Supporting Frontline Workers Fund

A direct financial support initiative providing cash stipends to LA's homeless sector frontline workers to address burnout, fatigue, anxiety, and turnover while supporting worker wellbeing and sector retention.

Geographic Scope: Los Angeles

Target Population:

• Homeless sector frontline workers
• Over 3,000 workers across 53 organizations
• Prioritized lowest-paid workers in the sector

Funding Amount:

• Total Fund: $2,500,000
• Individual Stipends: $500-$1,500 per worker
• Beneficiary Organizations: 53 organizations
• Worker Recipients: Over 3,000 homeless sector frontline workers

Funding Sources:

• Initial funding: $1,000,000 from Cedars-Sinai
• Additional funding: $1,550,000 from United Way of Greater Los Angeles

Focus Areas:

• Addressing worker anxiety, burnout, and fatigue
• Supporting worker retention in homeless response sector
• Providing immediate financial relief
• Care and retention of frontline workers

Equity Approach:

• Prioritized funding requests from organizations with budgets under $10M
• Focused on organizations led by BIPOC individuals and leaders with lived experience of homelessness
• Simple application process
• Equitable selection process

Context: Responds to LA's homeless crisis exacerbated by worker stress; workers navigating dual pressure of client stressors while supporting themselves and families through pandemic

Related Work: Funded through SJPLA's Racial Equity in Homelessness Initiative partnership with Cedars-Sinai; part of broader initiative addressing wage equity in homeless response sector; includes production of Living Wage report with recommendations to public and private funders