June 21, 2023 Soon-to-End Grant Opportunity Helps Eligible Families Pay for Critical Home Repairs Action Housing Inc. is providing funds for low-income homeowners in Allegheny County to make whole-home repairs to severely damaged households through the federal Whole-Home Repairs Program. Homeowners could receive up to $50,000 in funds to fix critical issues that pose safety issues to residents, like damage to the roof, windows, or foundation of a home. Money is also available to make modifications for someone managing a disability. However, funds are limited* and based on need. Action Housing can likely only award 150-250 applicants grants. Still, families awarded grants will not need to repay the funds. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Friday, June 30. No applications will be accepted after this time. *Disclaimer: Due to limited funding, Action Housing Inc. must prioritize homes with the worst damage. However, the application process will re-open for another 30-day period in mid to late fall. The exact time of this second application period will be announced at a later time. About the Whole-Home Repairs Program Who can apply? Who is eligible for a whole-home grant? To qualify, an applicant must: own and live in a house needing repairs in Allegheny County. be living in a home with significant habitability issues like roof damage, unsafe electric wiring, or accessibility concerns. have a total income that doesn’t exceed 80% of the Area Median Income (AMI) for Allegheny County. Please refer to the AMI chart to find AMI data. How does the application process work? Apply online on the Allegheny County Whole-Home Repair Program website. If you are eligible and selected for a home inspection, someone from the Whole-Home Repairs Program will contact you to schedule it. A Whole-Home Repairs inspector will visit your home to determine if the repairs qualify for funding. If the inspector approves the repairs, Action Housing will connect you with a contractor certified by the Whole-Home Repairs Program to do the work. How will applicants be notified? If you apply online, you’ll get an email about your eligibility for the program. People submitting paper applications will be notified via U.S. mail. How long does this process take? Action Housing Inc. will work as quickly as possible to schedule inspections and start construction. Still, they can’t commit to a timeline. Many collaborate to finish this work, so estimating schedules and weather dependencies is challenging. The whole process could take anywhere from a few months to a year. Additional Information & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Will I have to pay for anything? You have no cost if your application is eligible and repairs are approved. I do not have a Social Security number. Can I still apply? Absolutely! A Social Security number is requested in the application but is optional. Is citizenship required for this program? No, citizenship status is not a factor. I know someone who wants to apply, but English isn’t their native language. Call ACTION-Housing at 412-248-0021, and Action Housing Inc. will get a translator to meet with you in person or complete an application over the phone. I, or someone I know, have a physical or mental impairment that makes applying challenging. Call ACTION-Housing at 412-248-0021 to talk about accommodating your needs. I already applied for Whole-Home Repairs funding during the pilot phase of this program. When will someone contact me? Action Housing Inc. received your application, but it’s taking some time to work through the volume of applications they received. Someone will contact you if they need more information to decide or to schedule a home inspection. How is Action Housing Inc. determining who gets selected? One of the requirements outlined in the passed state bill to fund Whole-Home Repairs is that Action Housing prioritize funding for certain groups of people. They are using data to help determine how to do this best. Because funding is limited, Action Housing is prioritizing neighborhoods not invested in historically. To find a full list of FAQs, visit the Action Housing Inc. website. Apply If you meet the eligibility requirements and need financial assistance for whole-home repairs, please apply now on the Allegheny County Whole-Home Repair Program website. Additional Resources Unfortunately, Action Housing Inc. cannot award grants to all eligible applicants. If you are in need of financial assistance for home repairs and are not eligible for or awarded a grant, please consult these resources: Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh Habitat for Humanity of Greater Pittsburgh Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh Homeowner Assistance Program (HAP) U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development – Home Repairs in Pennsylvania U.S. Department of Agriculture – Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants in Pennsylvania Allegheny Lead Safe Homes Hosanna Industries Learn More The Whole-Home Repair Program is a federal program and available in counties across the Commonwealth. If you do not live in Allegheny County but are in need of financial assistance for home repairs, you can apply through an agency within your county. Find a list of agencies supporting the Whole-Home Repair Program on the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development website. To learn more, please consult the Whole-Home Repair Program Manual or visit the Action Housing Inc. website.
