COFEM: Council of Mexican American Federations

A grant to conduct leadership training for leaders of hometown associations in the San Joaquin Valley.

The Council of Mexican American Federations (COFEM) was founded in 2002 as a way for diverse immigrant organizations to come together to address critical issues affecting the Latino immigrant community. COFEM unites more than 200 hometown associations—immigrant organizations with a common hometown as a bond – and promotes the advancement of the Latino community in North America through public policy advocacy, community organizing, leadership and organizational development, educational and cultural programs, and bi-national projects.

Counties Served:

Fresno
Kern
Merced
Stanislaus
Tulare

Total Award: $150,000

Program Details:
COFEM will adapt its successful PASO (Programa de Asistencia y Soporte Organizacional) program to develop the leadership skills and organizational capacity of 30 to 50 leaders from 10 or more hometown associations in the San Joaquin Valley. The leadership development program will be developed in two groups, with each group participating in three leadership institutes over a year-long period. The institute training topics will focus on leadership and related elements of organizational development.

Selection process:
COFEM will recruit federations and hometown associations in the San Joaquin Valley, prioritizing organizations that have nonprofit status or, in some cases, are in the process of obtaining nonprofit status. Applicants must demonstrate they have a committed leadership team of three to five staff and two emerging leaders willing to participating in this long-term and intensive program.

Target Launch Date: Early spring 2010

Website: http://www.cofem.org/

Project Contact:
Susana Bonis
sbonis@cofem.org
(213) 417-8386