Earlier this year, Ciudad Nueva went through the most comprehensive strategic planning process we have ever done in our 15-year history. We included six board members, six staff members, and three volunteers in the sessions, which were led by Bill Jackson of the C12 Group. You can read more about the process we went through and some the results in our post earlier this month. The sessions were so impactful for our organization and energizing for our staff and board members, we thought you might like to hear directly from them. Here are a few reflections from our participants: Bethany, … [Read more...]

Strategic planning is a lot like planning a big meal. First you need to decide who is coming, and then you need to purchase all the ingredients and supplies you will need to make the meal. Once that is all in place, it is imperative that you have a plan to complete your meal by the time your guests are ready to eat. Things might not always go as you plan, but without a plan, things are almost guaranteed to go wrong. Hopefully, if you have planned well, the results will be more obvious than all the effort. Everyone will focus on the great meal and the fellowship Strategic planning in the … [Read more...]

Strengthening the local community is the ultimate goal of everything that Ciudad Nueva does. We want our programs and efforts as much as possible to be owned by the community and to be sourced from within the community. We are constantly working toward this goal, learning from past experiences and from other non-profits who are doing work similar to ours. Sometimes we learn from our mistakes, but other times things seem to come together just like they are supposed to. These are a few examples of community-building efforts that have made a difference. Community Development Block Grant … [Read more...]

Ciudad Nueva exists to cultivate hope and empowerment for residents in our Rio Grande neighborhood. Our goal is to walk alongside members and help them find the tools they need to make their communities, their families, and their own lives better. There are times when outside help is necessary, particularly in crisis situations. However, we have learned over the years that finding solutions from within the community actually has a deeper, wider impact. And it serves to strengthen the group as a whole. Strengthening the local community is what we strive for in all our programs. Food … [Read more...]

Tell us your summer camp story and help send a kid to camp! We all have that one camp story that brings us to tears (whether good or bad), that story we remember like it happened yesterday. It might be something that shaped you into the person you are today. We at Ciudad Nueva build relationships with kids throughout the year during our after-school programs, and in the summer we take 75 kids to camp. We ask you to remember your camp story and join us to give our kids the chance to make their own camp memories. When you give towards our summer camp fundraising campaign, you are helping … [Read more...]