This packet explains the Church World Service (CWS) 2005 Hurricanes – Gulf Coast Home Repair & Rebuilding Program and its funding process. The packet provides the necessary information you will need to complete Grant Application forms easily and accurately.
Overview of the Program
The CWS program is scheduled to run for 2 years, completing work on at least 500 homes. Funding will be released in 4 rounds -- one every 6 months over the two-year period, with releases in rounds 2, 3, and 4 contingent on completion of home repairs or rebuilding during the previous 4 to 5 month time frame.
Maximum allowable grants are: up to $5,000 for 300 homes; up to $7,500 for 200 homes.
Long-term recovery organizations repairing and rebuilding hurricane-damaged homes may apply for funding. Organizations may apply and qualify for funding in any one or all 4 rounds.
2005 HURRICANES – GULF COAST HOME REPAIR & REBUILDING PROGRAM
Hurricanes Katrina and Rita affected nearly every state in the country, when persons evacuated from Mississippi and Louisiana traveled broadly.
The destruction and damage to homes is unparalleled in recent U.S. history, and will take a massive rebuilding effort involving not only contractors and professional builders, but also volunteer labor, case managers, consultants, and new building innovations.
The CWS 2005 Hurricanes Gulf Coast Home Repair & Rebuilding Program is intended to improve the living and housing conditions of homeowners in Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita affected areas by repairing and reconstructing their homes. The program aims to assist and address the housing needs of up to 500 families.
The Grant is planned to support Gulf Coast Region Long Term Recovery Committees (LTRCs) in their identification, formulation and implementation of home repair and rebuilding projects for homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
The program is made possible by a $3,000,000 grant to CWS, and through collaboration with, Habitat For Humanity International (HFHI).
Goal and Objectives
The overall goal of the program is to create replacement permanent housing for 500 families whose homes were destroyed or heavily damaged during the 2005 hurricane season. The priority families will be identified as being particularly vulnerable to the affects of the storms and in an underserved population or geographic area before and/or following the storms.
The Church World Service and Habitat For Humanity partnership will:
- Support the organization and development of disaster recovery through local long-term recovery organizations/committees throughout the laceType w:st="on">GulflaceType> laceType w:st="on">CoastlaceType> states affected by Hurricanes Katrina or Rita
- Provide funds to supplement construction materials costs for home repair and rebuilding as identified by the long-term recovery groups who will identify projects based upon criteria outlined later in this document
- Support repair and reconstruction projects implemented by disaster long-term recovery groups for a minimum of 500 homes
Project Selection Criteria
The funds granted to local long-term recovery groups will be used to support home repairs and/or rebuilding for homeowners impacted by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita without other financial means to return homes to livable conditions. The funds may only be used for direct expenses related to home repair/rebuilding -- including construction materials, contracted labor, and other expenses (transport costs, tools, and on-site construction leadership) required to complete projects. Requests for funds beyond building materials should document lack of other resources (i.e., volunteer labor, in-kind donations, etc.). Each repair/rebuilding project will be judged on its viability for completion using the grant funds.
1. Projects should document that requested funding will return individuals/families to permanent housing:
· whose primary residence was destroyed or heavily damaged during Hurricanes Katrina and/or Rita
· who have used all available resources for housing repair/rebuilding (including insurance, other personal resources, and federal/state government, and local recovery assistance) and still face repair and/or rebuild costs that prevent them from returning to permanent livable housing
· who own or are making payments on their hurricane-damaged home
The long-term recovery group should prioritize those individuals and families who are particularly vulnerable and cannot fully recovery on their own because of lack of available resources. Examples are:
· families who receive little or no cash income because of disability, long-term disaster-related unemployment, are elders, have small children with one parent, and otherwise are on limited income
2. Projects should document use of funds for:
· Purchase of building materials
· Transportation costs for building materials
· Purchase of tools and equipment crucial to the completion of the project
· Payment for contracted labor
· Need for on-site construction leadership
3. Organizations requesting project funds should document:
· Capacity to fully complete projects and get people back into homes within the next 4-6 month timeframe
· A quality disaster case management system geared to supporting recovery needs of individuals/families; systems which may include meeting non-building needs of clients (i.e., legal, taxes, furniture, etc.) through direct assistance or collaboration with other agencies
· Sufficient organizational capability to fully subscribe to the reporting needs of CWS
· Willingness to attempt to leverage funds by arranging discounted pricing and acquiring volunteer labor and in-kind donations of materials to maximize resources and complete projects
