Two volunteers paint a wall while one smiles at the camera

Building Possibilities for the Under-Resourced

2021 Community Initiatives Annual Report

2021

A year of resilience, optimism and possibilities

The resilience of our community partners continues to inspire.

Through another challenging year, issues around the growing economic divide are front and center more than ever. The organizations we partner with to improve the lives of our economically under-resourced neighbors continue to adapt and push forward in their missions.

DPR is proud to play a small part in tackling these issues through a strategic community vision, Building Possibilities for the Under-Resourced, built on Three Pillars of skills-based volunteering. DPR’s community task forces enter 2022 with loads of optimism and full slates of initiatives to support our partners. In doing so, they form the philanthropic cornerstone to DPR’s larger Global Social Responsibility efforts.

When we work together to help our communities rise, we all win.

Community Initiatives Leadership Team: Angie Weyant, Cari Williams, Diane Rossini, Diane Shelton, Gavin Keith, Greg Sherman, Lina Nageondelestang, Mike Humphrey, Rodman Marquez, Stacy Groomes, Tim Hyde, Whitney Dorn

BY THE NUMBERS

2021 Outputs and Outcomes

graphic image illustrating Three Pillars of Skills-Based Volunteering

Building Possibilities for the Under-Resourced

Through Three Pillars of Skills-Based Volunteering

THREE PILLARS

Skills-Based Volunteering


We listen to and collaborate with our community partners to identify how we can help them move forward in their missions through our Three Pillars of skills-based volunteering.

PILLAR 1

Facility Construction and Renovation

In 2021, DPR made facilities improvements that enabled community organizations to maximize their impact.

$1,200,000 worth of volunteer construction and renovation projects were completed.

73 renovation projects delivered increased capacity, flexibility and safety for nonprofit partners.

92% of nonprofit partners surveyed said DPR’s renovation projects strengthened a sense of pride of place for staff and clients.

Image of a completed renovation project
Image of two volunteers painting a room
Left image is a worker replacing a ceiling tile.  Right image is three girls laughing/
Knowing that we have a partner like DPR, who stays in touch and wants to know how they can help throughout the year, brings us a sense of security. Without their support, we would have a harder time maintaining our physical facilities and meeting our funding goals.

Second Story, Reston, VA

Facility Renovations

We have a limited facilities staff, DPR has been our go-to partner for facility improvement projects and advice. Under current COVID conditions, this relationship has been vital.

Boys & Girls Clubs of San Dieguito, CA

Construction Consulting and Renovations

Girlstart's building suffered extreme damage during the historic storm in February. The building flooded and was left unsafe for staff to enter. DPR responded immediately and provided all repairs and remodeling so staff could return safely and summer camps could continue as planned.

Girlstart, Austin, TX

Emergency Storm Damage Repair

PILLAR 2

Career and Education Guidance for Youth

In 2021, DPR created and delivered construction education and career programs for under-resourced youth.

1,500 under-resourced youth participated in DPR’s construction and career education initiatives, in-person and virtual.

1,200 hours were volunteered to develop and implement learning modules.

100% of partners surveyed said DPR’s education programming expanded youth’s confidence in their potential for success.

Image of children wearing hard hats while building a model structure on a table.
Image of a neon sign that reads Strong, Smart, Bold.
Image of volunteers working with children at a table
Youth indicated that the session improved their self-confidence and gave them tangible areas for growth. The DPR team was kind, supportive and provided mentoring during the challenging time of the pandemic. 

Boys & Girls Clubs of New Jersey

Youth of the Year Finalist Training Sessions

The Virtual Chopper Tower Challenge was a GREAT project! The DPR Event with our middle schoolers was creative, engaging, and impactful.

Girls Inc. of Alameda County

Chopper Tower Challenge session on Zoom

Skills, experience and talent can play a role as much as education and many skill-labored jobs are needed and pay well. One career shared was operating a drone for building and inspection purposes. Who would have thought there was a job like that!?

Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida

She Builds Career Panel

2021

Build Up High School Internship

Construction management internship for under-resourced high school students

25 high school summer interns worked on major construction projects.

320 was the average number of hours each intern worked during the full-time, eight-week internship.

Many former Build Up interns are entering the College Intern and Recent Graduate hiring pipelines. Learn more about the internship and applications here.


“The internship opened my eyes to other careers and showed me skills I already had but never considered helpful in the field. It also taught me skills I won't learn from a textbook.” -2021 Build Up Intern

PILLAR 3

Operational Support for Nonprofit Partners

In 2021, DPR built relationships with community organizations and helped strengthen their operational capacity.

56 partner organizations were supported through board service, professional skills training and other operational support.

10 professional skills modules were led by DPR’s L&D team for our nonprofit partners, including Building Great Teams, Crucial Conversations and the Enneagram.

95% of nonprofit partners said DPR’s skilled volunteer time has positively impacted how their organizations function.

Image of two volunteers building a picnic table.
Image of two girls working at a table.
Image of a volunteer working with children in a classroom.
DPR team members have been instrumental in serving, advising and standing alongside our organization for many years. DPR is able to utilize the power of their strong connections to do physical projects as well as support our mission financially.

Future for KIDS, Phoenix, AZ

Board Service, Youth Education, Facility Renovation

The Building Great Teams series was exceptionally impactful and beneficial for our organization. Our staff is now significantly more adept at collaborating, communicating, and setting KPIs to ensure that we're able to impact the lives of girls across Texas. 

Girls Empowerment Network, Austin, TX

Professional Development for Staff

DPR's representation on the HANDY board … has given our youth/programs the opportunity to be exposed to new ideas and experiences that they may not have previously shared. It has increased staff and participant confidence, as exposure to new experiences allows individuals to believe in themselves and how they can self-advocate.

HANDY Inc., Fort Lauderdale, FL

Board Service, Youth Education, Facility Renovation

THE DPR

Foundation

The DPR Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, has supported organizations that build possibilities for under-resourced youth in grades K-12 for 15 years.

During this time, the Foundation has provided nearly $12 million in unrestricted grants to 69 organizations. Collectively these organizations have supported thousands of youths in our communities, providing them with skills, options and encouragement to succeed.

100% of grantees have strategic outcome goals that are reported on annually.

100% of grantees have recruitment, training and collaboration plans in place to maintain or develop staff and board member teams that reflect the diversity of their clients.