Opportunities
The Regional Foundation invests in non-profit entities engaged in resident-driven community development activities. For example, current and former grantee partners include, but are not limited to, community development corporations, healthcare institutions, municipal level planning non-profit agencies, and creative placemaking organizations.
The Regional Foundation encourages applicants to consider their plan scope in breadth and depth when requesting funds. Expenses may include staff time, consultants, community outreach and organizing costs, resident stipends for steering / advisory committee membership, meeting expenses and related costs.
Our Priorities
- Fall within our 62-county service area;
- Geographic and demographic diversity – rural, small town, small city and dense urban areas.
- Center resident-driven process and the building of community leadership throughout the course of the investment, from start to finish;
- Support wealth creation and neighborhood stabilization in communities that have experienced historical disinvestment and experience concentration of poverty;
- Support for place-making, place-keeping, and anti-displacement efforts through community development tactics;
- Feature collaborations with allied organizations, government entities, and other institutions to support long-term buy-in.
- Inclusion of newer, smaller, historically underinvested BIPOC-led initiatives in underinvested rural, urban, or other geographies.
Funding Opportunities
Neighborhood Planning Grants support the creation of neighborhood plans that address root causes of inequality and address any number of community development priorities including but not limited to affordable housing, workforce development, human services, commercial corridor initiatives, environmental justice, transportation, and education.
Comprehensive neighborhood planning initiatives typically address several development domains; however, the foundation recognizes that smaller, more targeted plans may be a catalyst for long-term neighborhood health and resiliency.
The foundation supports organizations in their capacity to define “neighborhood” as they see fit, regardless of population density—rural, suburban, small town, small city and large city neighborhoods are eligible to apply.
Requests may be made between $50,000 and $125,000 for a period of 12-18 months.
Grants typically culminate in the delivery of a written plan, detailing the process by which the plan was developed with the community, and outlining strategies for future plan implementation with partners.
Neighborhood Planning Applicant Resources
Click here to access definitions and additional resources.
This opportunity is currently closed.
Neighborhood Implementation Grants support comprehensive community development projects that target specific neighborhoods.
The community development project is typically based on a resident-driven neighborhood plan and is used for program costs only. It doesn’t provide funding for deficits, general operating costs, or bricks-and-mortar capital development.
The foundation typically provides five years of funding, up to two rounds per organization (total 10 years implementation funds).
This opportunity is only open to current grantee partners at this time.
Program-Related Investments (PRIs) are low-interest loans designed to support organizations as they pursue equitable community development initiatives. For the 2025 PRI cycle, the Regional Foundation will make available low-interest bridge loans to current Implementation 1 and 2 grantee partners to address ongoing and emergent challenges related to government funding. Bridge loans will help organizations continue essential community programs and services by covering delays in government (federal, state, local) contracts, or grant payments that support programs, services, staff time, or other operating expenses.
There is $900,000 available in total. Loan requests may be made between $25,000 – $200,000 for a term of up to two years. The borrower will pay interest at a rate of 2% per year from the date on which the loan is disbursed until the principal has been repaid in full. The foundation offers flexible repayment options, and the loan can be repaid at any time prior to maturity without penalty.
To view the full Request for Proposals (RFP): Word version | PDF version.
Timeline
The opportunity opens on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 10:00AM. Requests will be accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis. Once the funds are fully committed, we will notify all grantee partners.
Eligibility Requirements:
- Current Regional Foundation “Neighborhood Implementation” grantee partner. (Implementation Grant must be active at some point in 2025)
- Applicant does not have a current loan with the foundation
- Must produce fully executed copy of government grant or contract
- Loan will be used to cover delays in government payments that support programs, services, staff time, or other operating expenses.
Ineligible Requests
- Bridge loans for real estate projects
- Bridge loans for delays in payments from non-government agencies
- Inquiries from organizations without active Implementation Grant awards.
How to Apply
To initiate a loan request, please contact Program Officer, Samantha Mogil, by email (smogil@regionalfoundation.org) or by phone (215.563.6878). Following the initial inquiry, organizations will be invited to submit a brief written application through the foundation’s online grants portal, SmartSimple.
Information Session
To learn more about the Regional Foundation’s Bridge Loan Program, an informational zoom session will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025 from 12:00PM – 1:00PM EST. Click here to register.
Questions
Please contact Samantha Mogil, Program Officer, at smogil@regionalfoundation.org.
Capacity Strengthening Grants are designed to support current grantee and program related investment partners aiming to address specific opportunity gaps in their organization’s planning, staff well-being, operational or governance structures, and longer-term holistic investments. Requests may be made up to $50,000 for a period of 12-18 months.
