The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has created a new grant program called the Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF). The objective of the SCF is to enable nonprofit organizations to contribute to the economic recovery and help Federal, State, local, and Indian/Native American Tribal governments ensure that the information and services described in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA) reach disadvantaged and hard-to-serve populations.

For more information about this new program, download the PDF file at the bottom of this page, or visit http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ocs/scf/ and review the program announcements at the links provided below. 

SCF is made up of two separate grant programs:

Nonprofit Capacity Building Program:  The SCF Nonprofit Capacity Building program will make one-time awards up to $1 million to experienced lead organizations to provide nonprofit organizations -- or project partners -- with capacity building training, technical assistance, and competitive financial assistance. A minimum of 55% of the Federal funds awarded must be provided to project partners through a competitive process. The grant period for this award is 24 months. More information is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2009-ACF-OCS-SI-0091.html

State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program:  The SCF State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building program will make one-time awards up to $250,000 to State, city, county, and Indian/Native American Tribal government offices (e.g. offices responsible for outreach to faith-based and community organizations or those interested in initiating such an effort), or their designees, to build the capacity of nonprofit faith-based and community organizations to better serve those in need and to increase nonprofit organizations' involvement in the economic recovery.  Grantees will use program funds to provide free capacity building services to nonprofit organizations and to build their own capacity to provide such services to nonprofits.  The grant period for this award is 24 months. More information is available at http://www.acf.hhs.gov/grants/open/HHS-2009-ACF-OCS-SN-0092.html