The Housing Opportunity Foundation's Community Grants Program launched in 2009 with the purpose of providing financial program support to area nonprofit organizations that address unmet housing needs in Mecklenburg and Iredell counties. Each year, a total of $10,000 is awarded to area nonprofits through the foundation.

Application deadline
The application deadline was June 1, 2011, so the deadline has passed for the 2011 grants cycle. This year's $10,000 in supporting funds will be distributed by Sept. 30.  Applications will be accepted again beginning in April 2012.  

Application details
Each eligible organization is required to submit an application with a brief narrative and additional documentation. All applications must also be accompanied by a letter of recommendation by an active Realtor® member of the Charlotte Regional Realtor® Association. Please note that Habitat for Humanity organizations are not eligible for funding through this program (see the Habitat Support Program for information on Habitat funding).

Click here for more information and to reference the 2011 Community Grants Program Application.

2011 Community Grants Program recipients
View videos of each of the recipients and hear how grateful they are for these grants! 

• Builders of Hope received $1,300 to provide tools for individuals going through the “Hope Works! Mentoring Program” – which includes homeless individuals, ex-offenders and at-risk youth – so that they are able to develop construction skills and basic workplace competencies. This program helps people maintain employment and housing, and helps them transition to a self-supportive environment and independent lifestyle.
• Carolinas Care Partnership received $2,500 to assist in meeting the housing needs of those with HIV/AIDS who need secure and stable housing but struggle to find it due to their health situation. This funding will assist approximately five families or individuals with rental and utility deposits, with the hope that as deposits are returned to the partnership they can be used again for new clients entering the program.
• Charlotte Family Housing received $2,500 for housing deposits to help ten families living in shelters to be able to move into housing on their own where they will receive supportive services to move beyond homelessness. One of the biggest barriers for families trying to move out of the shelter is the initial expense of a housing deposit, so this funding will help them overcome this barrier and move to stable, independent housing.
• Children’s Homes of Iredell County received $2,500 to provide educational training materials, college application funds, and transportation funds for employment and college visits to the young adults in the Children’s Homes’ Transitional Living Program. This program houses foster children ages 17-21 and helps them to become more independent and self-sufficient as they age out of the foster care system.
• Love In The Name of Christ received $1,200 to assist in purchasing materials to build two handicap ramps for people of few resources, senior adults and people with disabilities in Mecklenburg County. These funds will allow these two homeowners the freedom to enter and exit their homes safely and easily.

  You can also see the deserving organizations who received funding in 2009 and 2010 here.
  
  

  Learn more about the Housing Opportunity Foundation here.