Upstream Fund Grant Opportunity
The Upstream Fund is an opportunity to amplify collective action and reduce barriers to accessing safe, healthy and stable housing through policy, systems and environmental change. This fund aims to invest in organizing and coalition building efforts that are geared towards advancing policy and systems change, within and across four areas of focus: anti-displacement; tenant protections; community control of land; and asset building.
The primary goals of the fund are to support:
Organizing and capacity building to increase stability for housing insecure and homeless residents;
Efforts that are community driven and community-centered;
Collaboration among organizations or groups and across neighborhoods; that
Work towards advocacy for policy and systems change.
The 2019-2020 funding cycle will distribute up to four, one-year grant awards totaling $600,000. Eligible applicants can request between $75,000 and $150,000 in grant support for a one-year project period. Awarded applicants will have the opportunity to apply for renewal funding for two additional years as the fund seeks to provide longer-term support for promising efforts towards policy and systems change. Investments will be made for two types of efforts:
Planning Funding: For Emerging Efforts: Up to $75,000 will be available for partnerships to support activities such as initial coalition building or planning processes that contribute to housing-related policy or system changes or outcomes. Emerging efforts can include newly formed partnerships or those that have worked together previously but are beginning a new policy or systems change effort across at least one focus area of the fund (see pg. 2). Proposals should reflect collaborative partnerships involving a minimum of three community partners. Efforts involving 6 or more partners are eligible to request the maximum amount allowed in this category.
Implementation Funding: For Advanced Efforts: Up to $150,000 to support activities that demonstrate a feasible path for policy change relative to the specific focus areas of the fund (see pg. 2). Proposals submitted should include activities that support implementation of an existing plan that has strong potential to enact a housing-related policy or systems change within two years. Proposals should reflect collaborative partnerships involving a minimum of three community partners. Efforts involving 6 or more partners are eligible to request the maximum amount allowed in this category.
Who is Eligible?
Massachusetts based non-profit 501(c)3 organizations are eligible to submit proposals. A lead agency without non-profit status must include a 501(c)3 fiscal sponsor. Partnerships must include at least one community group or organizing effort within neighborhoods that have been identified as priority areas as part of ISHI’s planning process – East Boston, Mattapan, North Dorchester and Roxbury. Lead applicants should have a history of leading organizing efforts, especially those focused on policy and systems changes.
For efforts that require regional and/or statewide partnerships (i.e. home rule petition or passing statewide legislation), the lead organization must be in Boston. Boston Medical Center, Boston Children’s Hospital, and Brigham & Women’s Hospital are not eligible to apply for funding.
Application Materials:
Information Session II: Online Portal and Budget Form
Held on Thursday, January 16, 2020
Information Session I: Proposal Process and Criteria
Held on Thursday, December 19, 2019
Need more help?
For questions regarding the application process, please contact Jamiah Tappin, Health Resources in Action, jtappin@hria.org, 617-279-2268, or schedule a 15-minute session.
For technical support to complete the online submission or upload documents, please contact: Emily Breen, Health Resources in Action, ebreen@hria.org, 617-391-9467.