Philly Leader

PHILADELPHIA – On June 8, the City of Philadelphia announced the first round of grantees for the Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund (“Prevention Fund”), a grantmaking program managed by the Thomas Scattergood Behavioral Health Foundation. Launched in December 2022, The Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund invests funds from the national opioid settlements to mobilize community-based organizations as trusted messengers and bring prevention resources to areas of the city that are most impacted by the overdose crisis.

In the first round announced today, the Prevention Fund awarded $1.9 million in grants to 27 community-based organizations across Philadelphia. The grant selection process, facilitated by Strategy Arts, Inc., involved two Community Granting Groups made of Philadelphia residents who reviewed and selected applications from eligible organizations serving impacted areas in Kensington and North Philadelphia/Citywide.

“While the overdose crisis affects all of Philadelphia, each neighborhood has its own strengths and faces unique challenges due to the overdose crisis. The Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund empowers communities by strengthening grassroots organizations who bring their local knowledge and expertise to the table,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “Every dollar distributed will support community-led efforts to support our neighbors, prevent substance misuse and heal wounds—both visible and hidden—that the opioid epidemic has caused our beloved city.” This is the first step of grantmaking after the City announced its initial plans for an estimated $200 million that it will receive over 18 years from Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKessen Corp., which is part of a settlement in a nationwide lawsuit distributing funds to communities around the country affected by the opioid crisis. The first payout in the Johnson & Johnson suit brought $20 million to the city.

Ten Capacity-Building Grants and 17 Program Grants were awarded to local, non-profits that engage communities through programs focused on overdose prevention, substance use awareness and harm reduction, as well as holistic programs that address community trauma, stigma associated with substance use, or promote safety and mental well-being for community-based workers in the substance use field.

“Grassroots organizations are vital lifelines within our communities,” said Noelle Foizen, Director of the Opioid Response Unit. “By prioritizing opioid settlement funds for organizations with budgets under $5 million, the Prevention Fund elevates prevention programming through trusted community messengers on the frontlines. This fund ensures those with firsthand understanding of local challenges are equipped with resources to address them and helps repair historic strains between public institutions and communities through renewed trust.”

The Scattergood Foundation will provide ongoing technical assistance for grantees related to grant award management and monitoring. Recipients of Capacity-Building Grants will receive their awards in full upon signing the grant agreement, while Program Grant recipients will receive quarterly installments.

“We are proud to partner with the City to develop this community-driven grantmaking process. We have a commitment to approach our work with humility and strive to share power with those most impacted to advance equity for all,” said Joe Pyle, President of the Scattergood Foundation. “This fund aligns with that commitment by building a platform for change from the ground up – providing small organizations access to crucial resources and the opportunity to collaborate with each other to support impacted communities.”

Awardees:

Capacity Building Grants ($20,000) support a wide range of general, operating uses. Funding may also support capacity building through organizational development, technical assistance, and research.

• Angels in Motion
• By Faith Eternal Health Care DBA By Faith Healing and Healing
• CADEKids
• First Stop Recovery
• Original Kensington Outreach Foundation
• Philadelphia Prevention Partnership
• Philly Unknown
• Puentes de Salud
• RAWTools Philly
• Socks for the Streets

Program Grants ($100,000) provide direct support for programs that advance one of the Fund’s six grant focus areas.

• AMANDLA, Inc. (Safe-Hub Philadelphia) for “Safe-Hub Collective Impact Expansion”
• Anti-Drug and Alcohol Crusaders for “Philly Youth Making Positive Choices”
• Ark of Safety for “Ark of Safety Drop-In Center”
• Broad Street Ministry for “2023 Behavioral Health Initiative”
• Courage Medicine Health Center Inc for “Courage to Heal”
• Danny’s House for “Recovery Housing”
• Eluna f/k/a The Moyer Foundation for “Support Program for Families Grieving an Overdose Death”
• Fab Youth Philly for “Youth Workforce Development Programming”
• Homeless Advocacy Project for “HAP Legal Clinic at the Mike Hinson Resource Center”
• Mercy Neighborhood Ministries for “A Path to Prosperity”
• Operation in My Backyard for “Harm Reduction Outreach”
• Philadelphia Community Empowerment Through Soccer (DBA Kensington Soccer Club) for “Active Community Spaces and Bright Futures”
• Providence Center for “Overdose Prevention Case Manager”
• Savage Sisters Recovery, Inc. for “People United for Social Healing (PUSH)”
• Stop the Risk (Impact Services) for “Harm Reduction and Intensive Case Management”
• Unity Recovery for “Expansion of Community-Based Harm Reduction and Employment Supports for the Philadelphia Community”
• Yoga 4 Philly for “Healing Kensington Initiative”

About the Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund: The Overdose Prevention and Community Healing Fund mobilizes trusted community messengers to help repair and revitalize communities impacted by the overdose crisis in Philadelphia. Organizations funded must address one or more of the following focus areas through their broader mission or the specific program being funded to receive a grant:

1. Expand community-based efforts in prevention, education, and harm reduction.
2. Promote and facilitate connections to behavioral health treatment and/or recovery services.
3. Address and respond inclusively to complex, unmet needs related to substance use for participants in communities of color and underserved populations.
4. Heal individual and collective trauma related to substance use in communities.
5. Reduce substance use-related stigma in communities.
6. Promote public safety and wellness for community workers in the substance use field.

The Prevention Fund employs a place-based grantmaking approach, focusing on neighborhoods that have been disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis:

• Kensington (defined as 19124, 19133 and 19134)
• North Philadelphia (defined as 19132 and 19140)
• Citywide (defined as all other Philadelphia County ZIP codes)

How to Apply:

A second round for Prevention Fund grants will open for applications by Fall 2023. The Prevention Fund will continue to accept applications from organizations serving affected communities across Philadelphia, with remaining funds from the first round prioritized for organizations serving highly impacted areas in North Philadelphia. Please visit Scattergood’s website for more information.

Original source can be found here.