Housing Hub Awarded $75,000 Grant for Workforce Development Program
Through our partnership with Mountain T.O.P., Housing Hub has been awarded a $75,000 Maximizing Appalachian Capacity (MAC) Grant from Fahe, a regional network of more than 50 nonprofit housing organizations dedicated to building thriving communities and expanding opportunity across Appalachia. An additional $75,000 has been awarded to Mountain T.O.P. as a revolving fund to support their major home repair program.
Mountain T.O.P. is one of nine Fahe Members selected to receive MAC Grants, which total $2.4 million in direct investment to strengthen local capacity for affordable housing and community development in the region. The awards will leverage $19.4 million in additional funding, build staff capacity, increase housing production, create job training and new jobs, and serve over 600 households.
Through the support of this grant and a previously awarded South Cumberland Community Fund Collaborative Grant of $15k, Housing Hub will launch Building Opportunities, a pilot a 12-week workforce development program. The program will build invaluable trade skills among young adults while, spending paid time learning necessary soft skills and participating in mentorship activities. Participants will have an opportunity to give back to their community by working on Housing Hub homes and Mountain T.O.P. major home repair projects, expanding the impact of both organizations.
Cody Jorstad, Director of Housing Development at Housing Hub, said, “The MAC grant will help us launch the pre-apprenticeship program. The beauty of this endeavor is that it will have a double bottom line: impacting individuals learning new skills and professional development and impacting community development work in the realm of affordable housing.”
“Appalachia’s future depends on strong local institutions,” said Jim King, Fahe CEO. “These awards give our Members funding to pursue the tools, talent, and infrastructure they need to accelerate housing and community development across the region.”
About the MAC Grant Awards
Fahe established this competitive grant program as part of their Housing Can’t Wait® campaign to expand access to affordable housing in Appalachia by 2030. Fahe Members designed the awards application. Fahe staff and a distinguished awards committee of Board members reviewed Fahe Member applications for strategy, readiness, and impact. Impact results will be published in a future report.
Funding for the MAC Grant Awards was made possible thanks to an unrestricted grant that Fahe received from the Yield Giving foundation. Transformational financing empowered Fahe to direct the funding in a manner that would be most productive to Fahe’s mission.
About Fahe
Fahe unites people, organizations, and resources to build homes, strengthen communities, and create a thriving Appalachia. Since 1980, Fahe and its Members have invested nearly $5 billion, improving life for more than one million people through housing, advocacy, and local leadership. Learn more at www.fahe.org.