The City of Tacoma is soliciting proposals for its 2025-2026 Neighborhood and Community Services Grant Program.
Donor Name: City of Tacoma
State: Washington
City: Tacoma
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline:  07/02/2024
Size of the Grant: More than $1 million
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
The City is seeking a wide variety of groups to apply for 2025-2026 service contracts, including agencies and organizations that support youth, seniors, people experiencing homelessness, and much more. There are eight service categories that the City is prioritizing for the 2025-2026 funding cycle:
Housing Services and Interventions

Increase access to permanent, stable housing in order to end the cycle of homelessness.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery
Collaborative service delivery to holistically transition individuals experiencing homelessness to housing
Provide a comprehensive range of supportive services that facilitates housing stability for the following populations at 60% Area Median Income (AMI):

Persons who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless, including families with children
Unaccompanied homeless youth or young adults
Persons with disabilities, including behavioral health disabilities
Veterans
Senior citizens
Domestic violence survivors

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Resources for households facing housing crises
Integration of culturally competent and trauma-informed practices into programs
Expanded services aimed at enhancing life skills and maintaining adequate housing with an emphasis on addressing racial disparities through increased housing stability for marginalized communities

Encampment Response

Increase access to resources through outreach and address public health and safety concerns.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:
Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery

Collaborative service delivery
Trauma-informed, culturally competent service delivery
Hours of services include weekends, evenings, and nontraditional working hours

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Navigation services that improve access for individuals to access shelter, housing, and/or healthcare services
Outreach to people who are living in inhabitable spaces
Immediate support to individuals in encampments
Long-term solutions that will support individuals towards shelter alternatives and/or directly into stable housing options

Domestic Violence Reduction and Prevention

Increase best practices and data-informed strategies, that are culturally relevant, to reduce and prevent family and intimate partner violence.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery
Provide services that reduce family and intimate partner violence
Provide trauma-informed, healing-centered services to the whole family
Provide best practices and/or data driven strategies in service delivery model

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Services that increase access to resources, promote resiliency, and are culturally relevant
Prevention and intervention services for the individual and family
Licensed Mental and/or Behavioral Health Services, Certified Peer Counselor, or accreditation appropriate for the level of services being offered
Support groups, classes, innovative practices that promote healing

Building Resilience Against Violence and Exploitation (BRAVE) 

Reduce the likelihood at-risk youth will become involved in criminal activity and violent crime. Utilize prevention, intervention, suppression, and collaboration efforts to foster safe neighborhoods and encourage community leadership.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery.
Focus on the Hilltop, Eastside, West of the Mall, and Hosmer communities, addressing the target age group of 30 years of age and younger
Offer culturally responsive services for those under 30 years of age most effected by violence: Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) young men, girls/women, justice-connected youth, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and more (LGBTQ+) youth
Provide data-informed strategies in service delivery model
Demonstrate collaboration among community-based organizations
 Conduct street outreach, when applicable
 Demonstrate year-round program delivery, especially outside of school hours
Provide individual service plans, goal setting and case management services

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Positive youth development opportunities that include one or more of the following: family engagement, education supportive services, financial literacy, mentorship, social and emotional learning opportunities, economic empowerment
Crisis intervention services (i.e., Licensed Mental/Behaviors Health and Substance Use Disorder services, or accreditation appropriate for service delivery, Peer Certified Counseling supports, small groups, innovative healing centered programs)
Early intervention for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder
Navigation of basic need resources that remove barriers
Innovative programs that promote protective factors and reduce risk factors
Mental and behavioral health training

Health and Health Care

Improve health outcomes and equitable access to healthcare for all Tacoma residents.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery
Increase equitable access to health care for historically marginalized populations (i.e., BIPOC, LGBTQ+) by utilizing collaborative/coordinated services and system navigation
Active engagement in community outreach when applicable
Services that increase access to resources, promote health outcomes, and are culturally relevant

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Behavioral and/or mental health prevention, intervention, and treatment services
Substance use disorder prevention, intervention, and treatment services
Licensed Mental and/or Behavioral Health Services, Certified Peer Counselor, or accreditation appropriate for the level of services being offered
Prenatal, maternal, and infant supports
Transportation resources
Navigation of supplemental resources for uninsured, underinsured, and undocumented individuals
Mental and behavioral health training

Equitable Food Access

Increase access to nutritious meals and food options for all Tacoma residents.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following:

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery
Promote equitable access across all socio-economic demographics
Active engagement in community outreach

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Delivery of nutritious and culturally relevant food
Food education (i.e., food safety, nutrition, grocery budgeting and meal planning, etc.)
Distribution of meals and essential products
Mobile and stationary food banks and food pantries

Complementary Services

Provide individuals and families access to a continuum of tailored supports to prevent and end homelessness.
NCS will give priority consideration for applications that address one or more of the following: –

Address racial disparities through tailored service delivery
Improve access and collaboration to resources and/or enhancements to Tacoma’s systems and services

Services under this department priority may include but are not limited to:

Navigation services that improve access for individuals to access shelter, housing, and/or healthcare services
Legal services
Workforce development programs
Detox facilities and mental health, behavioral health, or substance-use treatment services

Funding Information

$8,000,000 to be split among various projects.
The anticipated duration of the contract is up to a two-year period.

Eligibility Criteria
Respondents must demonstrate:

Experience with the population requesting to serve
Experience working in and with ethnically and culturally diverse communities
Experience with data collection and reporting systems
Knowledge of human services issues in the City of Tacoma

Agency and/or fiscal agent must have:

Washington State and City of Tacoma business license
Been in business a minimum of two years
Proven evidence-based best practices in programming

For more information, visit City of Tacoma.