HomeMy WebLinkAboutFY2024 Aid to Agencies Application (Emerging)_ICCFY2024 Aid to Agencies Application (Emerging)
Section 1 - General Information
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Aid to Agencies provides flexible operational funding for nonprofits. Applications are due Monday, January 30, 2023 at
12pm. This application is for “emerging” agencies, those that have not existed as a legal entity for at least 2 years or
have not received A2A funds in any of the last five years. Each agency is eligible to apply for up to $15,000. No award
will be made for less than $5,000. Please submit one project proposal per application. Questions can be directed to
Brianna Thul at bthul@iowa-city.org or to Neighborhood Services staff at 319-356-5230. Hard copy applications are
available upon request.
Submit completed applications online or a PDF version to bthul@iowa-city.org. Emailed applications must receive a
confirmation email from City staff before the application deadline to be considered for funding. No exceptions will be
made for late submittals. Online submittals are preferred, but you may send your application by certified or registered
mail; overnight delivery service e.g., FedEx; or deliver in person if arrangements are made with a Neighborhood
Services representative. Please call 319-356-5230 to make drop off arrangements prior to arrival.
Applications are due on Monday, January 30, 2023 by 12pm. No exceptions will be made for late
submittals. Should you have any questions while completing the application contact
Neighborhood Services staff at 319-356-5230 or by email at bthul@iowa-city.org.
1. Lead Organization / Agency
Application Contact
Name *
Address *
Website
Teresa Stecker
City
Iowa City
State / Province / Region
IA
Postal / Zip Code
52240
Country
United States
Street Address
1035 Wade St
Address Line 2
www.iccompassion.org
Name *
Title *
Teresa Stecker
Executive Director
2. Organization/Agency Type *
Years in Operation *
Project Name *
Brief Description *
Total Funds Requested *
Has the applicant received City assistance in the last five years?*
Is the applicant currently in compliance with all federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations including any
CDBG and/or HOME funded projects?*
Phone *
Email *
5632604541
teresa@iccompassion.org
501(c)3
Public
For Profit
Faith-Based
CHDO
Other
16
3. Project
ICCompassion
ICCompassion is a faith based organization that engages culturally diverse communities together through hope,
opportunities and partnerships. Together we equip people at their point of need to move out of poverty and
inspire them to be of service to others.
15,000.00$
4. History
Yes No
(including partners, co-applicants, etc.)
Yes
No
Currently in litigation
Section 2 - Need and Priority
The City Steps Plan guides funding within the community that benefits low-moderate income persons by
creating jobs, improving housing, and providing services. You can find a copy of City Steps
at www.icgov.org/actionplan
5. Summary of proposed project *
6. Why is the project needed?*
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We are asking for operational support for our work at ICCompassion. Our primary purpose is to equip culturally
diverse communities at their point of need. Since our beginning in 2006, we have sought to respond to the needs
of low-income families in our community. Since the flood of 2008, we have recognized our specific contribution to
immigrant and refugees' families that are hoping to make Iowa City/Johnson County their home. With focus
groups and needs survey results, our focus includes immigration legal service, English tutoring, employment
assistance, education, transportation assistance, access to culturally relevant foods through food pantry and
gardening, legal advice and mental health counseling. In 2022, we launched Jabez Cafe – a training Cafe for
increase independence of low-income immigrant young adults with disabilities by learning job skills in the food
service area.
Along with our work assisting many immigrant families out of poverty, our work has been critical to the Iowa City
agencies including the government, civic, social and religious organizations. We have contributed to others who
seek to respond to the needs of immigrants by being key to forming the Johnson County Refugee Alliance,
providing translation and immigration legal help. During these last 16 years, we have been supported by
donations, fees from Immigration legal services and grants. We are asking the city to recognize us as an
emerging agency. Our plan is to use this additional funding for volunteer coordinator. Volunteers are key to our
work. To continue to retain volunteers and provide satisfactory training and support for our Iowa City individuals
who wish to contribute their heart and skills to these vulnerable populations, we need a volunteer coordinator
position. This funding will also provide an equitable salary to Jabez staff to maintain consistent food service and
training for this critical service.
