Fund for Santa Barbara: Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund Grant

The Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund, named after a revered community activist, supports organizations in Santa Barbara County that advocate for social housing justice. This fund aims to empower grassroots efforts in cooperative housing, tenant organizing, and innovative housing initiatives. The maximum grant request is $5,000, with a funding period of 12 months. The fund prioritizes projects addressing systemic social issues and promoting affordable housing solutions for marginalized communities.

NOTE: Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis, subject to an initial screening by The FUND and funding availability. Offered year-round until funds are exhausted.
Background
The Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund (MFSHF) commemorates the life and legacy of community activist and esteemed friend of the FUND, Mickey Flacks. During her 50 years in Santa Barbara, Mickey devoted herself to the advancement of social justice and democracy. She understood access to affordable housing and tenants' rights as foundational to achieving the betterment of her beloved community and eloquently argued for social housing—housing developed for people’s needs rather than for the market. In this spirit, The Fund for Santa Barbara is proud to carry on Mickey’s commitment to housing equity by way of the Mickey Flacks Social Housing Fund.
Considerations for funding include:
Funding Categories
Organizations/groups may apply for grant support in at least one of the following funding categories:
Cooperative HousingAccording to the National Association of Housing Cooperatives, “A housing cooperative is formed when people join on a democratic basis to own or control the housing and/or related community facilities in which they live. Usually, they form a not-for-profit cooperative corporation. Each month they pay a fee to cover their share of the operating expenses. Personal income tax deductions, lower turnover rates, lower real estate tax assessments (in some local areas), controlled maintenance costs, and resident participation and control are some of the benefits of choosing cooperative homeownership.Applicants to the MFSHF for cooperative housing projects would need to show how their efforts are moving toward the creation of new coop housing. This initiative was one of Mickey Flacks’ top priorities as a housing advocate and affordability pioneer.Grassroots Organizing for Progressive Housing PolicyThis second initiative imagines new leadership that places affordability, environmental sustainability, public transportation, and urban density at the center of the work.Applicants focusing on grassroots organizing will need to demonstrate that their work is innovative and breaks new ground. This work would not get funding from elsewhere without the early support of the MFSHF. Such early funding gives the flexibility to take on politically risky ideas, much in the spirit of Mickey Flacks herselfTenant OrganizingThis third initiative recognizes that Santa Barbara County has one of the least affordable rental housing markets in the United States. Mickey Flacks believed that an important way to keep private landlords from constantly raising rents was to organize tenants as a countervailing power.Applicants focusing on tenant organizing will demonstrate how their work will enable tenants to have a voice and power in their communities. Preference will be given to concrete strategies, tactical actions, and capacity building of a new movement of tenants.Seed Money for Innovative Housing InitiativesEach of the previous initiatives qualifies as innovative; however, there may be new ideas such as tiny homes, co-housing, mobile homes, or other innovative ideas that are worthy of funding for capacity building purposes.Applicants for this capacity building funding would need to demonstrate how their idea is bold, unique, and works toward establishing permanent affordability.
Funding
The FUND provides seed grants to new grassroots projects; general support or project grants to small organizations; and targeted grants to larger, more established organizations.
Maximum request: $5,000. Length of funding: 12 months.

Eligibility

Must meet the Funding Guidelines and PrioritiesIn order to meet our guidelines, a project must:Actively support anti-discrimination based on race, sex/gender, age, religion, language spoken, or immigration status;Actively support communities marginalized by power structures to engage in dialogue and actions that seek to counter social injustice;Actively work to improve the rights of workers and their families whose living conditions have been marginalized;Promote the cultural life of underserved communities and support the activities of cultural workers;Promote self-determination and leadership development in low income and disenfranchised communities;Promote Global peace and organize locally for just policies;Work on building coalitions to enhance improving environmental justice and address climate change, especially organizing a constituency usually without access to decision-makersEngage in collaborative action and coalition-building to strengthen movement ecosystems;Work against community violence and actively support recovery and restorative justice activities and initiatives;Operate in a democratic manner, responsive to and directed by the constituency being served.Must have a Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN), a Federal Tax Identification Number; or a tax-exempt fiscal sponsor’sMust have an organizational bank account; or a fiscal sponsor’sBudget and Planned Activities must fall within the funding timeframe for which the proposal is submitted

Ineligibility

We Do Not FundPolitical campaigns that support a candidate or a political party;Private (vs. public) interests;Direct labor organizing;Projects providing direct services without a social change component;Direct support to individuals;Building improvements;Capital ventures, i.e. machines, vehicles, etc.;Equipment, i.e. office equipment, tools, etc; Projects located outside of Santa Barbara County.