Via International
Forging paths to sustainable development
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Poverty, economic instability, negative health indicators, low educational attainment and a deterioration of community are at the core of a decline in quality of life and overall well being in our communities. While we can’t solve all of these problems, we have started by organizing the communities in which we work to begin to identify the basic needs and strategies that can be implemented for individuals to build the capacities necessary to achieve long-term improvements in these various areas of their lives. We work in multiple low-income and migrant neighborhoods along the US-Mexico border to address issues brought about by displacement, family separation, deportation, migration and fragmented community such as economic instability, housing insecurity, food insecurity and the negative health impacts associated with all of these things.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Via Migrante
Via Migrante supports populations impacted by migration through holistic, multidisciplinary programming in partnership with shelters and grassroots advocacy groups in Tijuana. Through this program, we offer participatory leadership programs including mental health, nutritional, economic, and entrepreneurial trainings; offer resources, support services, and guidance for migrants in Tijuana seeking asylum; and provide support and guidance to shelter leaders to develop entrepreneurial businesses. As a result, migrants are able to access tools and confidence to make new lives for themselves and their families while networks of shelters and community groups strengthen their capacity to serve.
Via Go
Via Go connects emerging leaders with community partners throughout the world through immersive travel experiences. Through this program, we operate immersive travel programs for universities, high schools, and other groups; design immersive educational agendas for U.S. based groups and individuals; and maintain a global network of sustainable grassroots community development organizations. As a result, U.S. based program participants of all ages develop leadership skills and connect with a robust international network of sustainable community development organizations.
Via Baja
Via Baja invests in under-resourced communities, especially women, with holistic and multidisciplinary programming in partnership with grassroots groups in Tijuana. Through this program, we provide community-based nutrition and ecology trainings; organize micro credit groups and facilitate loans for training graduates; and provide leadership training for community leaders, predominantly women. Through this program, women - especially migrants and single mothers - access financial independence, self-reliance, family health, food security, and family financial security in the Colonias of Baja California.
Via Barrio
Via Barrio supports activists, artists, and advocates in historic Barrio Logan with capacity building and organizational structure to achieve social change. Through this program, we lead community organizing initiatives with local Barrio Logan leaders; participate on local boards and with local leadership of Barrio Logan community groups; and support co-operatives to launch new small businesses. As a result, activists, artists, and advocates access resources and structure to advance their work towards social change and economic development. Barrio Logan thrives.
Where we work
Awards
Health and Nutrition Program Award 2007
International Community Foundation/Fundacion Internacional para la Comunidad
Social Ventures Finalist 2003
Yale University
Prize for Sustainability Finalist 2008
Rio Tinto Alcan
2013 U.S.-Mexico Cooperation & Innovation Award 2013
Wilson Center, COLEF, ASU
External reviews
Photos
Videos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of Facebook followers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of trips provided
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Young adults
Related Program
Via Go
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Decreasing
Context Notes
In 2020, due to COVID, most of our trips were cancelled.
Number of international sites visited at least once
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adolescents, Young adults
Related Program
Via Go
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of Instagram followers
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults
Type of Metric
Other - describing something else
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of people on the organization's email list
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Number of local service events
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Related Program
Via Baja
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
The metrics in 2019 and 2018 correspond to mural restorations and beehive builds. Because of COVID, we were unable to hold any service events in 2020.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Via International is a community empowerment organization working to build self-reliance in individuals and communities through programming centered on personal capacity building. We work with and in communities along the U.S.-Mexico border, identifying gaps and responding to needs related to basic quality of life indicators: health and wellness, food security, economic stability, and social belonging (i.e. creation of stable and supportive community networks that bolster strong families/individuals). Our goal is to build capacities at the individual and community level so each and every person can contribute to positive change in their own lives and in their community.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
We consider outreach to be a process of human development, approaching community development one person at time. By working with individuals to understand their issues of concern, we can empower them with the resources they need to accomplish their goals (i.e. improved health, economic stability etc.). In many cases, their most important resource is each other. This is one reason our model is effective. Through programs centered on health, wellness, food security and economic stability, we encourage community members to both rely on each other and be self-sufficient. The focus on self-reliance produces proactive people who take the initiative to actively improve their well-being, as they contribute to the community. Our outreach model has community members take a leadership role in organizing and educating their community. The outcome is the development and self-realization of personal capacity that has profound impact on the participant, their family and the broader community.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Via is a binational organization, working since 1975 uniting and nurturing small grassroots initiatives, incubating ideas and stimulating action in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Via's expertise lies in developing relationships at the grassroots level and listening and responding to the needs of the community. It has also allowed us to develop trust within the community. Our programming continually shifts to meet the needs of the community, but has one overarching purpose: developing the capacity of the individual to have positive, long-term impact on the whole. Our leadership has been in place for over 25 years and our organization has a great deal of trust and credibility in communities on both sides of the border.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
In the past 30 years we have provided thousands of children and mothers basic nutrition, health and organic gardening instruction and environmental education classes. This has led to extensive relationships in schools and networks of community/school gardens. Annually we have loaned $2.1 million to small, mostly home-based businesses that demonstrate their growth through improved education of their children and home improvements as well as the growth of their businesses. Via has expanded community leadership capacity through three program: Formation and Education, Arts/Resolution/Engage, and Engaging Agents of Change, inspiring hundreds of community members to participate, design and lead community initiatives. Via has also hosted many thousands of students from around the globe, and partnered with many corporations in immersive border education, and community volunteerism, supporting CSR goals and service learning objectives.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We take steps to get feedback from marginalized or under-represented people, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We act on the feedback we receive
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Via International
Board of directorsas of 02/10/2023
Elisa Sabatini
Via International
Term: 2023 - 2023
Andrew Morikawa
Advisor
Nancy McGehee
Advisor
Elisa Sabatini
President, Via International/Interim Chair
Dr. Elizabeth Reed
Advisor
Amy Komorowski
Secretary
James Gerber, PhD
Member
Tom Melchior
Member
Roxane Helstrom
Member
Karen Cebreros
Member
Valerie Russell
Member
Toni Holmes
Member
Raquel Palma
Advisor
Walter Ludlow, CPA
Treasurer
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
The organization's co-leader identifies as:
No data
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
We do not display disability information for organizations with fewer than 15 staff.
Equity strategies
Last updated: 01/06/2021GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.