April 21, 2023 PNC Foundation to Match Donations to Pre-K and Head Start Requests The PNC Foundation is partnering with DonorsChoose—an online nonprofit that allows individuals to fund classroom projects and teacher requests for resources and materials—to help early childhood educators obtain quality resources and experiences for students in public pre-K, public charter, and Head Start classrooms. By committing to match “dollar-for-dollar” any DonorsChoose donations that support pre-k and Head Start projects, the foundation hopes to encourage others to fund child care and early childhood education. The duration of the match is undetermined and subject to restrictions and a maximum dollar amount. DonorsChoose Educator & Project Eligibility Who can participate? Pre-K teachers in every state, subject area, and grade level can use DonorsChoose. If you are an educator at a public school, public charter school, or Head Start program, are employed full-time by a school or district, and work directly with students at least 75% of the time, you are eligible to post projects. What is eligible for funding? You can request anything you need to enrich your students’ experience at school. Sports equipment? A classroom library? Furniture? Musical instruments? DonorsChoose can help. If you can imagine it, you can post a classroom project request for it. How does it work? The process is simple: Create your project in DonorsChoose. Receive donations from friends, family, and supporters through the DonorsChoose website. Receive your request. DonorsChoose orders everything for you and ships it straight to you or your school. How long does it take? The average project takes about 25 minutes to create and submit. Once your project is funded, DonorsChoose takes care of the rest. Participate in the Match To utilize the match from the PNC Foundation and better fund your pre-k or Head Start classroom project, add it to the DonorsChoose website by following the step-by-step instructions on the “How it Works” page. Results from Past Partnerships Between the PNC Foundation & DonorsChoose Previously, the PNC Foundation flash funded almost $2 million dollars in requests from 3,054 pre-k teachers across 30 states through DonorsChoose. As a result, almost 89,000 pre-k and Head Start students and their early educators received support for materials and projects. Throughout greater Pittsburgh, 126 pre-k teacher requests were fully funded. Learn More PNC’s support of DonorsChoose coincides with the launch of this year’s “Great Month” at PNC—an annual celebration held each April to raise awareness of PNC Grow Up Great® and the importance of high-quality early childhood education. Launched in 2004, the $500 million, bilingual initiative supports programs, resources, and experiences that help to prepare children from birth through age five for success in school and life. To learn more about PNC’s partnership with DonorsChoose and how to participate, visit the PNC Bank website or view the flyer.
February 24, 2023 Request for Applications: PA Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships The Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) is requesting applications for Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships (EHSCCP). Partnerships are made possible by an EHSCCP grant, and forty partnership opportunities are available. Applications are due by March 20. About EHSCCP and the EHSCCP Grant Pennsylvania’s EHSCCP grant enables partnerships between high-quality child care providers and OCDEL, which provide funded child care to infants and toddlers. All providers who meet eligibility standards are encouraged to complete an application for consideration. Eligibility To apply for an EHSCCP opportunity, child care providers must: have and maintain a STAR 3 or 4 rating provide full day (10 hours or more) and full year care to infants and toddlers (ages 6 weeks – 3 years) of income-eligible, working or student families or caregivers adhere to all Head Start Program Performance Standards and OCDEL Early Head Start (EHS) policies including: meeting a staff to child ratio of 1:4 maintaining a maximum group size of eight children providing two qualified, in-room staff members at all times assigning children to primary care groups retain or hire qualified staff to work in EHS classrooms EHS classroom staff must have an Infant Toddler CDA and/or a degree in Early Childhood Education. facilitate ongoing staff coaching with an OCDEL EHS coach maintain full enrollment and fill vacant slots within 30 days participate in Child Care Works (CCW) continue to provide care to children who lose their CCW until they transition from the program never unenroll children due to loss of subsidy utilize GoEngage data system (previously known as MyHeadStart) work collaboratively with the comprehensive service provider holding their contract, if applicable waive any fees typically charged to enrolled families, except for subsidy co-pays How to Apply To apply, complete the application below: EHSCCP Application Applicants must submit their applications via email. Send completed applications to ehsteam@pakeys.org by Monday, March 20. Learn More The OCDEL EHS Team will host a Q&A via Zoom to address questions about the requirements of the grants and the application process, and to provide general information about EHSCCP on Thursday, March 2 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Pre-registration is not required. To learn more, visit the Pennsylvania Key website.
