FRAC: Strengthening Communities Fund Grant Opportunity 2009

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Funding Opportunity
The Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF)
Deadline for applications: July 7, 2009

Complete information available at the
HHS Strengthening Communities Fund Web page.

Objective: 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: 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.

SCF is made up of two separate grant programs:

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program: This program will make 34 one-time awards up to $1 million each 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.
Click here for the SCF Nonprofit Capacity Building program announcement.

State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program: This program will make one-time awards up to $250,000 each to 48 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. Click here for the SCF State, Local and Tribal Government Capacity Building program announcement.