VOLUME 6, OCTOBER 2007

"As a small family foundation that had such a wonderful experience with WCP, we struggled with how to share it", remembers Deirdre Wilson Garton, Chair of the Wilson Foundation. The board underwent a comprehensive strategic planning process and adopted a four-phase plan, the end goal of which is to dramatically increase the number of homeless families graduating from transformational housing programs, to improve the quality of the programs themselves and, ultimately, the wide-spread adoption of transformational housing as a proven solution to family homelessness.

To meet these goals, the Wilson Foundation decided they needed evidence-based research in order for their work to achieve the greatest impact. The Foundation is sponsoring a study of the effectiveness of various housing services in helping low-income families achieve stability and self-reliance. This study has three components: a retrospective study about WCP, a longitudinal study with WCP residents, and a cost study all of which combined will show what the right combination of housing and services works for which kinds of families and whether it is cost effective.

"We decided to do significant research because we wanted to put our money where we can have impact across domains" explains Wilson Garton.

As a result of the studies, the Foundation would like to influence policy and help others replicate WCP. Ideally they hope to reduce the incidence of family homelessness and increase support for supportive housing.

"(Research) is a slow process. We are absolutely sticking with it, but we have to be patient. We believe that even a small family foundation can have an impact if you can be patient" says Elenore (Nelli) Garton, Board Member. To combat disinterest, the Foundation maintains frequent communication with board members keeping all apprised of and engaged in what is going on. "People want to see results" says Garton, "It is hard not seeing funds going to the most emergent crisis. However, patience and persistence will allow us to have greater impact. We have come to the conclusion that this way we will have a bigger impact on a smaller area of focus."

Wilson Garton thinks her father, Joe Wilson, would approve of their approach, recalling him having said, "People often overestimate what they can do in the short term, and underestimate what they can do in the long term."

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