Clearwater ARPA Social Services Funding

Overview

Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF) and the City of Clearwater are collaborating to distribute American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to expand emergency housing and social services programming in Clearwater.

Phase I of this funding provided relocation support to the residents of the recently closed Capri Mobile Home Park. PCF has created an archive of information about Phase I.

Information about Phase II is below.

Funding Overview

Phase II will fund organizations providing services in Clearwater to support individuals and families with emergency housing and social services needs. Qualifying program areas include:

  • Housing
  • Food security
  • Dental care
  • Mental healthcare
  • Substance use
  • Services for individuals with disabilities
  • Aging services and support
  • Legal aid
  • Youth & families

Your organization may request between $50,000 and $325,000 with a maximum grant period of 24 months. A total of $650,000 is available for award. Your grant request should be proportional to your annual budget. You may request a 5% indirect cost rate, though this should be included in your total amount requested. Proposals that request the full amount should be able to demonstrate how the funding will have a significant impact on Clearwater residents in need. You may include minor equipment purchases in your request, but such purchases should have a clear connection to the programming in your proposal.

The selection process will consist of the following steps:

  • Letter of Intent (LOI): PCF will collect information about your grant request, including background about your organization, a grant spending timeline, programming description, and a preliminary budget.
  • LOI Committee Meeting: A committee of Clearwater residents and professionals will review qualifying LOIs to determine those most qualified to move forward. The virtual committee meeting will be open to the public, and applicant organizations will be invited to answer questions the committee may have. Organizations denied at the LOI phase will be eliminated from further consideration.
  • Full Proposal: Organizations approved at the LOI phase will complete a full proposal that will give more detail on the proposed programming and impact of the grant.
  • Full Proposal Committee Meeting: A committee of Clearwater residents and professionals will review qualifying full proposals and make funding decisions.

PCF will establish contracts with those recommended for award.

 

Eligibility

To be eligible for this opportunity, your organization must be a 501(c)(3) public charity that has had such status for at least two years at the time of application. You must be providing programming to residents in Clearwater.

Schools, hospitals, institutions of higher education, and government entities are not eligible to apply.

Grantmaking public charities that also operate programming may only apply for client-facing programs.

Nonprofits whose sole mission is to support another institution financially are not eligible to apply. The organization/entity being supported must qualify to apply.​

Award Amount

Your organization may request between $50,000 and $325,000. The review committee reserves the right to partially fund requests.

Funding Timeline

Letter of Intent submission period
April 12 – May 12, 2023, 11:59pm
LOI committee meeting
June 21, 2023, 9:30 am
Full proposal submission period for approved LOIs
June 26 – July 27, 2023
Full proposal committee meeting
August 31, 2023, 9:30 am
Contracting stage for awarded proposals
Early September 2023

Grant Payment and Reporting

Grants made through this process may be on a cost-reimbursement basis. PCF will have some flexibility in advancing payment for a portion of the grant award.

PCF will use verbal reporting for awarded grants. PCF staff will meet with each grantee to establish a meeting schedule and determine what types of information will be discussed at each reporting meeting. PCF staff will take notes which grantees will later approve.

Due to the public nature of these funds, PCF will still require invoices that document all expenditures on awarded grants. PCF staff will provide technical assistance on invoicing if needed.

 

We Can Help

Jocelyn Howard

Jocelyn Howard

Senior Program Officer, ARPA

Rebecca Hughes

Rebecca Hughes

ARPA Senior Program Manager

Application Process

Committee Meeting

The review committee for full proposals was held on August 31, 2023. Minutes will be posted soon.

Letter of Intent Meeting Recording

A committee meeting was hosted on June 21, 2023 to review Letters of Intent. A recording is now available.

Applications

Status Description
LOI Denied: The request was denied further consideration at the LOI stage
Proposal Denied: The organization’s LOI was approved, but its full proposal was denied
Withdrawn: The organization withdrew its request from consideration
Under Review:
The organization’s full proposal has been sent to the committee for scoring
Awarded: The request has been fully approved

Slight variations may exist between Letters of Intent and full proposals for approved organizations. The uploaded full proposals contain what will be reviewed and scored to make funding decisions.

OrganizationAmount RequestedStatusLetter of Intent (LOI)Application
360 Eats $ 118,226 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Adoption Related Services of Pinellas $ 63,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Suncoast $ 100,000 AwardedDownloadDownload
CASA (Community Action Stops Abuse) $ 300,000 AwardedDownloadDownload
Community Law Program $ 174,689 WithdrawnDownloadN/A
Dr. Traci's House $ 195,500 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
EmpowHERment $ 78,750 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
FEAST $ 73,403 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Feeding America Tampa Bay $ 97,138 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Florida Dream Center $ 50,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Goodwill Industries - Suncoast $ 60,000 LOI DeniedDownloadN/A
Gulfside Healthcare Services $ 50,000 LOI DeniedDownloadN/A
Healthy Start Coalition of Pinellas $ 140,320 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Homeless Leadership Alliance of Pinellas $ 315,900 WithdrawnDownloadN/A
Homeless Empowerment Program $ 325,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Hope Villages of America $ 150,000 AwardedDownloadDownload
House Of Mercy and Encouragement Foundation $ 50,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
Inspire Equine Therapy Program $ 75,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
Metropolitan Ministries $ 100,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
Neighborly Care Network $ 325,000 AwardedDownloadDownload
Pathway to Success Ministries $ 54,898 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Recovery Epicenter Foundation $ 325,000 LOI DeniedDownloadN/A
Safety Harbor Neighborhood Family Center $ 88,200 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
St. Petersburg Free Clinic $ 325,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
Suncoast Voices for Children Foundation $ 50,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadDownload
The ARC Tampa Bay $ 57,264 AwardedDownloadDownload
Up With Life Ministries $ 50,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A
Willa Carson Health and Wellness Center $ 50,000 Proposal DeniedDownloadN/A

Why is PCF using a Letter of Intent process?

A Letter of Intent allows organizations to express interest in the funding without having to complete a time-consuming full proposal. The LOI process then allows PCF to identify organizations that are best qualified for funding and invite them to submit a full proposal, creating a more efficient process.

Can my organization request funding for a new program?

Yes. However, your organization must demonstrate a very strong program design, including the outcomes you would measure and a clearly defined population to be served. If choosing between applying for a new program and an existing program, PCF would recommend you apply for the existing program.

What types of expenses are permitted?

While these funds are not general operating grants, PCF will allow a variety of program costs for direct services. Salaries and minor equipment purchases are permitted. Regardless of what you request, the strongest proposals will clearly demonstrate how these funds will impact your clients. If an additional staff member would strengthen your work, state the effect of that staff member’s presence on your team as it relates to your clients.

If your organization is going to claim the full indirect cost rate of 5%, the maximum direct award will be $308,750, with an indirect award of $16,250.

Will organizations be partially funded?

Review committees may consider partial funding, if they feel partial funding is the best use of resources. PCF urges applicant organizations to honestly address the impact that partial funding would have on their proposed programming.

How much can I request under this grant?

The request range is between $50,000 and $325,000.

My annual operating budget is smaller than the minimum grant request amount. Can I still apply?

Yes, though PCF strongly advises you speak with the Senior Program Officer to develop your proposal. It is unlikely that your organization would receive an award greater than $50,000.

I need financial assistance. Can PCF help?

PCF does not provide financial assistance to individuals. For assistance, you can dial 2-1-1 from your phone, or visit -1-1 Tampa Bay Cares.

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