Respond to my classmate discussion by
1. Identifying at least one other grant opportunity that would be
appropriate for your classmate’s nonprofit and why you believe
it would fit in with what you know about the nonprofit.
2. Discuss at least one challenge your peer might have with the
contract opportunity they chose.
Discussion 1 (Nicole)
Nonprofit: Helping Hands
Worth (2021) stated that “government funds comprise a significant portion of revenue
for the nonprofit sector” (p. 429). These funds, in addition to those pooled from other
sources, assist the nonprofit organizations in achieving their mission. The mission of
Helping Hands is to assist low-income families and individuals in our community to
achieve self-sufficiency. We aim to meet basic needs and provide workforce
development programs that empower people to improve their lives. Helping Hands
operates a food pantry and meal program to help meet the basic nutritional needs of
those facing food insecurity. We also offer job training classes, computer skills courses,
resume-building workshops, affordable childcare, and other educational opportunities to
equip people with skills to obtain employment and achieve financial stability. Our case
managers work closely with clients to set goals, access community resources, and secure
housing and employment. Through these integrated services, Helping Hands provides
struggling neighbors with the tools and support to become self-sufficient.
Grant
I found a grant opportunity from the Caring Communities Foundation that would be a
strong fit for Helping Hands. I came across this grant while researching family and
workforce development grants on the Foundation Center’s database. The Caring
Communities Foundation’s Grant provides thousands of dollars to nonprofit
organizations providing integrated services (CCF, 2023). This grant would be an excellent
match for Helping Hands for several reasons. First, our mission centers around
empowering low-income families and individuals to become self-sufficient, directly
aligning with the grant’s purpose. Second, the grant places priority on funding nonprofits
that offer a range of services related to education healthcare, the arts, and community
development. Our food pantry, job skills classes, childcare program, case management,
and other offerings provide the comprehensive support they want to see.
Government contract
I found a contract with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) that
aligns very well with the services and mission of Helping Hands. This is a contract for
Comprehensive Housing Counseling services, offered through HUD’s Office of Housing
Counseling (HUD, n.d.). This contract would be an excellent opportunity for Helping
Hands for several reasons. First, the contract is for nonprofits to provide free housing
counseling services to low- and moderate-income families and individuals, including
services like rental counseling, pre-purchase homebuyer education, and foreclosure
prevention assistance. Helping Hands’ mission focuses on empowering low-income
community members through workforce development and meeting basic needs –
housing being a fundamental need. Second, as part of our case management services,
our counselors already work to help clients find and maintain safe and stable housing.
We connect them with rental assistance programs, loan programs for home purchase,
and help navigate foreclosure or eviction issues. The HUD contract would allow us to
expand our existing housing counseling capabilities.
Impact of NPIC on Helping Hands
I believe there is a moderate risk that the NPIC could negatively impact Helping Hands’
mission given the funding sources I selected. The NPIC refers to the system of
relationships between nonprofits, government, foundations, and corporations that can
lead nonprofits to compromise their missions or drift away from social justice aims in
order to secure funding (Samimi, 2010). On one hand, the Caring Communities
Foundation grant I chose seems well-aligned to our mission of empowering low-income
families and individuals to achieve self-sufficiency. Its priorities match our programs and
target population. As Samimi (2010) would argue, this grant unlikely poses a risk of
mission drift. However, the HUD housing counseling contract does present some
concerns. Though it matches our services, HUD will control the terms which could
influence our housing counseling in subtle ways not fully in line with our broader
mission. Further, reporting requirements could divert our limited resources away from
other critical programs for our clients. Additionally, as a government contract, it risks
Helping Hands becoming reliant on this funding to keep our housing counseling program
going. This could make it hard to reject contract renewals even if terms change to be less
favorable in the future.
To mitigate these risks, it will be critical that Helping Hands maintain diverse funding
sources beyond just government contracts, including grassroots fundraising. This will
give us greater autonomy to stay true to our mission. We must also design controls to
track our mission and be willing to walk away from funding that threatens it. With
thoughtful safeguards, we can aim to avoid mission drift despite participating in the
NPIC funding system.
References
Caring Community Foundation (CCF). (2023). Our
purpose. https://www.ccfks.org/about/our-purpose/Links to an external site.
