Strengthening Communities Fund

Posted by on June 15, 2009

The Federal Government recognizes the important work carried out by nonprofit organizations to address the needs of disadvantaged and hard-to-reach populations suffering economic hardships and intends to empower these organizations to be part of economic recovery through the new Strengthening Communities Fund.  The Strengthening Communities Fund is now available and applications are due July 7, 2009.  Please share this information with your list-servs, networks, and partner organizations. We apologize for any cross-postings.

The Strengthening Communities Fund

Objective: The objective of the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) is to enable nonprofit  organizations  to contribute to the economic recovery and help Federal, State, local, and Indian/Native American Tribal governments ensure that the information and services described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) reach disadvantaged and hard-to-serve populations.

Program Focus:  The focus of this program is to build the capacity of nonprofit organizations, whether secular or faith based, to address the broad economic recovery issues present in their communities, including helping low-income individuals secure and retain employment, earn higher wages, obtain better-quality jobs, and gain greater access to state and Federal benefits and tax credits, including ARRA benefits.

Grant Program:  SCF is made up of two separate grant programs.

1.       Nonprofit Capacity Building Program:  The SCF Nonprofit Capacity Building program will make one-time awards up to $1 million to experienced lead organizations to provide nonprofit organizations — or project partners — with capacity building training, technical assistance, and competitive financial assistance.  A minimum of 55% of the Federal funds awarded must be provided to project partners through a competitive process.  The grant period for this award is 24 months. To read the full program announcement for the SCF Nonprofit Capacity Building program visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2009-ACF-OCS-SI-0091.html

2.      State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program:  The SCF State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building program will make one-time awards up to $250,000 to State, city, county, and Indian/Native American Tribal government offices (e.g., offices responsible for outreach to faith-based and community organizations or those interested in initiating such an effort), or their designees, to build the capacity of nonprofit faith-based and community organizations to better serve those in need and to increase nonprofit organizations’ involvement in the economic recovery.  Grantees will use program funds to provide free capacity building services to nonprofit organizations and to build their own capacity to provide such services to nonprofits.  The grant period for this award is 24 months. To read the full program announcement for the SCF State, Local and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program visit: http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2009-ACF-OCS-SN-0092.html

For more information about this new program, visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/scf/

For recordings of technical assistance calls for potential applicants, visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/scf/online_training.html