AUSTIN, Texas — More than 20 local nonprofit organizations have been awarded contracts worth a total of $1 million to better address homelessness in Austin, the City of Austin Homeless Strategy Division and Innovation Office announced on Friday.
A total of 21 organizations will be able to expand their services, improve equity and grow Austin's homelessness response system. Groups will receive up to $45,000 through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
The 21 recipients were selected through a panel that included community advocates and people who have lived experience of homelessness. Each organization supports people experiencing homelessness throughout Austin and Travis County.
Services provided by the organizations include employment and education support, housing connections, benefits enrollment, basic needs, LGBTQ+ focused services and more. Several of the organizations are led by Black, indigenous and people of color or employ people that have experienced homelessness.
“In order for us to meet community goals around reducing homelessness, we are going to need the help of a broad variety of service providers, some of whom may not have been previously funded by the City of Austin," City of Austin Homeless Strategy Officer Dianna Grey said in a media release. "The awards provide targeted funding for service providers to help them scale up or improve services."
This initiative is the first phase of investments with an additional $2.9 million in funding planned for the fiscal year 2023.
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