Samimi, J. C. (2010). Funding America’s nonprofits: The nonprofit industrial complex’s
hold on social justice. Columbia Social Work Review. 1. 17-
25. https://journals.library.columbia.edu/index.php/cswr/article/view/1967/939Links to
an external site.
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
(n.d.). Grants. https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/administration/grants/fundsavailLi
nks to an external site.
Worth, M. J. (2021). Nonprofit management: Principles and practices (6th ed.). SAGE
Publications.
Respond to my classmate discussion by
1. Identifying at least one other grant opportunity that would be
appropriate for your classmate’s nonprofit and why you believe
it would fit in with what you know about the nonprofit.
2. Discuss at least one challenge your peer might have with the
contract opportunity they chose.
Discussion 2 (Daniel)
Funding for Nonprofits: Hopeful Futures Foundation
Hopeful Futures Foundation is a human services nonprofit dedicated to preventing and
intervening in drug and alcohol abuse among children. The organization’s mission is: “To
empower children with the knowledge, skills, and support necessary to make informed
and healthy choices, preventing and intervening in drug and alcohol abuse to pave the
way for brighter and more hopeful futures.” The Hopeful Futures Foundation engages in
various activities, including educational programs, counseling services, community
partnerships, outreach, and advocacy, to achieve this mission. Additionally, when
government funding is insufficient for programs to respond to community needs and
provide services, nonprofits often rely on foundations to fund their activities (Samimi,
2019).
One grant opportunity that aligns seamlessly with Hopeful Futures Foundation is the
Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) offered by the
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis (SAMHSA). The purpose of this
program is to implement screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment services
for children, adolescents, and adults in primary care and community health settings,
focusing on screening for underage drinking, opioid use, and other substance use
(Grants.gov, 2023). Given our commitment to educating children about the risks of drug
and alcohol abuse and fostering community connections, this grant presents an excellent
opportunity to enhance and expand our existing programs.
Identifying a government contract opportunity that aligns with our mission, we came
across the National Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement offered by
the Department of Health and Human Services. This contract aims to enhance
community well-being by supporting organizations that provide health and wellness
services. Considering our focus on addressing the well-being of children through
educational programs and counseling services, this contract offers a strategic avenue to
amplify our impact. It aligns with our core services and provides the financial support
needed to extend our reach and address the specific needs of children affected by
substance abuse.
SBIRT and the National Child Welfare Center for Innovation and Advancement align
seamlessly with the Hopeful Futures Foundation’s mission and activities. The grant
emphasizes educational empowerment, mirroring our commitment to raising awareness
and equipping children with the knowledge to make informed decisions. On the other
hand, the government contract supports community health and wellness services,
directly complementing our counseling and support programs. These funding
opportunities not only enhance our financial capacity but also provide support to
advance our mission of preventing and intervening in drug and alcohol abuse among
children.
The nonprofit industrial complex (NPIC) poses potential challenges, but the selected
grants and contracts are well-aligned with the mission of the Hopeful Futures
Foundation. By strategically choosing funding sources that support our core activities,
we mitigate the risk of undue external influence compromising our mission integrity.
However, it is crucial to remain vigilant and uphold the organization’s autonomy,
ensuring that financial support enhances our ability to empower children rather than
dictating the direction of our efforts.
By diversifying funding sources and strategically selecting grants and contracts, the
Hopeful Futures Foundation can fortify its mission of preventing and intervening in drug
and alcohol abuse among children. The SBIRT and National Child Welfare Center for
Innovation and Advancement contract provide financial support and align closely with
the organization’s core activities. This strategic approach ensures that the nonprofit
remains steadfast in its commitment to empowering children and fostering brighter and
more hopeful futures while navigating the complexities of the nonprofit industrial
complex.
References
Grants.gov. (2023). TI-24-010 Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment
(SBIRT). https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/350448Links to an external site.
SAM.gov. (n.d.). Contract
opportunities. https://sam.gov/opp/bce3dcbd67274346911c54cc7296f67d/view#descr
iptionLinks to an external site.
Samimi, J. C. (2019). Funding America’s nonprofits: The nonprofit industrial complex’s
hold on social justice.Links to an external site. Columbia Social Work Review, 8(1), 17–
25. https://doi.org/10.7916/cswr.v8i1.1967Links to an external site.
Worth, M. J. (2021). Nonprofit management: Principles and practices (6th ed.). SAGE
Publications.
