Birmingham City Council seeking applications from local organizations for Magic City Recovery Pitch

Councilor Clinton Woods, who chairs the Birmingham City Council’s Governmental Affairs and Public Information Committee, is seeking proposals for projects that are eligible to receive funding from the Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Fund (SLFRF). Organizations will be afforded an opportunity to present to members of the Birmingham City Council at a series of “Special Called Joint Governmental Affairs and Public Information and Special Called Committee of The Whole Meetings.”

The City of Birmingham has been awarded over $141 million to respond to the public health emergency caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic and its negative economic impacts, these funds include assistance to households, small businesses, nonprofits, or aid to impacted industries such as tourism, travel, and hospitality.

The Magic City Recovery Pitch seeks to assist local organizations and households with funding opportunities through the roughly $80 million in unallocated SLFRF funds that the City received last year.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for local organizations and residents to apply for and receive federal funds that can help bolster our local economy and get them some much-needed relief,” Councilor Woods said. “These local organizations that are eligible help provide critical services for our residents and I’m looking forward to identifying and coordinating with groups that can help the City maximize the impact of these federal dollars.”

Below are details for eligibility, requirements and how to apply:

“Responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts” includes several sub-categories:

1. Public Health — Includes
2. COVID -19 mitigation and prevention
3. Medical expenses
4. Behavioral health care, such as mental health treatment, substance use treatment, and other behavioral health services
5. Preventing and responding to violence
6. Assistance to impacted households and communities- Includes
7. Housing (and certain related costs. e.g., Mortgage and rental assistance
8. Workforce Development
9. Children and Families
10. Other assistance (e.g., Financial services for the unbanked and underbanked, cash assistance, assistance in accessing and applying for public benefits or services )
11. Health Disparities
12. Educational Disparities
13. Housing and Neighborhoods
14. Assistance to small businesses — Includes
15. Small Business Grants
16. Technical Assistance
17. Rehabilitation of Commercial Properties
18. Support for microbusinesses
19. Assistance to nonprofits negatively impacted by pandemic — Includes
20. Loans or grants to mitigate financial hardship
21. Technical assistance or other in-kind services that mitigate the negative economic impacts of the pandemic
22. Aid to impacted (and disproportionately impacted)industries

Organizations that are interested in making a presentation will need to submit the following information to Tevin.Jones@birminghamal.gov by Sunday, April 10th:

• Project Name
• Name of Organization
• Vision Statement
• Relevancy to City goals
• Target Population
• Target Geography
• Primary Project Goal
• Metrics (How will your organization measure successful impact)
• Existing Disparity
• Evidence (Data supporting the expressed need)
• Total Budget
• Supporting attachments (i.e., Presentation Material)

Eligible applicants will be contacted and scheduled to appear before the Governmental Affairs and Public Information to make their presentation to members of the Birmingham City Council.