Century Council a national not-for-profit organization, funded by America’s leading distillers dedicated to fighting drunk driving and underage drinking, and Scholastic, Inc., was launched in October 2006, in schools located in the nation’s state capitals.

 

A major goal of Not In Our House is to prevent underage drinking in settings where adults are hosting parties and/or providing alcohol. The program is intended to inform adults of the civil and criminal liabilities, and social hosting and/or providing alcohol to underage youth.

The primary target audience for this program is parents of 9th and 10th grade students. Other audiences are adult influencers like school administrators, 9th and 10th grade teachers, coaches, parent-teacher organization leaders as well as 9th and 10th grade students.

 

BeWise Visit website

BeWise is a multi-faceted program focused on preventing and reducing underage and problem drinking on college campuses. It requires university officials, law enforcement, local government officials, beverage alcohol retailers and others to act in partnership to reduce underage and problem drinking and create a healthy learning environment in which students will excel.

 

The BeWise program has recently implemented a webinar series as an expansion of the tools and resources available through the BeWise electronic toolkit.

 

Other Activities Include:

  • Development of campus coalitions to address underage and problem drinking on campus and in the community;
  • Implementation of a statewide summit to bring together campus coalitions and strategize a consistent approach to underage and problem drinking across the state.

Loving Accurately Ministries Visit website

Loving Accurately Ministries (LAM) has served the Indianapolis area since 1997. The vision of LAM is to create healthy pastors who will, in turn, create healthy churches that are able to fulfill their missional duty to the poor and oppressed. Their work is divided into two approaches: Strategic and Direct. Under the Strategic Approach, LAM builds strengthens Christian leaders who will lead their congregations into more missional activities. Under the Direct Approach, LAM partners with a network of grassroots organizations in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa for a comprehensive approach to those living with and dying of HIV/AIDS. This work includes a comprehensive, interactive experience that introduces Kwazulu Natal and shares the devastating impacts of HIV/AIDS to those living in the Indianapolis area.

 

In 2010, Strategic Applications International / Servant Forge conducted a two-day, in person organizational assessment. This included a written report with a comprehensive analysis of their operations as well as a complete list of recommendations, funding options, and considerations for program improvements. SAI is looking forward to support LAM in 2011 with their strategic planning and program development.