SAVI Online | Page 5

That’s what I’ve always loved about SAVI. It’s local, it’s really unique, and it’s such a valuable resource. — Kim Donahue What’s the other strategy that EMCC used to create a successful proposal? Collaboration. It identified partners that shared its goal of lowering the area’s crime rate. Such synergies are becoming critical elements of successful proposals. “Funders want to see more collective impact,” says Tammie Barney, executive director of TeenWorks, a youthemployment program in Indianapolis. “And they want to see that we’re working together. Because in a lot of cases, we may be serving the same individuals, but not in the same way. So they want to see that we’re talking to each other.” And there’s a bonus insight from EMCC’s experience: You don’t have to be an expert in SAVI to reap big benefits Director of Agency Services, United Way of Central Indiana from it. Hardy-Sellers said that SAVI is her “go-to source for statistical information,” but she hasn’t yet taken a SAVI class. She and her team plan to enroll in one soon, though, so they can “use it to its fullest.” But you can get started anytime by using the online training tool, and then “just start looking around in there,” Donahue says. “To have a resource like this devoted to Central Indiana is incredibly valuable. That’s what I’ve always loved about SAVI. It’s local, it’s really unique, and it’s such a valuable resource. That’s why I’d like to see more people using it.” 5