Deadline: 3-Dec-20
The Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) and the SoMa Community Stabilization Fund (SoMa Fund) are pleased to announce the availability of up to $3 million for the acquisition and/or renovation of nonprofit owned space in the South of Market neighbourhood of San Francisco, with a focus on retaining and engaging historically-underserved communities.
This funding is intended for a facility or facilities that shall be owned by an organization that has demonstrated a deep and sustained commitment to serving SoMa. With this level of investment, an anchor institution can become a permanent foothold in the neighbourhood where it provides essential services, while explicitly expanding its reach to address emergent community needs with the resulting space.
Their goal with this offering is to support SoMa nonprofit service providers in securing high-quality, stable facilities. MOHCD’s Consolidated Plan articulates its priority to target amenities development to communities impacted by increased housing density.
The mission of the SOMA Community Stabilization Fund Community Advisory Committee is to stabilize the community and promote equity through funding recommendations and priorities that mitigate the impact of development. Its vision is that populations most vulnerable to displacement in SoMa (individuals, families, businesses that serve and employ them, nonprofit organizations, community arts, and educational institutions) are able to live, work and prosper in a neighbourhood that is safe and culturally and economically diverse.
Funding Information
- This RFP will provide up to $3,000,000 in total grant funding.
- The award will be set up as a one-time allocation through a two-year contract, starting as early as November 1, 2020.
- The final terms and conditions of the grant are subject to negotiation.
Focus Areas
Per the Fund’s Strategic Plan, investments are directed toward the following four areas:
- Housing
- Increase access to perpetually affordable housing opportunities for existing residents of SoMa;
- resident engagement and leadership development;
- services to provide information and preparation to successfully compete for affordable units;
- invest in acquisition, rehabilitation and/or development of land and property.
- Jobs and Income
- Community Cohesion and Neighborhood Communication
- Strengthen community networks and infrastructure to build neighbourhood unity, self-determination and equity in SoMa; Preserve the social heritage of the neighbourhood;
- Local nonprofit community infrastructure development;
- Neighbourhood culture and arts that preserve the existing social heritage of the neighbourhood;
- Fostering resident connections across culture and income.
- Physical Infrastructure
- Improve the infrastructure and physical environment of the neighbourhood;
- Rehabilitation, acquisition and/or development of community facilities;
- Improve public spaces and outdoor facilities to promote cohesion among diverse groups in the neighbourhood.
Eligible Projects
MOHCD will prioritize eligible projects from nonprofit organizations that:
- Serve and are deeply rooted in low- income and historically-underserved communities in the Castro neighbourhood;
- Clearly identify how new clients and/or audiences will be acquired and existing beneficiaries served effectively by the proposed space. This includes administrative or office space, with a focus on retaining or engaging historically-underserved communities;
- Demonstrate a track record of deep and sustained commitment to racial equity and inclusion;
- Demonstrate a commitment to providing services according to the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) COVID-19 safety guidelines. Project applicants must also demonstrate that designs will be implemented in accordance with DPH guidelines for social distancing and safety;
- Have secured recent public or philanthropic investment;
- Demonstrate support for their efforts from multiple sectors (e.g. partnerships with education, local businesses, excellence in volunteer engagement);
- Demonstrate evidence of planning to identify and mitigate financial risk.
Eligibility Criteria
Organizations are eligible to submit a grant proposal if they meet all the following criteria:
- The organization is (or has a fiscal sponsor that is) a nonprofit, public benefit corporation tax-exempt under Internal Revenue Code 501(c) (3) as a public charity. Note: MOHCD may make certain exceptions for 501(c)(4) and 501(c)(6) nonprofit organizations, as well as churches and religious organizations whose programming aligns with the charitable purposes designated for 501(c)(3) status and who welcome and serve all members of the community regardless of religious belief.
- The organization’s project site is located within the boundaries of the South of Market (SoMa) neighbourhood in San Francisco.
- At least 75% of the organization’s projected service participants are SoMa residents.
- The organization has demonstrated a sustained commitment to serving SoMa’s historically-underserved populations, particularly those represented by the neighbourhood’s cultural districts, for the last twenty years.
For more information, visit https://sfmohcd.org/community-development-funding-opportunities
