City of Alexandria, Virginia
________________
MEMORANDUM
DATE: SEPTEMBER 24, 2025
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR, VICE-MAYOR, AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER
FROM: KATE GARVEY, DIRECTOR, DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND
HUMAN SERVICES /s/
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Framework for the FY 2027-2029 Alexandria Fund for Human Services Grant Cycle.
BODY
_________________________________________________________________
ISSUE: Transmittal of the City Council requested framework for the Alexandria Fund for Human Services (AFHS) FY 2027-2029 grant cycle.
RECOMMENDATION: That the City Council:
(1) Receive and approve the proposed operational framework and recommendations for the Alexandria Fund for Human Services FY 2027-2029 grant cycle.
(2) Consider and approve the recommended reporting format for ensuing AFHS grant cycles.
BACKGROUND:
On June 10, 2025, during the City Council Legislative Session, the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) and Community Science staff presented findings and recommendations from the independent evaluation of the Alexandria Fund for Human Services, which was completed in April 2025.
The Council accepted the report, and approved its placement on June 14, 2025, Public Hearing docket for public and key stakeholder feedback. Council subsequently directed staff to develop an operational framework and make recommendations for the forthcoming grant cycle. City Council also provided staff with the following guidance to inform the process:
• Engage stakeholders in development of a framework that aligns with the findings and recommendations from the independent evaluation.
• Assess funding strategies, that include options for both fewer large-scale grants and smaller community-focused mini and/or incubator grants.
• Preview components of year-end reports to be issued during the grant cycle to include performance data that validates the impact of the funded programs and services and other benefits resulting from the funding.
• Return to Council with a proposed framework and operational recommendations for the forthcoming grant cycle.
Community Engagement Sessions
DCHS held two community engagement sessions: a daytime session on August 6, 2025, and an evening session on August 7, 2025. Invitations were extended to 144 individuals representing 70 current and former AFHS funded organizations, community partners and stakeholders. To ensure a diverse range of perspectives, the invitees were encouraged to extend the invitation to their Board members and individuals with lived experience.
A total of fifty-one (51) individuals representing thirty-two (32) organizations participated in the sessions -- 43 individuals on August 6th and 8 individuals on August 7th. The sessions included a staff-led presentation, see Attachment I, outlining proposed changes for the upcoming grant cycle that aligned with recommendations in the independent evaluation:
1. Prioritizing services that are not duplicated in the community.
2. Creating a Community Advisory Group to provide funding input.
3. Enhancing capacity-building support for smaller nonprofits.
4. Funding fewer, larger grants for greater impact.
5. Implementing grant caps (number and amount).
6. Using a procurement model for survival services (e.g., food security, housing, safety).
7. Effective way to increase AFHS grant making process.
8. Introducing an annual cost-of-living adjustment for funded programs.
9. Adopting a mini and incubator grants process with simplified applications and reporting.
10. Presentation of funding model options; and
11. Aligning grant priorities with community needs in the new grant cycle.
The dialogue with the participants provided staff with an understanding as to whether these enhancements would encourage stronger, more effective proposals while also making the process more equitable and transparent.
To better understand the priorities, concerns, and aspirations of the engagement session participants, a 15-question online survey was sent after each session. The survey questions sought feedback and input on the information presented during the engagement sessions. Thirty-five percent (35%); twenty (20) of the participants responded to the survey. The survey questions and responses are summarized in Attachment II.
On September 3, 2025, ACT for Alexandria in collaboration with DCHS hosted a sensemaking session with community nonprofits. The purpose of the meeting was to bring nonprofits to a collaborative session to review the survey results and to collectively discuss data interpretation from the survey results, identify patterns, and create a shared understanding of the complexity in shaping the AFHS framework for the next grant cycle. A total of 21 individuals were in attendance, representing 18 nonprofit organizations.
The session was structured for those in attendance to seek further clarification of the survey results and provide feedback on the potential changes in the AFHS grants process. Following a presentation of the survey results those in attendance had an opportunity to ask clarifying questions and to provide input/suggestions/comments under the following headers:
• Funding prioritization (number of grants, grant size, funding caps, unduplicated services)
• Small nonprofits
• Community Advisory Group
• Survival, Stabilization, Thriving Categories
• Mini grants & Incubator grants
• Ways to increase AFHS funding
• Application process & Reporting
• Other
The feedback provided additional guidance and further illuminated the concerns organizations had regarding the funding structure and availability.
DISCUSSION:
FY 2027-2029 Proposed Operational Framework-Based on the recommendations provided in the April 2025 AFHS Independent Evaluation, the community input, and the anticipated funding allocation, DCHS staff proposes that the following operational framework guide the FY 2027-2029 grant making process and as appropriate be set forth in the FY 2027-2029 Request for Grant Proposals (RFGP):
Process, Outcome and Data Related Recommendations
• Establish a competitive grant making process that focuses primarily on stabilizing and thriving community well-being.
• Employ data-driven metrics to ensure that the most vulnerable populations have the support they need (via funded programs/services) to mitigate crises and that the City of Alexandria fosters the conditions that allow populations to move away from surviving and toward thriving
• Expected outcomes focused on the following priorities outlined in the report:
o Basic Needs Fulfillment
o Vulnerability and Equity
o Health and Safety
o Economic Stability and Support
o Social Functioning and Cohesion
• Require all grantees to commit to the collection of baseline data to include: the number of individuals/households served, zip codes, race/ethnicity of those served and the primary language used by those individuals/households supported.
