Jack Hopkins - Recover Forward Applications Now Being Accepted
DEADLINE EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 2 AT 12:00 PM
The City of Bloomington Common Council’s Jack Hopkins Social Services Funding Committee invites social services agencies serving the needs of Bloomington residents to apply for a special round of 2020 grant funding.
In August, the Bloomington Common Council approved Mayor Hamilton’s Recover Forward initiative, which included $200,000 in additional funds for Jack Hopkins grants in 2020. As part of the City’s broader Recover Forward efforts, the Committee intends to award the funds by the end of 2020, prioritizing projects that allow agencies to provide direct relief to clients for: 1) food, 2) shelter/housing, 3) personal safety/hygiene products/personal protective equipment, and 4) childcare.
Special Application Process for Jack Hopkins – Recover Forward Funding Cycle
- For agencies that applied during the Spring 2020 Jack Hopkins funding cycle:
- The Committee will accept a Recover Forward Express Application (which is slightly shorter, due to the Committee already having certain information on file from earlier in the year).
- The Committee will accept a Recover Forward Express Application (which is slightly shorter, due to the Committee already having certain information on file from earlier in the year).
- For agencies who did not apply during the Spring 2020 Jack Hopkins funding cycle:
- The Committee requires submission of a Recover Forward Full Application.
About the Jack Hopkins Committee
Started by, and named after, former Councilmember Jack Hopkins, this funding program began in 1993. Since its inception, the Bloomington Common Council and Mayor have provided over $4.45 million to social services agencies for projects that have made a difference in the lives of City residents in need. The Committee is comprised of four members of the Common Council and three City residents with experience in social services.
The 2020 Committee:
- Councilmember Matt Flaherty
- Councilmember Susan Sandberg (Chair)
- Councilmember Sue Sgambelluri
- Councilmember Ron Smith
- Resident Tim Mayer
- Resident Mark Fraley
- Resident Lauren McCalister
Timeline for the 2020 Jack Hopkins - Recover Forward Process (important dates for agencies in bold):
SEPTEMBER 9 - Solicitations issued and applications made available (Wednesday)
OCTOBER 2- APPLICATIONS DUE (Friday, no later than 12:00pm)
OCTOBER 9th - Committee Application Review Meeting (Friday, 5:00pm) - Zoom Link
OCTOBER 16 - Agencies Submit Answers to Committee's Questions (Friday)
OCTOBER 22- Committee Pre-Allocation Meeting (Thursday, 6:00pm) - Zoom Link
OCTOBER 26- Committee Allocation Hearing (Monday, 6:00pm) - Zoom link
EARLY NOVEMBER - Agencies sign funding agreements
NOVEMBER 18 - Council Action on Committee recommendations (Wednesday, 6:30pm)
DECEMBER 1 - HAND Technical Assistance Meeting for Grantees (Tuesday, 9:30am)
*Per Executive Orders issued by the Governor, meetings will be conducted electronically until further notice. Zoom links for each meeting will be posted to the Jack Hopkins Committee website.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for funding, a project must meet the following criteria:
1.) The program should address a previously-identified priority for social services funds (as indicated in the Service Community Assessment of Needs (SCAN), the City of Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development Department's Consolidated Plan, or other community-wide survey of social service needs). Such priorities include funds for basic services (food, shelter or healthcare) or other services to City residents who are: low-moderate income, under 18 years old, elderly, affected with a disability or are otherwise disadvantaged; and
2.) The funds should provide a one-time investment that, through matching funds or other fiscal leveraging, make a significant contribution to the program. This restriction is intended to encourage innovative projects and to allow the funds to address changing community circumstances. To make funds available for those purposes, this restriction discourages agencies from relying on these funds from year to year and from using these funds to cover on-going (or operational) costs, particularly those relating to personnel. However, the Committee excepts the following from the one-time funding rule:
- Pilot projects
- Projects that need bridge funding – when an agency demonstrates that an existing program has suffered a significant loss of funding and requires “bridge” funds in order to continue for the current year; or
- Collaborative projects
Continued Allowance for General Operational Funds
Please note that the Committee recognizes the growing need for operational funds that do not fit one of the aforementioned exceptions. For that reason, this year -- in addition to accepting applications for operational funds for pilot, bridge, or collaborative programs -- the Committee is again accepting applications for operational funds that do not meet one of the exceptions to the one-time funding rule. However, know that preference will still be given to initiatives that are one-time investments. Know further that this allowance is specific to the 2020 funding cycle; the Committee may not offer this allowance in 2021.
-- As always, any request for operational funds must provide a well-developed plan for future funding.
3.) This investment in the program should lead to broad and long-lasting benefits to the community.
NOTE: Over time, the Committee has worked to further refine each criterion with more particularity. This refinement is captured in the Committee's Elaboration of Criteria. Agencies should consult this document in preparing their applications.
Questions? Contact Council staff at council@bloomington.in.gov
2020 JACK HOPKINS-RECOVER FORWARD APPLICATION MATERIAL:
- Letter from Chair (Please read)
- 2020 Recover Forward Express Application - (For agencies that applied during the Spring 2020 Jack Hopkins funding cycle)
- 2020 Recover Forward Full Application - (For agencies who did not apply during the Spring 2020 Jack Hopkins funding cycle)
- Elaboration of Criteria (Please read)
- View an Example of a Well-Written Grant Application
- View the Spring 2020 Technical Assistance Presentation and slides
2020 FUNDING RECOMMENDATIONS
History of Funding: 1993-2019 (PDF)
Application Summaries and Original Submissions 2005-2020:
2019 Application & Summaries -Revised