How the IMPACT Values Framework Shapes Grace Place CDC's Governance
By Jabaria Dent, Executive Director
Values statements are easy to write. They are hard to operationalize. Most organizations have a list of values on their website that bears little relationship to how decisions are actually made, how conflicts are resolved, or how accountability is structured.
Grace Place CDC's IMPACT framework was designed to be different. Each value — Integrity, Maturity, Passion, Accountability, Character, and Teachability — has specific behavioral expectations attached to it that govern how we operate at every level of the organization.
Integrity means that our financial reporting is transparent, our program data is accurate, and our commitments to partners are kept. Maturity means that we make decisions based on long-term organizational sustainability, not short-term opportunity. Passion means that we bring genuine commitment to the families we serve — not just professional competence. Accountability means that we report our outcomes honestly, including the ones that fall short of our targets. Character means that we behave consistently whether or not anyone is watching. Teachability means that we actively seek feedback, engage with data, and change course when the evidence calls for it.
For funders and partners, these values translate into specific governance practices: regular board reporting, audited financials, outcome-based program evaluation, and a culture of continuous improvement. For the communities we serve, they translate into an organization that can be trusted to do what it says it will do.
That trust is the foundation of everything we build.
Published by
Jabaria Dent, Executive Director
