The COVID-19 pandemic, mitigation measures like social distancing, and the resulting economic downturn significantly negatively impacted mental health and substance use challenges for many. Harrisonburg community members were not immune to the behavioral health impacts of the pandemic.
The City of Harrisonburg conducted a robust public engagement process in the first half of 2022 to determine the pandemic’s impact on community members and to garner feedback from the public for how best to address those impacts with the City’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) allocation. Improving community mental and physical health emerged from this public engagement process as a top public priority.
In response, the Harrisonburg City Council allocated $400,000 of the City’s ARPA funding for a Mental Health Fund.
The Mental Health Fund recognizes that improving mental health and wellness of all Harrisonburg community members is crucial to ensuring a healthy and thriving community. This Fund is designed to support organizations providing mental and behavioral health services, with an emphasis on services to low-income, underserved, uninsured, and/or underinsured individuals and families. Prospective applicants should thoroughly review the Fund’s Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for details on the Fund’s priorities, applicant eligibility criteria, and eligible uses of funds.
Key Eligibility Criteria
- The applicant must be a nonprofit organization with a 501(c)(3) status, including hospitals and local providers, OR a governmental organization or Community Service Board.
- The applicant must provide significant, measurable direct services to Harrisonburg community members. The organization must be able to provide an unduplicated count of those served.
- The applicant must have fulfilled all service, reporting, auditing, and payment obligations for any previous loans or grants from the City.
- The applicant must submit all required supporting documents in order to be considered by the Mental Health Fund Application Review Committee.
Application Process
View the Mental Health Fund Notice of Funding Opportunity [543KB]
View the Mental Health Fund FAQs [120KB]
View the Mental Health Fund Budget Template [22KB]
Applications can be completed at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8G3HHLZ. The application cannot be saved and returned to at a later time. If the application is closed before it is completed, it will submit. Application questions and required attachment can be viewed in the above Notice of Funding Opportunity and in the Mental Health Fund Application Preview [323KB]. The Mental Health Fund Application Preview is a printout of the online application and should not itself be submitted as an application. All applications must be submitted online via the application link.
Applications are due on Friday, June 30, 2023, by 5:00pm.
A virtual Q&A on the application, the scoring rubric, and the evaluation process will be held on Wednesday, June 7, at 10:00am. If you plan to attend the event, please register by June 6 at 11:59pm at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WCBHWSB
Examples of required documents:
1. Evidence of Nonprofit Status - IRS 501(c)(3) Determination Letter
- Sample IRS Letter of Determination 1 [1MB]
- Sample IRS Letter of Determination 2 [78KB]
- Sample IRS Letter of Determination 3 [290KB]
2. IRS Tax Form 990, 990-EZ, or 990-N (990 or 990-EZ highly preferred)
- Sample IRS Form 990 [719KB]
- Sample IRS Form 990 EZ [366KB]
3. An audit by an independent CPA, a financial review, or a compilation
- Sample Audit [1MB]
- Sample Review [1MB]
- Sample Compilation [1MB]
4. State Corporation Commission Certificate of Good Standing
Evaluation Process
Following the application deadline, the Mental Health Fund Application Review Committee will review and consider all applications. All proposals will be scored using a scoring rubric.
Scoring Rubric [200KB]
The Review Committee will form funding recommendations based on applicants’ scores.
Award of Funds
The Harrisonburg City Council will consider the Review Committee’s funding recommendations and will retain sole and absolute discretion in administering this program, including which applicants will be awarded funds and the total level of funding in each instance.
Execution of Agreement
Non-profit organizations selected to receive funds will be required to sign and execute an agreement with the City of Harrisonburg. The agreement will require submission of quarterly reports, as outlined in the Notice of Funding Opportunity.
Grant Contacts
Luke Morgan, Grants and Programs Analyst
540-432-7739