Based on ongoing conversations with nonprofit partners, community leaders, and individuals in need, CFHZ will continue the Community Stabilization Fund into 2021 for at least the first six months of the year. The original intent of the fund was to provide a vehicle for coordinated investment in our community on behalf of our Community’s Endowment resources and the resources of other local donors who chose to partner with us. The fund was designed to act swiftly, to be flexible as new information arises and be targeted in its use across the various areas of need. The fund also takes into account the range of other supports that have come from public and private sources into our community. The CFHZ Board of Trustees recently approved an additional $225,000 of Community's Endowment resources into the Community Stabilization Fund. It will continue to focus on the following priority areas for investment with the possible addition of public health as opportunities arise:

1) Financial Stability - Preventing people from slipping into poverty - primary strategy is focused on stabilizing ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) households, in particular by helping keep people in their homes through rent payment assistance and home foreclosure prevention. 

2) Financial Stability - Continued basic needs supports - primary strategy is providing basic needs support targeted to those who haven’t (or won’t ever) receive the federal stimulus financial supports.

3) Health - Increase mental health and substance abuse services - primary strategy is scaling up existing mental health and substance abuse providers to be able to serve more people and reach different audiences.

 4) Education - Mitigating the education opportunity gap -  primary strategy is to provide extra resources to support those students who are likely to fall the furthest behind on their educational journeys as our model for learning is being forced to adapt in real-time. 

CFHZ will also continue to listen closely to and participate in community conversations focused on public health with opportunities to support vaccine distribution efforts. The addition of public health is a reflection of the increased prevalence of Covid-19 cases in the Holland/Zeeland area in recent months and the challenges that presents short term particularly as it relates to vaccine deployment in our community.

CFHZ staff will review initial applications and conduct outreach if we need additional information regarding any details of your application. The Distribution Committee will then review and make funding recommendations to the Board of Trustees for approval. Funding decisions will be made based on which applications present the best opportunities to advance the stated goals and priorities of the fund where dollars can be put to use quickly. If you have had previous experience with our Competitive Grant Program, this process is intended to be simpler and to move more quickly given the unique and urgent challenges our community is facing at this time.

Rolling application deadline for all issue areas. CFHZ will accept applications on a rolling basis through Friday, May 28, 2021 at 5:00 PM. Applications will be reviewed approximately every 6 weeks, and we will notify applicants on the status of their applications at these intervals.

Please contact Yah-Hanna Jenkins Leys at yjenkinsleys@cfhz.org if you have any questions.