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In 2021, we aligned ourselves with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. We seek to
promote peace and justice for low-income immigrants and refugees in our community. Our Executive Director
Teresa Stecker became Johnson County’s first accredited representative providing legal immigration assistance
and we continue to be the only agency providing low and no-cost legal services to people seeking family
unification, legal residency, and citizenship. Our legal work has ensured that immigrants of Iowa City have
access to competent, trustworthy and affordable legal representation ensuring immigrant families the opportunity
to becoming productive and contributing members of our city. ICCompassion offers a free food pantry that serves
the east side of Iowa City providing culturally relevant foods. Ninety percent of our clients for the food pantry is
people of color from our community, We continue to serve 50-100 families a week. Our commitment to feeding
our neighborhood is our commitment to zero hunger. As we work to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, we
provide the tools and nourishment necessary to keep mothers and children healthy. During the Coronavirus
pandemic, we have helped refugee and immigrant communities access accurate health information regarding
COVID-19 and vaccinations. Our mental health counseling services for refugees is the only counseling
committed to providing culturally sensitive and free service in response to the trauma experienced by this
population. Jabez Cafe is the first training opportunity that includes cultural competent training for low income
immigrant young adults with disabilities. Through our legal work and Jabez Cafe, we have committed ourselves
to achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people
and persons with disabilities, and immigrants. Through these 16 years, we have shown our commitment to our
mission in Iowa City and the importance of our work.
7. How does the project fill a gap in the community?*
8. How does the project address the goals of 2021-2025 City Steps?*
9. Describe how you will incorporate sustainability initiatives into your project to help carry out the City’s Climate
Action Plan.*
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All our services are filling a gap that is not being provided through any other agency. For example, Jabez Café
goal to provide a place for young adults with disabilities and mental health illnesses to work and gain the skills for
future job opportunities. Adults with an intellectual disability often struggle to find work. With additional barriers of
language, family support and legal issues, disabled immigrants have increased difficulty finding job opportunities.
Jabez Cafe was developed to provide a positive job skill opportunity for these young people. Working with
people from multi-cultural backgrounds and multiple disabilities, the café impacts the trainees, their volunteer
parents and our community. The café has helped to provide awareness of the barriers people with disabilities
face along with the value of these young people for our community.
Second example is our legal work. We were approved by the Department of Justice in 2011 to provide low cost
immigration legal representation in eastern Iowa. We are the only agency that provides this service in Johnson
County. Since 2020, this service has operated at full capacity with two staff providing legal representation. This
has provided life changing immigration work for over 200 families a year. In 2022, we saw an increase of
individuals seeking asylum help. Due to this groups inability to work until applications are filed, our free service is
critical to their existence here in a safe environment.
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Based on the ‘City Steps 2025’ , IC Compassion is addressing three goals through our services: Goal 7: Provide
public services; Examples of public services that are being offered by IC Compassion are “health and mental
health services” through our Refugee Counseling Program, “assistance for persons with disabilities” through the
job experiences for young adults with disabilities from immigrant families at Jabez Cafe; “food pantries” through
the weekly food pantry and “services for immigrants and refugees” through the immigration legal representation,
English tutoring, assisting with language needs, access to healthy food grown through Global Food Project. Goal
9: Improve public infrastructure & address climate action needs; "other measures that would reduce greenhouse
emissions” In the 2023 growing season, we will provide resources along with mentoring for growing food for
estimated 60-70 families. The power of eating locally has a large impact on emissions by eliminating food mile
and we are working to ensure vulnerable communities in Iowa City are engaged in the production, purchase and
consumption of local food. Goal 10: Support economic and workforce development IC Compassion’s motto is
“together we equip”. With immigration legal help, Jabez Cafe, Global Food project, we have assisted over 300
families a year to be able to work legally, find employment and develop job skills. This has included support of
entrepreneurship skills in our immigrants.
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Goal "Develop Communications and Outreach to Vulnerable Populations" (pg. 52). Related to getting the word
out about city climate goals but also increasing resiliency, ICC reaches a lot of different people from different
communities through the various programs and is a partner in these communications and outreach.
- Encourage a Plant-Rich Diet (pg. 58): In our Global Food project, our gardeners are growing vegetables for
consumption in their plots. There will be 80 family plots in 2023, so we will be reaching between 40 and 80
families (households can have one or two plots). There are no costs for the land, the plants, the seeds, the tools,
anything, so it is an avenue for free vegetables throughout the growing season and beyond if they are use
storage processing. Growers on larger plots will be selling "difficult to find culturally relevant crops" to sustain the
already plant-rich diets of immigrants.
- Expand Community Gardens (pg. 58):We provide programming and outreach geared toward refugee and
immigrant communities without cost and with mentoring.
-Encourage Purchase of Local Products (pg. 59): Our collaboration with Diversity Market will be introducing the
sale and purchase of local foods increase equal access for vulnerable populations. The space is familiar for
these families who may not feel as comfortable in the current local foods ecosystem. There will be an intentional
system set-up to promote the the use of SNAP and WIC at the market.
10. Provide a description of your primary target population(s). Explain how your agency promotes racial equity
and inclusivity for marginalized populations (including people of color, LGBTQ, immigrants/refugees, individuals
with disabilities).*
Additional Documentation
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Our target population is immigrant and refugee families along with the eastside of Iowa City. Food pantry
coordinator is person of color who migrated here from Chicago. Our Jabez Cafe Manager Dayrin Lovan is herself
an immigrant whose first language is Spanish and raised a son with a disability in the Iowa City area.
