Community Development Partners, LLC. is an administrative and financial management consulting firm that was incorporated in 1994 by three individuals who have extensive Community Development Block Grant experience in both application preparation and project administration.  These persons, Ms. Betsy Wigington, Ms. Mattie Cushman and Mr. Evan Sanders, have over 60 years of combined experience in grants management. 

Qualifications and Availability of Key Personnel

Community Development Partners, LLC. (CDP) has a staff of five Project Managers and two technical support personnel who have extensive experience in administering Community Development Block Grant projects.  If selected to prepare and administer your CDBG Project, the persons that would be involved in implementing the project are:

                        Ms. Betsy Wigington

                        President

                        BA Urban Sociology, MCRP Town Planning

                        30 Years Grants Management Experience

            Mr. Evan Sanders, Jr.

            Vice President of Project Management

            BA Business Administration

            18 Years Grants Management Experience

            Ms. Mattie J. Cushman

            Vice President of Marketing

            MA Public Administration

            22 Years Grants Management Experience

CDBG Application Preparation Experience

Over the last several years, the key personnel that formed Community Development Partners, LLC. have developed and prepared over 250 Community Development Block Grant applications in Mississippi and Tennessee.  Ms. Wigington, Ms. Cushman and Mr. Sanders have had an extremely high CDBG application funding rate of over 80%. 

CDBG Administration Experience

Ms. Wigington, Ms. Cushman and Mr. Sanders have all had extensive experience in administering CDBG projects.  From FY 1994 to FY 2006, these individuals have professionally managed and implemented over 190 CDBG projects.  The types of CDBG project experience include: sewer line extensions, sewer system improvements, water line extensions, water system improvements, fire protection, health clinics, street improvements, drainage improvements, housing rehabilitation and industrial development.

 Scope of Services Available

The services that are proposed to be provided will include the application preparation and the project administration of the City/Town's CDBG Project.  CDP will provide the following services: Application Preparation, Environmental Review Record, Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity Requirements, Financial Management Requirements, Property Acquisition, Labor Standards Requirements, Project Files Management and Close-Out Requirements, where applicable, Housing Rehabilitation Management Services will be provided. 

Project Familiarity

The partners of Community Development Partners, LLC. have worked with numerous communities in Tennessee and Mississippi on various public facilities and housing projects.

Along with the above mentioned information solicited in the City’s request for proposals, there are other qualifications which outline the experience and background of the principals of Community Development Partners, LLC.

1.      The partners of Community Development Partners, LLC. had the experience of implementing a contract with the State of Tennessee Housing Development Agency to assist in the development of not-for-profit organizations. This contract was to assist these organizations in applying for, and administering, state and federally funded programs to further the development of new and innovative housing initiatives across the State of Tennessee. 

2.      Ms. Betsy Wigington, a partner with Community Development Partners, LLC., contracted with the Tennessee Housing Development Agency to provide technical assistance to HOME administrators and potential administrators on the family’s role in the rehabilitation of their homes. 

3.      Ms. Cushman and Mr. Sanders previously worked with the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development and were responsible for rating and ranking CDBG applications, as well as providing technical assistance to communities receiving CDBG funds. 

4.  Ms. Cushman previously worked with the Mississippi Department of Economic and Community Development Program with extensive work in the CDBG Program.

Other Staff

Vangela Gooch, Senior Project Consultant

Lynn Manning, Senior Project Consultant

Sarah D. Vanoy, Assistant Project Manager

Jackie Smith, Office Manager

Mary Smock, In-House Assistant