The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program (FWEP):
- Was founded in 1984 to help at-risk youth in Houston's Fifth Ward
- Provides support services to around 250 African American and Hispanic males ages 12-19
- Faces challenges including lack of funding, staffing, and local media coverage
- Would benefit from a more effective communications model to increase awareness and support
1.) background, situation analysis, core problem statement
1. Background
The Organization itself: Fifth Ward Enrichment Program (FWEP)
− A nonprofit organization
− Found in 1984 by Joe Briggs, Rudy Wagner and Ernest “Mr. Mac” McMillan
− Objectives
• Keep youths off the streets
• Deter gang activity
• Prevent chemical dependency
• Prevent teen pregnancy
• Help young males become productive members of the workforce
• Promote future employability
• Help students stay enrolled in school and reach graduation
− FWEP has a staff of 12 workers
• Charles Savage runs the program as Executive Director
− FWEP also has a Board of Directors with 12 members
• Al Calloway is the Chairman
− Primarily male staff
− Serves approximately 250 at-risk African-American and Hispanic males (ages 12-
19)
− Provide Fifth Ward youth with 20 support services
− School-based adolescent males
− Located at Fifth Ward Multi-Service Center in Houston
− Programs are also offered at 5 schools located in the northeast quadrant of the
Houston Independent School District
Environment
− Urban
− Economically depressed neighborhood
− Primarily single-female head of households
− Violence (gang violence, etc.)
− Drug abuse
− High crime rates
− High teen pregnancy rates
− High truancy
− High dropout rates (middle school and high school)
2. − Low income
Services and Programs
− School-Based Projects
• A FWEP Project manager teams with one of the five HISD schools to
offer the young men several programs, such as mentoring, tutoring, life
skills, leadership development, entrepreneurial skills and community
service
− Teen Enterprise Center (TEC)
• An after-school program that develops the young men’s entrepreneurial
skills (teamwork, self-discipline, product quality and customer service)
− Parent and Family Liaison (PFL)
• This program aims to create a strong parent support system by mentoring
the parents and families of the young men
− Peer Health Educators
• This program aims to educate the high school males on reproductive
health
Promotions
− Heart of Houston Awards Luncheon
• FWEP created this award to recognize individuals who are committed to
helping the city and people of Houston
• Annually given out for the past 14 years
− Sporadic articles in the Houston Chronicle
− Affiliated with United Way
− More national media recognition than local media
− Coverage on a previous fundraiser with HCC
− Tweets with My Fox Houston and My Fox Houston anchors
Market Share
− Financial
• Government grants
• United Way
• Fundraisers
• Corporate contributions
• Personal contributions
− Good financial reputation
3. Competition
− None in terms of the services that FWEP provides
• No competition for applicants
− Competition with other nonprofits that receive funding from the state and federal
government
− Competition with other programs that receive funding from United Way
Resources
− Facebook, YouTube channel, Twitter (and other social media)
− Government grants
− Fundraisers
− Corporate and personal donations
− United Way partnership
− Newsletter
− Speakers (both former FWEP members and speakers not affiliated with FWEP)
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weaknesses
− The only program that is providing the services − Not enough funding
that it does − Lack of staff
− Program has a 96-98% success rate (which − Lack of openings for applicants
includes the young men graduating from high − Lack of local media coverage
school) − Not enough public awareness within
• Graduation rates are increasing the Fifth Ward on what FWEP does
• Dropout rates are decreasing − Lack of family involvement
− Good relationships and repertoire with other
organizations
• Center for Disease Control
• Houston Food Bank
• The Center
− Good reputation (including financial
reputation)
− Increasing number of applicants
Opportunities Threats
4. − Providing services to young males that no other − State and federal government budget
program provides cuts
− Connect with other organizations and secure − Bad economy
more sponsorships − Lack of staff/volunteers
− Working with large recognizable organizations − Lack of (physical) space
− Social Media − Cooperation with HISD schools
Public Profiles
− Existing Corporate Contributors
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, because they are willing to give monetary donations
o But donating personal time (volunteering) is an issue
• Influentials:
o CEOs, board members, community service representatives
• Self-interests:
o They want to have a good reputation within the Houston
community
o They have a ‘donations to nonprofits’ quota to fill
− Existing Personal Contributors
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, because they give monetary donations
o But volunteering can become an issue depending on their other
commitments (work, school, family, etc.)
• Influentials:
o Church leaders, school administrators, peers, community leaders,
city board members
• Self-interests:
o Looking to add to their community good will/reputation
o Looking to build public support
o Looking to add to their positive reputation
o Looking to add to their resume
− State Government
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, they are supplying FWEP with grant money
• Influentials:
o Houston council men and women
o Voters
• Self-interests:
o Looking to build their cities positive reputation
o Looking to build community goodwill
5. − Local Media
• Current Relationship:
o Nonexistent, only sporadic local new stories on FWEP and
programs/events they do
• Influentials:
o Advertisers, competitors
• Self-interests:
o Looking for a story that will sell or get the ratings
− Houston/Fifth Ward Community
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, in terms of the people who know about the program; they
view this program as giving back to the community
o But there is still a large group of people within the community that
doesn’t know about FWEP
• Influentials:
o Teachers and school administrators, parents, church leaders
• Self-interests:
o Looking to make the Fifth Ward a better neighborhood
o Looking to decrease some of the violence and bad activities within
the community
− Current Program Applicants
• African-American and Hispanic at-risk males, ages 12-19, that come from
single-female head of households that Houston’s Fifth Ward
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, many current applicants have reapplied to the program
numerous times
• Influentials:
o Previous FWEP members (who have gone on to become successful
men), FWEP employees, church leaders, families, peers, teachers
and school administrators
• Self-interests:
o Looking to increase their chances of having a better/successful life
− Potential Program Applicants and Families
• Current Relationship:
o Positive, they have more applicants than room in the program
• Influentials:
o Parents, teachers and school administrators, church leaders
• Self-interests:
o Looking for help right now and in the long run
6. − Potential Corporate Donors
• Current Relationship:
o To be determined
• Influentials:
o CEOs and board members
• Self-interests:
o They want to have a good reputation within the Houston
community
o They have a ‘donations to nonprofits’ quota to fill
− Potential Personal Donors
• Current Relationship:
o To be determined
• Influentials:
o Community leaders, church leaders, city leaders, CEOs and board
members, council men and women,
• Self-interests:
o Looking to better their reputation/community goodwill
o Looking to add to their resume
7. Situation Analysis
Found in 1984, The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program offers amazing opportunities for at-
risk African-American and Hispanic males between the ages of 12-19. Located in Houston’s
historic Fifth Ward, the FWEP has become a haven in an otherwise economically depressed
neighborhood.
Unfortunately, the FWEP has been unable to sustain a communications model that
continuously tells their local key publics what the program is accomplishing.
If an effective communications model is not sustained, then the program is at risk of
losing local media attention, new donors and awareness within the Fifth Ward. However, if the
FWEP is able to sustain an effective communications model, the program has the opportunity to
gain local media attention, new donors and more awareness which will in turn allow the FWEP
to offer more to the young men they help.
Core Problem Statement
The Fifth Ward Enrichment Program has been unable to sustain a communications model
that continuously tells their local publics and local potential publics what FWEP is doing.