About Us

SELA COLLABORATIVE

OUR VISION: An informed, engaged and empowered SELA community. 

OUR MISSION: To strengthen the SELA communities, build collective power, and encourage innovation to drive regional systemic change.

The Southeast Los Angeles (SELA) Collaborative is a network of organizations working together to strengthen the capacity of the nonprofit sector and increase civic engagement in Southeast LA. Founded in 2011 by eleven core organizations, the SELA Collaborative seeks to revitalize the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon and Walnut Park.

The collaborative reignited in 2016, when Supervisor Hilda Solis and the Weingart Foundation organized a bus tour to better understand this historically under-resourced yet vital area of Los Angeles County.  Since then, the SELA Collaborative has completed a community-based strategic plan, engaged additional philanthropic partners like the California Community Foundation, the Weingart Foundation, and Ballmer Group, and resumed implementing the vision and strategic plan. The Collaborative will focus on three strategic areas: nonprofit capacity building, civic engagement, and data-driven research.

Today the SELA Collaborative is formed by Alliance for a Better Community, AltaMed, COFEM, East Los Angeles College, East Yard Communities for Environmental Justice, Families in Schools, First 5 LA, Hub Cities, Human Services Association, Pat Brown Institute at Cal State LA, Southeast Community Development Corporation and the Southeast Rio Vista YMCA.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is your service area?

Our Collaborative seeks to revitalize the communities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Florence-Firestone, Huntington Park, Lynwood, Maywood, South Gate, Vernon and Walnut Park.

Who are your core funders?

Currently, our core funders include the Weingart Foundation, Ballmer Group, California Community Foundation, First 5 LA, and Citi Community Development.

Are you a nonprofit or business?

We are a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing nonprofit capacity, promoting civic engagement, and driving data and research in the Southeast Los Angeles Region. We are fiscally sponsored by Human Services Association.

Can I do my internship with the SELA Collaborative?

Our Collaborative is currently providing volunteer opportunities to students from Cal State Long Beach via our partnership with the School of Liberal Arts. If you are interested in doing your internship with us, please contact us at sela@selacollab.org.

“It’s our hope that we’re able to improve the quality of life for the residents as well as build capacity for the small organizations located in our community.”