For the foundation’s 2025 cycle, this grant program will support the organizational capacity of immigrant and refugee-serving organizations. Grants will support direct programmatic and operational capacity as it relates to enhancing or expanding services to the immigrant and refugee communities being served in strengthening their capacity and enhancing the quality of services, they offer to their immigrant communities. We will gladly accept a collaborative application that supports two or more of our partners. The total request must still add up to $50,000.
- Opportunity opens: Monday, March 24, 2025
- Opportunity closes: Monday, April 21, 2025
- Award range: up to $50,000
- Total funding available $200,000
- Award timeline: 12-18 months.
To view the full application: Word version | PDF version.
Timeline & How to Apply
The opportunity opens on Monday, March 24, 2025 at 10:00AM. Current grantee and program related investment partners will receive an email to login and apply through our grant management portal, Smart Simple, which will go live on March 24, 2025 at 10 am EST. Proposals are due in full on April 21 11:59 pm. Proposals will be reviewed, and decisions will be made by May 26, 2025.
Eligibility
Current Regional Foundation immigrant serving grantee or program related investment partners may apply (*Those with an active grant in 2025). Eligible organizations include those offering housing or legal assistance, English language education, workforce development, and/or other direct critical services to immigrant and refugee community members. The opportunity aims to support these organizations and their communities’ unique challenges in the context of shifting national policies on immigration and refugees.
(Immigrant and Refugee-Serving Organizations – These organizations may not always explicitly identify as serving immigrants and refugees, yet they play a crucial role in supporting their integration. This includes those offering specialized services like English as a Second Language (ESL) classes, citizenship preparation, and legal assistance. It also includes organizations situated in neighborhoods with large immigrant and refugee populations, which, by providing general services such as housing, healthcare, education, and workforce development, naturally support these communities. These organizations are essential in promoting inclusive communities and ensuring equitable access to resources and opportunities for all residents.
Examples of Eligible Capacity Strengthening Activities:
Program Capacity – as it relates to immigrant and refugee-serving programs:
- Enhanced and/or expanded investment in core organizational infrastructure to enhance service delivery. and operational efficiency to better serve their constituents.
- Enhanced and/or expanded language and legal and related services.
- Community organizing, policy advocacy or coalition-building training.
- Development or refinement of diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and belonging practices to better serve immigrant and refugee population and/or staff within organization.
- Storytelling, communications, and marketing to support narrative
- Staff and team development activities, including coaching (team retreats, mental health supports and wellness stipends.)
Operational Capacity – as it relates to immigrant and refugee-serving operations:
- Fiscal scenario planning, real cost operating analysis, and fundraising planning.
- Enhanced database, evaluation, or other related technology.
- Other enhanced or expanded operations needs (e.g. funds to support expanded program services-related overhead like rent, or staff time.)
Capacity grants do not support:
- Ongoing operations, programs, activities or requests to replace existing funding sources.
- Capital infrastructure projects.
- Sponsorship of events for organizational promotion.
Proposal Evaluation:
- How clearly the proposal defines how the work enhancement or expansion will serve the immigrant and refugee communities of the neighborhood
- Alignment of budget with proposed activities
- Clear timeline for expenditure of funds to support programs and/or operations.
- Priority given to organizations whose leadership and staff reflects the communities being served.
Information Session
To learn more about the Regional Foundation’s Capacity Strengthening Grant Program, an informational zoom session will be held on Monday, March 24, 2025 from 12:00PM – 1:00PM EST. Click here to register.
Questions
Please contact Isel Otero-Vera, Program Officer, at iotero-vera@regionalfoundation.org.
In the event of a crisis, Regional Foundation partners can reach out to us to request support for an emergency, unforeseen, time-sensitive, urgent need that has arisen within their organization or focus neighborhood.
Responsive funds will be disbursed only for unforeseen circumstances that are tactical or strategic to the organization. These may be of a policy nature, or may include an emergency, disaster, critical emergent change to needs of community and/or operational unforeseen need.
Unplanned circumstances (e.g. “we did not get the grant we hoped to receive”) are not eligible. These short-term funds will be turned around within 1 week of request to support the organization in beginning to address the moment at hand. Requests may be made up to $25,000, for a 12-month term.
Examples of eligible requests:
- Natural disaster direct impact on the organization’s neighborhood of focus.
- Emergent policy issue that puts community members at immediate risk.
- Identification of urgent, unforeseen organizational need: e.g. sudden leadership transition, legal needs, other disruptive or catastrophic event.
Responsive grants do not support:
- Ongoing operations, programs, or activities.
- Requests to replace existing sources of funding.
- Sponsorship of events for organizational promotion.
Eligibility
Current or former (2020 to present) Regional Foundation grantee (or a collaborative partner) or program related investment partner.