Grant Process Recommendations
• Request data-driven grant proposals that prioritize impact.
• Maintain the three-year grant period FY 2027-2029.
• Publish a clear evaluation rubric aligned with funding priorities.
• Allow 6-8 weeks between the release of the notice and deadline for submission date.
• Allow 4-6 weeks between the announcement of grant awards disbursement.
• Establish weekly “office hours” during the grant application timeframe for general questions and answers.
• Institute an abbreviated application and reporting process for mini and incubator grants.
• Continue to offer detailed debriefs to all applicants so that organizations can improve future proposals.
• Continue to offer post-award technical assistance as needed to support the success of grantees
Funding Recommendations
Based on the input that has been provided throughout the course of the independent evaluation, Council guidance, community engagement sessions and survey feedback, the following are staff recommendations for the grant framework.
• Utilize competitive grant process to fund stabilization and thriving programs and service:
o Allocate a total of $1,505,000 of the $1,996,430 for competitive grant process.
o $1,505,000 for competitive grants, including mini/incubator grants.
• Allocate the remaining $491,430 to implement a procurement process that aligns with the AFHS grant making timeline to procure programs and services persistent conditions related to survival, food, shelter and security as outlined in the independent report.
• Adopt the grant priorities focused on the five areas to support stabilizing and thriving services as part of the funding decision process in the independent report.
• Funding should be prioritized for services that are currently not provided by the department.
• Continue to convene a Community Advisory Group (CAG), made up of local stakeholders and including DCHS Subject Matter Experts to guide and advise funding decisions.
• Funding should be provided to help smaller nonprofits strengthen capacity and to manage grants.
• A mini grant process should be adopted to fund projects designed to help small and emerging organizations fund smaller projects or initiatives.
• An incubator grant process should be adopted to fund organizations to support the early development and planning phases of a project. These grants would be intended to help shape initial concepts, establish a foundation for future efforts, and prepare for full-scale implementation or additional funding.
• Prior AFHS grant performance will be factored when reviewing and determining awards.
Unchanged Elements for the Next Funding Cycle:
Organizational Eligibility Criteria
• Organizations positioned in the community offer services that are sound in practice and services are delivered to respond to emerging and critical challenges of human service.
• Organizations may be based either in the City of Alexandria or in other jurisdictions, but funding made available through this grant opportunity can only be used to provide services to Alexandria residents.
• Organizations, public or private with IRS nonprofit determination are eligible to apply.
• Confirmation of organization eligibility by completing the pre- application screening in the grant portal.
• Approval of the organization's governing body (Board of Directors) to submit a grant proposal.
Focus Populations
• Children and youth (including ages 0-5)
• Individuals with low incomes and low wealth
• Individuals with dental, physical health, mental health, and vision care needs
• Individuals facing crises
• Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
• Older Adults
• Historically marginalized communities
AFHS FY 2027-2029 Annual Report - In alignment with the proposed framework, DCHS staff is committed to producing a report that provides both Council and the wider community with an annual overview of how these funds are utilized and the impact of the AFHS. The report will also recognize and celebrate the vital contributions of our community nonprofits in furthering the mission of the department and the City of Alexandria. To support this effort, AFHS grant recipients will, as per the executed grant agreement, collect baseline data and provide grant priority performance and outcome information. The reports will be issued annually, and a comprehensive report will be issued at the end of the grant cycle. Below is a proposed content outline:
A. Overview of the AFHS and funded Programs and Services
B. Total number of individuals/households supported annually.
C. Individuals/ households supported by
1. Age ranges
2. Race/ethnicity
3. Primary language of those served
D. Service Delivery Heat Maps
1. Zip codes where program/service delivery locations
2. Neighborhoods program participants
3. Grantee’s program/service delivery locations
E. AFHS Grant Impact
1. Outcomes by grant priority area
2. Key strategies
3. Program Outputs
4. Percentage of grantees meeting proposed outcomes
5. Storytelling
F. Additional Resources leveraged by grantees by grant year/cycle
G. Cash (contributions, fundraising and other grants)
H. Value of Grantee In-Kind Support
1. Total number of volunteers
2. Total volunteer service hours
3. Cash value of the service
4. Cash value of non-volunteer contribution
I. Successes, challenges and lessons learned by grant year/cycle
Critical Dependencies- To meet the timeframes for the issuance of the Notice of Funding Availability, Request for Grant Proposals publication and grant making and awards announcement included in the independent evaluation, a revised version of an earlier FY 2027-2029 Grant Making Activities Timeline has been developed (Attachment III). The ability to meet these time frames is dependent upon the timely approval of the recommendations, the successful procurement processes for the delivery of Essential Services, and an effective RFGP process. Delays in any of these areas could result in service delivery delays and/or a compressed grants process. All efforts will be made to ensure the timeframes will be maintained.
FISCAL IMPACT: Fiscal impact is dependent on funding discussion of City Council. Staff will await further guidance from the City Council in this regard. The fiscal impact would commence with the FY 2027- FY 2029 grant cycle.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment I AFHS Community Engagement Session Presentation
Attachment II Community Engagement Survey Results
Attachment III AFHS FY 2027-2029 Grant Making Activities Timeline
STAFF:
Alethea Predeoux, Deputy City Manager
Morgan Routt, Director, Office of Management and Budget
Federico Gutierrez, Deputy Director, DCHS