Activate Housing Champions
Together we can inspire more people to take action toward housing solutions.
Family Housing Fund believes that our housing challenges require all of us to work together to build a strong and equitable housing system. From policymakers to housing advocates to engaged citizens, we all have a role to play in creating a region where everyone has a place to call home. Our goal is to activate a broader set of champions to take coordinated actions that advance equitable housing solutions for the Twin Cities region. Here’s how we’re sparking new ideas and catalyzing change.
Family Housing Fund is leading our region toward embracing a mindset of opportunity, grounded in the belief that we can work together to solve the housing problems we face. This requires new public narratives that shift the way people think and talk about affordable housing and families who need it. We draw attention to emerging and unattended housing problems to ensure regional stakeholders can advance proactive solutions.
We are in a critical moment to ensure that everyone living in the Twin Cities region has a quality, affordable place to call home. Throughout our work, Family Housing Fund brings people together to ensure we leverage our region’s collective resources and what we have learned over the past several years to create a more equitable housing system.
We are committed to building more power within the housing system by incorporating and elevating BIPOC voices throughout our work and in the broader housing field. We are committed to providing deep investment in BIPOC organizations, supporting them in building capacity, expanding their reach, and scaling their work to benefit their communities and the entire region. We know that the best way to improve the housing system’s ability to serve BIPOC communities is by investing in BIPOC-led organizations.
Process for Considering Funding Decisions
Family Housing Fund uses a relationship-based funding process with very low barriers to seeking support. We explore funding relationships in two ways:
We react to ideas: Instead of asking a partner to submit a written proposal delivered by a certain deadline, we like to start with a conversation, or even an email. A conversation allows for immediate feedback, and is less time consuming and expensive for an applicant than submitting a written proposal.
We co-develop ideas: Some of the best new strategies are borne from brainstorming and building on each other’s ideas. Family Housing Fund staff often participates in—or even convenes—problem-solving sessions where new ideas or interventions are proposed.
Although our process is informal, some projects require approval from our Board of Directors, and all funded projects must align with the priorities outlined in our strategic plan. Any project must specify objective measures that would define success. When commissioning research or similar contracts, Family Housing Fund allows up to a 10 percent indirect cost rate to cover overhead or administrative costs. (Read our full indirect cost policy.)
Please contact our president Ellen Sahli to begin a conversation about funding.
Ideas and Insights
Housing and Economic Growth
Housing and Unemployment One Year into the Pandemic