October 13, 2020 CARES Funds Available For Eligible Families Individuals and families who are unable to meet basic and urgent needs on their own due to loss of income, reduced income, or insufficient income caused by the COVID-19 pandemic may be eligible to receive Community Services Block Grant CARES Act supplemental funds. About Assistance is available to help individuals and families cover costs associated with rent or mortgage, utilities, transportation, home repairs, food, child care, household supplies, and other needs as identified by the eligible individual/family. This assistance is capped at $1,000 and payments will generally be made to third parties on behalf of the eligible individual or family. Eligibility Criteria To qualify, applicants must live in Allegheny County outside of the city of Pittsburgh and be 18 years of age or older. Additionally, their household income for the 30-day period prior to applying must not exceed 200% Federal Poverty Level. For a household of one, this equates to $2,127 per month or $25,520 annually. For a family of four, this equates to $4,367 per month or $52,400 annually. More Information For more information, contact the appropriate community service agency below: For residents of Allegheny Valley communities: Allegheny Valley Association of Churches; Beth Kendra; 724-226-0606, ext. 10; beth@avaoc.org For residents of Mon Valley and eastern suburban communities: Human Services Center Corporation, Anna Hudson, 412-436-9537, ahudson@hscc-mvpc.org For residents of northern and western communities: North Hills Community Outreach, Stephanie Kobert, 412-408-3210, sdkobert@nhco.org For residents of southern communities: South Hills Interfaith Movement, Elizabeth Henninger; 412-854-9120, ext. 104; ehenninger@shimcares.org
October 12, 2020 Grants Available for Child Care Programs In partnership with the Pennsylvania Key, the GIANT Company is offering a grant opportunity for early childhood education providers licensed by and in good standing with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services (DHS). About Through this grant opportunity, early learning programs can apply for grants ranging from $2,000 to $10,000. This funding is intended to assist programs with meeting the unique needs of families and children served during the pandemic. These needs may include, but are not limited to, increased staffing, expanded operating hours, care of school-age children, Personal Protective Equipment or other sanitation measures, increased technology needs or services, school-age virtual learning labs, serving of meals, or addressing food insecurity needs of families and children served. Eligibility Criteria Applicants must operate a family child care home, group child care home, or child care center that is licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services; the program must be in good standing with DHS. Applicants must serve families that receive child care subsidy/Child Care Works funding or demonstrate other means of serving families in need. Applicants must remain operational through part of all of the COVID-19 pandemic and provide services to children in any age range (birth through school-age). The early childhood education facility must be located in one of the following counties: Adams, Berks, Blair, Bucks, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Columbia, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mifflin, Monroe, Montgomery, Montour, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Snyder, Union, York. Submit An Application To apply for a grant, visit the Pennsylvania Key website. All applications are due by 5 p.m. on Friday, November 13, 2020. Funds will be dispersed by January 29, 2021.
September 4, 2020 Early Childhood League Launch & Expansion of Recess Advocacy Team On September 1, 2020, Trying Together and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative were awarded grants through The Grable Foundation and Remake Learning’s Tomorrow campaign. Through this funding, both entities will work to address early childhood needs in Pennsylvania. About Trying Together is a leading advocate for high-quality early care and education in Pennsylvania and a co-founder of the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative and Recess Advocacy Team. With funds from the Tomorrow grant, Trying Together will launch an Early Childhood League and the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative will expand the Recess Advocacy Team to engage additional youth, families, organizations, and communities as advocates to address early learning constraints in the region. “Through the Tomorrow grants, we will be able to work with community members that we may not have previously to learn about their early learning priorities for children so we may support them in mobilizing to take action,” said Cara Ciminillo, Executive Director at Trying Together. Trying Together Tomorrow Campaign Project: Early Childhood League The Early Childhood League will partner with Trying Together, its advocacy partners, and each other to transform early childhood education conditions in the region. Members of the League will include selected parents and other caregivers of young children; community organizations; and a large institution that is to be determined. The League will achieve improvements in local early learning environments by receiving training, similar to the Early Childhood Advocacy Fellowship, from Trying Together and other experts. Training topics will include: communications techniques; community organizing strategies; early childhood education principles; and public policy processes. With ongoing programmatic support from Trying Together and the Tomorrow grant, the League will acquire the agency to develop and implement an advocacy plan that further advances the efforts of existing statewide early childhood policy campaigns such as Start Strong PA (child care), Pre-K for PA (pre-k), and Childhood Begins at Home (home visiting). More information and application details will be available soon. Please continue to monitor the Trying Together website, Facebook, and Twitter page for future updates. Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative Tomorrow Campaign Project: Recess Advocacy Team The Recess Advocacy Team’s mission is to educate and advocate for the importance of recess; engage with children, families, and educators on recess experiences; establish a resource for recess-related advocacy, policy, and best practices; and engage stakeholders in recess advocacy efforts. By partnering with a regional school district, the Recess Advocacy Team will utilize this funding to support efforts to conduct a needs assessment survey and develop a toolkit for children, parents, and educators who want to serve as recess champions. As a part of the toolkit, funding will also support professional development and training related to advocacy and topics such as: creatively using school space for physical activity; indoor recess ideas; and volunteer recess supervision. While this partnership will focus on one district, the Team’s outcomes and products will be scalable and designed to be replicated with other school districts to best meet their needs. Additional details will be available soon. For information on how to join and more, visit the Playful Pittsburgh Collaborative website. About the Tomorrow Campaign A $1.4 million dollar investment in organizations throughout the region, the Tomorrow campaign is an effort to #RemakeTomorrow, one where every learner is prepared to “create the future of learning” when everyone combines timeless ideas and new ways to learn. Last spring, the Tomorrow campaign asked 17 nonprofit organizations to boldly imagine what smart risks they might take if they had research and development (R&D) funding – not for covering current activities, but for pursuing experimental ideas, testing new concepts, and finding powerful ways to move their field toward the future of learning. “Each of these projects represents the imagination and resourcefulness not only of the 17 grantees, but also of the many partner organizations who will join them in their efforts,” says Kristen Burns, Associate Director of The Grable Foundation. “We hope these grants will provide a spark that will help move the entire field of learning forward in our region.” More Information For more information, read the full press release.
August 18, 2020 Virtual UnConference: Caring in a “New Normal” Join Trying Together from September 14–23, 2020 for our second free Virtual UnConference: Caring in a ‘New Normal’. PQAS and Act 48 credit hours will be available. Registration is required. About Virtual UnConference: Caring in a ‘New Normal’ will feature a panel discussion and three workshops on topics including finance, interacting with young children, and social-emotional health during the COVID-19 health crisis. This UnConference will build on guidance shared during our first Virtual UnConference: Re-Opening to Our ‘New Normal’. To watch a recording, visit our UnConference page. Featured Workshops Positive Interactions During the Pandemic Monday, September 14, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Register In this workshop, Sarah Grubb from ELRC Region 5 will walk early childhood educators through the essential elements of positive interaction, the educator’s role in co-regulation, and strategies for supporting children best through positive, day-to-day interactions. A Conversation on How to Support the Social/Emotional Needs of Children Thursday, September 17, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. | Register Join Diana Schwab for a conversation and Q&A focused on the social and emotional needs of children. In this workshop, participants will discuss early childhood social and emotional development with a particular focus on how children communicate social and emotional needs through behavior. This workshop will also discuss how to focus a child’s behaviors as a communication of developmental strengths and vulnerabilities, as well as mental health needs. Building a Foundation for Your Organization’s Financial Wellness Monday, September 21, 2020 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Register This workshop will discuss the importance of building a business plan and budget as the foundation of your organization’s financial wellness, especially during this time of changing external forces due to COVID-19. Presenter Chris Pentrack of Supporting Strategies will suggest beginner tools and methods to build these items, as well as resources for additional assistance. Presenters will discuss topics such as profit and loss statements, balance sheets, monitoring, and forecasting cash for the organization. Providing Safe and Healthy Care in Child Care Now and Beyond the Pandemic Wednesday, September 23, 2020 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. | Register This workshop will feature a panel of directors who will discuss the measurements currently being followed to prevent the spread of illness in their individual child care programs. A portion of the conversation will include health and wellness tips that can help support your staff and teachers during these challenging times. The discussion will conclude by identifying which health and safety practices will most likely be permanently incorporated into everyday practice moving forward beyond COVID-19. Registration Registration for this UnConference is being completed on the PD Registry. If you do not have a PD Registry account, please complete this online form to create one. If you are unable to create an account, please contact Jasmine Davis at jasmine@tryingtogether.org for more information. Click the links below to register for each workshop you are interested in. Registration is required. Positive Interactions During the Pandemic Monday, September 14, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. A Conversation on How to Support the Social/Emotional Needs of Children Thursday, September 17, 2020 | 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. Building a Foundation for Your Organization’s Financial Wellness Monday, September 21, 2020 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. Providing Safe and Healthy Care in Child Care Now and Beyond the Pandemic Wednesday, September 23, 2020 | 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. More Information For questions, contact UnConference Director Yu-Ling Cheng at conference@tryingtogether.org.
