DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Voices for Economic Opportunity Challenge Application
SUMMARY:
The Human Services Department requests approval for the submission of a grant application for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation "Voices for Economic Opportunity Challenge". The grant application will focus on raising awareness and understanding of poverty, tackling misconceptions about the reality of poverty in our communities, and using resident voices and data to develop strategies and policies that build economic security and stability in San Antonio.
The Human Services Department, in collaboration with City departments and community organizations, will develop the grant proposal and serve as the lead agency for the application of the $100,000 USD award.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
In September 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau released state and local-level data on poverty, income, and health insurance statistics. Among the top 25 most populous metropolitan areas, San Antonio was ranked as having the highest percentage of people living in poverty. According to data from the American Community Survey, San Antonio's poverty rate increased by 0.9 percent, from 14.5% in 2017 to 15.4% in 2018.
On September 18, 2019, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, in collaboration with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the Raikes Foundation, released a request for proposals for the Voices for Economic Opportunity Challenge. The foundation is seeking creative, compelling ideas from individuals and organizations from all sectors in the U.S. to elevate diverse voices and broaden the national conversation about poverty and economic mobility.
ISSUE:
Over the past few years, the team at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation have been travelling to communities across the U.S. to better understand the nature of poverty in our country and the barriers to economic opportunity...
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