Strengthening Communities Fund Program Summary

Legislative Authority

The Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) is authorized under Section 1110 of the Social Security Act governing Social Services Research and Demonstration activities; Title VIII of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, Public Law (P.L.) 111-5.  

Program Focus

The objective of the Strengthening Communities Fund (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. The Strengthening Communities Fund (SCF) supports two capacity building grant programs. Capacity building activities are designed to increase project partners' sustainability and effectiveness, enhance their ability to provide social services, create collaborations to better serve those in need, and to increase the partners’ ability to address the broad economic recovery issues present in their communities.

Grant Programs

SCF is made up of two separate grant programs.

• Nonprofit Capacity Building Program: The SCF Nonprofit Capacity Building program made one-time awards up to $1 million to 35 experienced lead organizations to provide nonprofit organizations -- or project partners -- with capacity building training, technical assistance, and competitive financial assistance.  Grantees are required to provide a minimum of 55% of the Federal funds awarded to project partners through a competitive process.  The grant period for this award is 24 months. 

• State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building Program: The SCF State, Local, and Tribal Government Capacity Building program made one-time awards up to $250,000 to 49 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 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. 

Program Results To Date

For the period ending 6/30/2011, SCF grantees have reported the following results.

• Funds provided to neighborhood organizations: $16,496,402


• Capacity building training provided: 11,174 hours


• Neighborhood organizations trained: 12,899 organizations


• Technical assistance provided: 58,019 hours


• Individual organizational goals completed: 5,370 (For a list of activities counted see: allowable activities)

Through the end of June 2011, the SCF program has expended $39 million in Recovery Act dollars.

SCF National Resource Center

The SCF National Resource Center provides capacity-building support at the national level by working directly with organizations funded under SCF's two programs, serving as an expert resource regarding capacity building, initiatives, and promising practices. The center also serves as a developer, repository, and distribution center for information, tools, and resources needed by organizations and organizations that work with them to improve their capacity, knowledge, and skills.

Distribution of Funds

Grants/cooperative agreements are awarded via a competitive process.