· Creative partnerships with other long-term recovery organizations and community structures in developing project proposals and serving client re-building needs
Application Format
The application should follow the outline and format below, with special detail to maximum number of pages for each section:
Section 1 - Project Identification Information (1 Page)
· Organization Name
· Organization Mailing Address, Phone, Fax
· Organization Contact Person
· Contact Person Phone, E-mail Address
· Funding Information:
1) Amount Requested
2) Number of Projects or Homes to be completed
· Long-term recovery organizational leadership structure (Board, staff, director, etc)
· Area served by your organization
· An overview of your organization’s capability to carry out the rebuilding program you are proposing (500 words), highlighting its case management system, repair/construction management experience, ability to monitor and fulfill reporting requirements
Section 2 – Brief description of the destruction in your community, county, or parish and needs caused by the storms, including: (1 page)
· Identification and description of the need
· Number and description of the persons affected by the problem
· Any data relative to the identified needs
Section 3 – Financial Information
· Please insert or attach a copy of your organization’s current operating budget
· Please attach a copy of the non-profit status letter or 501c3 under which your long-term recovery group is operating
Section 4 – Project proposals
· Please summarize Projects on the “Project Summary Form” (see attached form on page 8)
· Please detail information for each Project to be funded by the grant as defined on the “Project Description Form (see attached form on page 9-10)
Application Scoring System
Applications to the 2005 Hurricanes – Gulf Coast Home Repair & Rebuilding Program will be evaluated according to (1) demonstrated needs that prevent clients from returning to permanent housing without requested funding and (2) capacity of the repair/rebuilding organization to provide the required housing efficiently and effectively. Applications will be scored up to 100 points as follows:
- Demonstrated client need for grant assistance....................................... 20
- Capacity of long-term recovery group to manage the grant (including
(completion of projects and meeting reporting requirements)................ 20
- Quality of local case management.......................................................... 15
- Capacity to complete projects to move-in status.................................... 15
- Overall content and presentation of the Application.............................. 15..
- Number of viable Projects/Beneficiaries................................................. 10..
- Capacity to leverage cash with in-kind materials and volunteer
labor to maximize resources and complete projects................................. 5
Grant Awards Information
To maximize the number of individuals and families served through the program with the goal of assisting a minimum of 500, a cap has been placed on the amount of money granted per project to return homes to a livable condition. The program budget calls for a minimum of 300 households to receive up to $5000 and a minimum of 200 to receive up to $7,500.
Church World Service receives the funding from HFHI in 4 installments, each dependant upon the completion or significant progress on households served. CWS will receive 4 rounds of applications pertaining to projects to be completed within the timeframes as outlined in the following section.
Long-term recovery organizations may apply and qualify for funding in any one or all 4 rounds. Grants to repeat applicants in rounds 2, 3, or 4 will be contingent on completion or significant progress on funded projects in the previous round, as well as adequate reporting as described later in this document.
Church World Service will issue 100% of the approved grant at each round.
Application Deadlines and Submission Information
|
Round |
Amount available for grants |
Deadline
For
Applications |
Distribution date (approximate) |
Minimum Number of households to be served |
Performance Measure |
|
1 |
$450,000 |
May 29, 2006 |
June 15, 2006 |
75 |
Plan and LTRC approval |
|
2 |
$750,000 |
October 1, 2006 |
October 20, 2006 |
125 |
Program evaluation |
|
3 |
$900,000 |
March 31, 2007 |
April 20, 2007 |
150 |
Program evaluation |
|
4 |
$900,000 |
October 1, 2007 |
October 20, 2007 |
150 |
Program evaluation |
Applications must be submitted no later than 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the above dates.
Applications should be e-mailed to: cwsgulfcoast@churchworldservice.org
with a Subject Line reading:
2005 Hurricanes – Gulf Coast Home Repair & Rebuilding Program
and also faxed to:
1-361-578-5264, Attention: Bonnie Vollmering
Note: Repeat applicants will be instructed on submitting abbreviated applications in subsequent rounds.
Reporting Requirements
Grant recipients will be required to provide detailed, heavily documented quarterly reports that track completion or significant progress on each repair/rebuilding project and document use of funds associated with the particular project.
For each project that is awarded grant money, the report should include:
· Name of homeowner
· Copy of signed “Release of Confidential Information” form
· Project location
· Funds allocated to the project
· Current project status – “completed” or “work ___% completed”
· Type of work remaining
· Estimated completion date
· Item-by-item cost accounting of funds expended
· How purchased item was used
· Copies of receipts documenting purchases
· Family casework review
A “Reporting Guidelines Packet” will be provided to the applicant as funding is issued.