July 17, 2020 Child Care Providers Eligible for PA Hazard Pay Grants On July 16, Governor Tom Wolf announced that $50 million in grant funding is available to help employers provide hazard pay to employees in life-sustaining occupations during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hazard pay is intended to keep front-line employees working in vital industry sectors across Pennsylvania. About the Grant Created through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, this reimbursement-based grant is available to employers offering hazard pay during the eligible program period and will be administered by the state Department of Community and Economic Development. Within the guidelines, child care is identified as an eligible industry (Health and Social Assistance). Hazard pay is defined as additional pay for performing hazardous duty or work involving physical hardship, in each case that is related to COVID-19. Employers can apply for up to $3 million in funding. Grant funds can be used for hazard pay for direct, full-time, and part-time employees earning less than $20 per hour, excluding fringe benefits and overtime. Funds can only be used to pay hazard pay for eligible employees for the 10-week period from August 16 through October 24, 2020. Submit an Application Applicants can apply for up to $1,200 per eligible full-time equivalent employee. The hazard pay must be paid to the eligible employee over the 10-week period of August 16 through October 24, 2020 as a $3 per hour hazard pay increase to their regular pay rate. Employers can apply for a grant to provide hazard pay for up to 500 eligible full-time equivalent employees per location ($600,000 maximum grant per location). Applications will be received from July 16 through July 31, 2020. To apply for funding, submit an application through the Electronic Single Application. More Information For more information or questions, contact 717.787.6245 or ra-dcedcbf@pa.gov.
July 14, 2020 Rent Assistance Available in Allegheny County Allegheny County is partnering with the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA) to jointly fund the CARES Rent Relief Program. Through the program, individuals experiencing job loss or loss of income due to COVID-19 can apply for rent payment assistance. Available Assistance Up to $750 per month per household in state-funded rental assistance. Up to $750 per month per household in Allegheny County-funded rental assistance. Up to $200 per month per household in County funding to cover additional household costs for gas, electric, and/or internet; late fees charged by the landlord and/or utility company; and/or court costs. Payments will be made to the landlord on behalf of the renter for a maximum of six months of assistance between March 1 and November 30, 2020 (may include December rent). Funds can be used to pay rent from March 1 to December 31, 2020. Eligibility To be eligible for program, individuals must meet the following criteria: The renter must have experienced job loss or a reduction in annual income due to COVID-19. The renter’s income may not exceed the Area Median Income for Allegheny County (adjusted for the number of people in the household). The renter must document at least a 30 percent reduction in income since March 1, 2020 due to COVID-19 OR the renter must have become unemployed, as verified by the PA Department of Labor and Industry, after March 1, 2020 as a result of COVID-19. Submit an Application To submit an application, visit the CARES Rent Relief Program page. Applications can be submitted from July 6 through September 30, 2020. More Information For questions, contact the Allegheny County Department of Human Services at 412.248.0021 or ahicaresrrp@actionhousing.org.
June 4, 2020 Executive Level Roundtable Series Join APOST, Connections 4 Success, and Davis & Associates from June to August 2020 for a six-part Executive Roundtable Series. About The Executive Roundtable Series features next-steps and best practices to respond appropriately to recent industry disruptions due to COVID-19. The primary focus is to engage in meaningful dialog and share tips that help executive leaders to adapt and modify their business operations to recover and progress their organizations from survival to recovery to growth. Available Sessions Executive Roundtable: When Reopening, What Needs to be Considered? Wednesday, June 10 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here Executive Roundtable: Merging & Integrating Programming with Others: Maximizing Dollars and Resources for Impact while addressing consolidation with other not-for-profit organizations Wednesday, June 24 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here Be Creative: How to Reach out to Funders & Strengthen Relationships with Foundations Wednesday, July 8 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here How to Apply for Relief Money for Capacity Building? Wednesday, July 22 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here Connecting with Others – How to Best Utilize Experts for Conversations Wednesday, August 5 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here How to Handle Your Workforce Post COVID-19? – Organizational Skill Gaps with Leaner Staffing Wednesday, August 26 | 10:30 a.m. – 12 p.m. | Register Here More Information For more information, please contact APOST at 412.456.6876. Share this flyer with your network.
