To build a broad movement, Opportunity Starts at Home is creating and strengthening the capacities of multi-sector state coalitions that share the campaign’s goals. This will be accomplished through capacity-building grants, technical assistance, and field support – both in targeted areas and ultimately in every state.
So far, the campaign has issued capacity-building grants to partners in seven target states. Campaign staff evaluated proposals from state partners based on scopes of work, outcome goals, indicators, and budgets. Each grantee will report semi-annually on progress. Quarterly conference calls are held with grantees to share challenges, lessons learned, and best practices.
A key objective of each of the seven awardees will be to broaden and diversify its state’s housing coalition to other sectors. This effort will ensure that each state not only has active coalition members who specialize in housing, but also health care, education, civil rights, poverty, and other sectors.
Throughout the first year, the campaign will strive to have state-specific multi-sector events and will provide needed assistance to enable effective state-level participation and to promote impactful local media coverage.
The seven current state partners that have received grants are Housing California, Idaho Center for Fiscal Policy, Maine Affordable Housing Coalition, Housing and Community Development Network of New Jersey, Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio, Neighborhood Partnerships (Oregon) and the Utah Housing Coalition.
As the campaign grows over time, the Opportunity Starts at Home will incentivize and encourage similar efforts in all states.
