HUD Grant Workshop Creates Hope

Montgomery Mayor Todd Strange (left), along with Montgomery City Council President, addresses participants in HUD sponsored Grant Writing Workshop. Elaine Spencer, Regional Faith Based Liaison for Region IV of HUD watches in background as she prepares to lead workshop.

When Montgomery Mayor, Todd Strange looked out at a room of over 100 representatives of local non-profit agencies who had gathered on a rainy February morning in 2010 to learn more about how to apply for federal grants, he said that he was excited by the hope those in the room represented. He noted that in each of their communities these organizations represented hope to some of Montgomery's least fortunate citizens, and that when he saw so many organizations spending a busy work day learning how to bring new resources to the communities they serve in Montgomery, the only word that came to mind was "hope." Hope for gaining knowledge that would help struggling non-profit agencies more effectively compete for federal dollars that could provide the services that could help move the City of Montgomery forward, and hope that the resources found would actually make a difference in the lives of Montgomery residents with no hope, or with diminished hopes.

Elaine Spencer, Regional Faith Based and Neighborhood Partnerships Coordinator for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development presented the workshop, which is part of the Department's outreach efforts to assist faith based and community based organizations in accessing the Department's discretionary funds to fulfill their crucial social service missions. There were organizations in the room that provided homeless services; mentoring services for at risk youth, first time homebuyer services; foreclosure prevention services, as well as organizations that were so new that their purpose had not been fully defined. All walked away at the end of the day with a better understanding of organizational development and management, as well as an improved knowledge of the grant writing process.

Cindy Yarbrough, Birmingham Field Office Director said of the training, "HUD has set the standard across the federal government for its technical assistance and capacity building programs for neighborhood based non-profit organizations, and this workshop is a manifestation of HUD's commitment to continued outreach efforts." To learn more about the technical assistance HUD offers neighborhood based non-profit organizations please visit our website.

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