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24 HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | JULY 10, 2023 How Non-Profits Can Navigate Capital Projects A s a mission-driven organiza- tion, your capital projects can expand much needed commu- nity services allowing you to scale up your impact. However, undertaking a facility construction or expansion can be unfamiliar territory to many non-profit organizations. e stakeholder land- scape, funding requirements, and resource demands of a non-profit capital project call for experienced partners and consultants that can help you navigate the construction process effectively. Considerations for Project Planning As a non-profit, your capital project will tie into your overall mission and strategy. Some of the key considerations include: • How does this project fit within your long-term strategic plan and vision? • What will the community you serve gain from this project? • What are the core objectives and overall impact you hope to achieve? • How will this project serve your long- term program goals and space needs? Once you've defined the project within the context of long-term program goals, the planning process can get underway. is may include a capital campaign strategy or a communications plan to inform donors of the project's prog- ress. ese can be important tools to maintain engagement throughout the process of funding, planning, and exe- cuting a capital project. Engaging a project design team can include architects, engineers, designers, and owner's representatives as suitable. ese partners, along with your con- struction firm, will help the physical project meet its program goals. Decision makers can look for partners that have established communications channels, such as real time project collaboration tools, and the experience to engage diverse stakeholders. For non-profits, prequalification of po- tential project partners should consider insurance and bonding capabilities, safe- ty ratings, established relationships with the local building department and sub- contractors, and procurement resources. First-Hand Experience from The Padre Pio Foundation In Cromwell, CT, expanding the Padre Pio Foundation's facility was often a topic of discussion amongst the non-profit's staff. Built in 1810, the old Victorian home housed the Founda- tion's gift shop, offices, support areas, and chapel, with little space to spare. As space became more of an issue for operations, Executive Director Julie Fitts Ritter and the Board of Directors started looking at options. A few solutions included splitting the Foundation's office space off into a new location or moving to a larger facility altogether. However, neither of these choices would provide the continui- ty that the Foundation needed. As a religious organization, the Padre Pio Foundation wanted to maintain its gar- dens and chapel for their patrons and followers who utilize the facility and its grounds as a sanctuary for prayer. e Board interviewed architects who could help with a possible third option: expanding the current facility. ey se- lected Peter Grasso (PFG Design Group) to explore an expansion to the Founda- tion's current location. PFG helped the Foundation clarify the potential design and navigate the zoning requirements for the renovation and addition. Once the addition was approved, the Foun- dation invited three construction firms to bid on the project, ultimately landing with Fortunato Construction Group. Construction in an Activated Space About three years from the start of ex- pansion discussions, the project broke ground in September 2021. Fortunato Construction Group began work on the addition while the Foundation was fully operational. While separated from the occupied spaces at the start, the con- struction work included building and connecting a three-story space adjacent to the original structure which created construction noise and debris. A key factor in minimizing disruption was to have a superintendent avail- able onsite every day, a requirement that the Foundation included in their CM selection criteria. is allowed the construction team to coordinate with the Foundation and any issues that affected the non-profit's operations to be corrected immediately. An onsite superintendent was also critical to ensuring the highest level of safety throughout the project. Non-prof- its who choose to remain operational during a construction project benefit from a CM with an excellent safety re- cord. is selection criteria will protect employees, visitors, and tradespeople while the project is active and result in an incident-free outcome. A company with an Experience Modification Rate (EMR) of 1.0 is not more or less risky than another company. An EMR below .9 demonstrates that a company is sig- nificantly safer than most. Another factor in the project's success was the turnover process, which includ- ed a one-year warranty period. Fortu- nato Construction Group completed a walk-through just ahead of the warranty expiration. is allowed them to identify any maintenance that could prevent po- tential issues. It also provided an oppor- tunity for the staff to convey any repairs or problems that needed to be addressed. Construction Budget Reconciliation As non-profit funding can have a mul- titude of sources, the right construction partner is critical to a project's overall success and reception. Managing a con- struction project with diverse funding sources can include tracking multi-tier subcontractor classification, integrating donor recognition displays, phasing the project, or meeting schedule milestones. As in the example of the Padre Pio Foun- dation, Fortunato Construction Group worked under a standard construction management agreement, aligning their interests with the Foundation's, and act- ing as advisor and constructor through- out the planning, design, and con- struction. As Construction Managers, Fortunato provides an array of precon- struction services, including budgeting and scheduling, 'right-to-build' services, design input, value engineering, and of course, comprehensive construction planning and execution. The Payoff for Padre Pio e increased space for offices and gift shop management has allowed the Padre Pio Foundation to hire more staff and work more efficiently. Where staff once shared offices between 3-5 people, the workspaces now allow for 1-2 desks and designated storage and workspace per of- fice. e sun filled lower-level functions as highly organized inventory storage for the gift shop and online store. e space has direct access to the parking area, making the workflow from delivery to order fulfillment a smooth process. "Our new space has allowed us to hire more people so we can continue the type of service that our benefactors de- serve," said Executive Director, Julie Fitts Ritter. "In turn, their donations allow us to help so many all over the globe." e addition nearly doubled the fa- cility's space and today the Padre Pio Foundation hosts its program within 20+ rooms across more than 10,000 sq ft. Its chapel remains a place of sanctu- ary, and the expanded workspaces have allowed the organization to focus on its mission: to spread devotion of Padre Pio by sharing his spirituality and teachings. FortunatoConstruction.com SPONSORED CONTENT