In evaluating funding proposals, the review team considered such factors as the agency’s history of serving older adults, staff experience, its responsiveness in addressing critical gaps in service, cultural relevance, coordination with families and communities, collaboration with other providers, expected outcomes, and geographic areas to be served. Though agencies were not required to be physically located within the equity priority areas, they were asked to describe how their programming or partnerships with other agencies might reach people in or near those areas.
In the end, the Council agreed to significantly expand the number of agencies awarded funds in order to broaden the reach and portfolio of agencies supporting older adult services in Madison.
We think this group represents a good mix of established and lesser-known agencies that can reach the full spectrum of older adults in our community. As the availability of sufficient resources is always challenging, our challenge now, and theirs, is to build a cohesive and collaborative network that is greater than the sum of its parts.
—
Yolanda Shelton-Morris, City of Madison Community Services Manager
Funding Allocations
The Community Development Division recommended that the Council fund 13 of the 15 agencies that applied. Of those, seven have not previously received City funding to serve older adults, and five of the new agencies are led by and serve people of color.
The final funding allocations are:
Agency Requested Funded
Bayview Foundation $46,600 $46,600
Goodman Community Center $30,000 $30,000
Neighborhood House Cty Center $12,000 $12,000
Outreach, Inc. $20,000 $20,000
Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center
$137,200 $128,935
Freedom, Inc. $70,000 $40,000
NewBridge Madison $627,969 $400,000
African Center for Community Development
$25,000 $13,040
Southeast Asian Healing Center, Inc.$115,000 $55,000
IP Ministries $120,000 $45,000
The Hmong Institute $175,000 $86,935
Urban Triage $150,000 $45,000
RSVP of Dane County $85,670 $19,399
FOSTER of Dane County $50,000 $0
Lussier Community Education Center
$12,712 $0
TOTAL $1,677,151 $941,909
While most organizations received less funding than requested, offering funds to more organizations will make services more available to those living within or closer to the equity priority areas and support a more diverse network of service providers.