ICF PARTNERS WITH FINCOMUN TO UNDERTAKE COMMUNITY BASED NEEDS ASSESSMENT IN BAJA CALIFORNIA
ICF and its Tijuana, Baja California-based sister foundation, the Fundación Internacional de la Comunidad (FINCOMUN), have initiated work on a community based needs assessment and survey of nonprofit organizations in Northern Baja California. The needs assessment, which will include the communities of Tijuana, Mexicali, Tecate, Rosarito, Ensenada, Bahía de Los Angeles, and San Quintín, as well as the native and migrant indigenous communities throughout the state, is aimed at identifying priority needs in the areas of environment, health, community & economic development, education, social services (including family and children’s issues) and culture with the view of identifying opportunities for future funding by private, corporate, family, and community foundations on both sides of the border. A late July 2002 publication date is anticipated.

In support of the needs assessment, ICF and FINCOMUN have partnered with various local civic organizations to organize community forums with key civic leaders from the region including Ensenada 2025, Tijuana Trabaja, Consejo de Desarrollo Económico de Mexicali, Fundación La Puerta, and Consejo Empresarial de Rosarito.

The needs assessment is being undertaken thanks to the generous support of Sempra Energy, the Walton Family Foundation, Inc., The Alliance Healthcare Foundation, and student interns from UCSD’s graduate school for International Relations and Pacific Studies (IR/PS).