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Please reach out to Sheila Toto, Senior Program Officer
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Community Foundation-Sponsored Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program for Food Security
Overview
The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts (CFWM) has partnered with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to administer the CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (“CDBG-CV”) Food Security Program in Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counties.
This funding is enabling CFWM to direct vital resources to support low to moderate income households throughout our three-county area who are facing food insecurities as a result of COVID-19. Our goal is to partner with nonprofits in our region who provide valuable services to individuals and households living below 80% of the applicable area median income.
What We Seek to Fund
Funds are intended to support public service food security programs demonstrably affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Activities must meet applicable CDBG-CV requirements, which includes that a public service must be either:
- A new service; or
- A quantifiable increase in the level of a service above that which has been provided as a result of Covid-19.
- There must be documentation that the public service prepares for, responds to, or prevents the impacts of Covid-19.
- This requirement is intended to prevent the substitution of CDBG funds for recent support of public services by the grant recipient using local or state government funds.
Grant Range
Most grants awarded will fall in the range of $25,000 to $200,000. Grants outside of that range may be considered, pending discussion.
Program Timeline
Contracts to commence on September 1, 2022.
All funds must be expended by March 31, 2023, with final submission of all financial and reporting documentation no later than June 30, 2023.
Funds may be used for:
Public services to address food security needs related to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. This could include food, labor, supplies, materials, and other costs required to run a food provision program such as rent, utilities, salaries, administrative costs, etc.
Grantees will be able to utilize up to 10% of funding for administrative purposes so long as it is tied to the provision of the service provided.
Funds may NOT be used for:
- Real estate purchases and/or property capital improvements.
- Gift cards or direct cash assistance.
If an applying organization has already received ARPA funds, they may also apply for CDBG funding as long as there is no “Duplication of Benefits.”
HUD defines a Duplication of Benefits as occurring when a person, household, business, government, or other entity receives financial assistance from multiple sources for the same purpose, and the total assistance received for that purpose is more than the total need for assistance.
The CDBG funds must be used to address a different need, or if the CBO can demonstrate that other funding sources were grossly insufficient funds to address the total need.
Qualifications for Project Participation
Organization Type:
Nonprofit organization with current IRS designated 501(c)(3) status working in the food security space will be eligible to apply for these grants.
- Priority consideration will be given to food banks, food pantries, food delivery/pickup programs, food/meal packaging programs, and other programs working to provide food to needy households.
- We will also consider organizations whose primary intent is providing food to the needy, that do so by benefiting restaurants, servers and other workers, food suppliers, and farmers.
**Organizations that are fiscally sponsored would need to be approved by the state. Please contact Sheila Toto to discuss.
Geography: This funding is to benefit services delivered in the cities and town in Hampshire, Hampden and Franklin counites.
Funds to Benefit:
Applying organizations must be able to demonstrate the following:
- Have a history of serving those experiencing food insecurity in Franklin, Hampden, and/or Hampshire counties. These organizations include food pantries, meals programs, farm to pantry programs, or organizations that package meals for low income and non-English speaking populations living up to 80% area median income (AMI).
- Have a history of serving low-income and non-English or limited English speaking and historically under-served communities.
- Have a history of serving populations whose economic hardship has been exacerbated by COVID-19
- Can demonstrate that their numbers served have increased due to the pandemic
- Have the ability to conduct outreach to identify individuals and households that qualify for assistance; and
- Have the ability to collect demographic data on all project beneficiaries and report this information monthly to CFWM.
Funding Conditions
Funding is available monthly provided an invoice of projected or actual expenses is submitted. In both circumstance documentation will be required to substantiate expenses.
Reporting on the status of the program and demographics of program beneficiaries is required.
Project Evaluation
The pool of applications will be evaluated in the following areas:
- Eligibility: CFWM staff will consult with the Massachusetts Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD) to verify that projects submitted are eligible for CDBG funding and meet the terms and conditions of this grant program.
- Serve region: We will seek to support programs in all three counties and do not duplicate services.
- Program readiness: Ideal programs will be ones that can be implemented starting in September 2022.
- Ability to report: Preference for organizations that have an established system to capture and report project beneficiary data.
Application Timeline
We are utilizing a two-stage application process. An application may not move past the first stage, Letter of Inquiry.
June 13 – July 1: Stage 1 – Letter of Inquiry.
July 15: Decisions on Letters of Inquiry applications.
August 1 at Noon: Stage 2 – Due date of additional application materials for those requests moving beyond Stage 1.
August 19: Notification of funding decisions.
Forms
Sample Management Services Contract
CDBG Self-Certification of Income Form
