Greater Denver Colorado Region

Doing our part to help end homelessness in Denver.

Beginning in April 2023, AGAPE Foundation will award a grant up to $5,000 to a mission-driven, nonprofit community-based organization with proven success in serving homeless persons. AGAPE Foundation believes Housing and the resources needed play a key role connecting individuals and families with safe, affordable and sustainable housing in the greater Denver area.

Proposals should clearly and concisely demonstrate how your organization is well-positioned to create impact in the greater Denver area, and how your program will contribute to achieving AGAPE Foundation’s focus of placing families in safe, affordable and sustainable housing as measured by specific outcomes and indicators.

Scope

A Housing Ministry Program can and does build relationships with housing authorities, homeless coalitions, housing assistance programs, and others supporting safe, affordable, sustainable housing. Other expectations, tasks and activities might include:

  • Supporting community members in efforts to find and maintain stable housing through research and networking within communities.

  • Assessing homeless housing barriers, needs and preferences to develop an individualized action plan to secure housing.

  • Helping the homeless maneuver through housing applications and resources, acting as point of contact for landlords if necessary, accompanying clients on scheduled showings if requested, modeling appropriate and effective prospective landlord/tenant requirement.

  • Actively engaging with supportive housing providers.

  • Addressing issues of homelessness, housing crisis interventions, housing instability and transition housing requirements – through building relationships and establishing methods and practices to measure program effectiveness.

  • Providing client mentoring, support and assistance in navigating community resources and services in the interest of aiding clients toward greater self-sufficiency as it relates to their basic needs and financial stability.

  • Conducting inspections of potential housing units for compliance with requirements for habitability, lead-based paint, and rent reasonableness.

  • Serving as an advocate for affordable housing. Support local City and County governments in their efforts to educate people about the criticality of affordable housing and ways to increase housing capacity.

  • Familiarity with the Fair Housing Act and help direct victims of housing discrimination to appropriate resources. To be deemed eligible, organizations must:

  • Align with AGAPE Foundation’s mission and agree to adhere to AGAPE Foundation AGAPE Foundation’s Partner Policies.

  • Be an entity that operates for non-profit purposes in health and human services with proof of exemption from federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) or be a government or municipal entity or a school district.

Community Impact

  • Be registered as a charitable organization with the State of Colorado, as such the agency must have provided service for a minimum of two (2) years as an incorporated nonprofit entity.

  • Maintain a policy of non-discrimination, equal opportunity and comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

  • Demonstrate a need for AGAPE Foundation funds.

  • Maintain supporting services (management, general and fundraising expenses) below 15%.

  • Be governed by an active, voluntary board of directors with policy/provision for term limits of members and officers.

  • Services must be provided in the geographic area that is AGAPE Foundation greater Denver area.

  • Provide a proposed budget on how your organization plans to expend this grant, up to $30,000.

  • Clearly describe plans to collect and report data on the shared outcomes in the funded period to include, but not limited to:

    • Number of clients housed in permanent housing

    • Number of new landlord relationships

    • Number of accompanied client housing showings

    • Number of clients who were referred to other resources

    • Average number of clients on a waiting list

  • Submit proposal via AGAPE Foundation on or before 4:30 p.m. on December1, 2022. General tips on submitting proposals:

  • Funding is highly competitive. Use current data and success stories to demonstrate why your organization is best suited to take on this position.

  • Write for the reader unfamiliar with your program.

  • Coordinate with all staff involved in writing the proposal for consistency (budget, narrative, etc.).

  • Brevity and clarity are strongly encouraged.

  • Have someone unaffiliated with your program read the proposal for clarity, spelling, grammar, and explanation of acronyms.

Award Decision

AGAPE Foundation’s volunteers will review proposals and make an award decision in favor of the applicant who implements strategies and best practices that will have the greatest impact on this critical community issue. The decision of the CIC will be final.

Funding

The award recipient will be required to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with AGAPE Foundation. Funds for this one-time award will be distributed monthly beginning April 1, 2023. AGAPE Foundation reserves the right to adjust the program’s total allocation at any time during the funding period if AGAPE Foundation cannot maintain the initial allocation amount due to unexpected decreases in AGAPE Foundation’s revenues or reserves. The program will be notified at least 30 days in advance of the required change in the allocation for the remaining months in the funding period. As with all AGAPE Funded programs, funding in one year or cycle is not a guarantee of future funding.