90% of who we serve are people of color. In our last review of our demographics, first language was divided by
25% Arabic, 25% French, 25% Spanish, 20% English with he last 5% others. Our response to
immigrants/refugees has included the additional issues of inclusivity of LGBTQ immigrants and immigrants with
disabilities.
With being on the eastside of Iowa City, our target population has included the low-income apartments that
provide housing for high percentage of people of color moving here from Chicago. These individuals are served
through our food pantry and transportation program.
In the Statewide, the Disability and Health Data System shows that 28.4% of Hispanic individuals have a
disability (which is higher than the state average of about 23%). Based on Johnson County population of
152,854 x 5.8% (which is the percentage of residents who are Latino) x 28.4% (which is the statewide
percentage of people who are Latino who have a disability). This would indicate that approx. 2,518 Latino
individuals in the Johnson County area have disabilities.
Please submit no more than 7 additional pages
Sudanese Center Letter of Support A2A-combined.pdf 341.62KB
Section 3 - Resources and Feasibility
Provide a budget breakdown for your specific program. Include only costs directly related to the program. For example,
providing a specific service should include the total estimated costs and available resources, broke out by general
categories such as salaries, materials, office expense, marketing, etc. If required by local and/or federal regulations,
include the cost of an audit. Document costs whenever possible.
11. Budget
Use of Funds City Funds Other Funds Source of Other
Funds
Type Status
City Funds Other Funds
Total
Documentation of Costs
12. Labor
Type Description Hours Per Hour Rate Total Cost
Please include estimates of paid skilled, paid unskilled, and volunteer labor for your organization which correspond to the budget breakdown. Paid labor for other
organizations should not be included
Total Labor Cost
13. If volunteers are used, please describe how these volunteers are utilized for the proposed activity.
salaries 15,000.00$98,500.00$grants, donations Cash Committed
15,000.00$98,500.00$
IC Compassion Payroll 21-22 (2).pdf 91.61KB
Skilled Executive
Director
700 28.50$19,950.00$
Skilled Global Food
Project
2080 23.00$47,840.00$
Skilled Jabez cafe
coordinator
1040 20.00$20,800.00$
Skilled Immigration
coordinator
1040 19.00$19,760.00$
Skilled Volunteer
Coordinator
520 16.00$8,320.00$
116,670.00$
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We use volunteers regularly. Our average volunteer numbers are 45 people with 220 hours per week. Volunteers
are used in our food distribution, Jabez cafe with cooking, serving and training, English tutoring with students,
assisting with paperwork in immigration legal service, translating, assisting with garden work and helping greet
community members. We are dependent on volunteers to provide our services to the community. Many of our
volunteers are recipients of our services in the past. We encourage quipping others to serve and our
immigrant/refugee populations are an asset to our work.
Therefore we need to have a volunteer coordinator to make their experience positive and maximize the use of
our volunteers good hearts to serve those in need and give back to the Iowa City Community.
14. All Aid to Agency projects are required to expend their full award and complete the proposed project by the
end of the fiscal year (June 30, 2024). Will you be able to meet this requirement?*
Yes No
Section 4 - Beneficiaries
Please indicate the population to be served by the proposed program according to the linked income categories. If
requesting money for a specific administrative expense (like a staff member ’s salary), indicate the population served by
your entire agency.
(Please Note: If funded, this information will be used as income targeting for your Agreement).
15. Income Breakdown
Median Income Households Persons
0-30% AMI
31-50% AMI
51-60% AMI
61-80% AMI
Over 80% AMI
Total
Percent LMI
Percent Iowa City Residents
Please describe the basis or methodology used to estimate the number of clients to be served (?)
AMI = Area Median Income, see www.icgov.org/actionplan.
Name *
Title *
Impact & Community Benefit
900 1,980
700 1,540
250 550
30 66
10 22
1,890 4,158
84
80
Limited to 750 characters
To estimate our numbers, we use our demographics from our immigration legal work, our
food pantry (as clients fill out TEFAP reports for USDA which they have to indicate use of
means tested benefits in Iowa), our global food project and our parents/ trainees in Jabez
cafe. Our households with low AMI is due to approximately 75% of our clients being in one
of the following categories: refugees1 (less then one year in USA), separated immigrant
families, immigrants without legal documentation, large families and multiple barriers related
to income stabilization. Based on past research, we estimate 2.2 individuals in each
household we serve.
16. Signature
Teresa Stecker
Executive Director
Signature *
Board of Directors *
Agency Budget *
Financial Information *
IRS 990 form
Date
Section 5 - Required Documentation
It is recommended that applicants submit as much information as possible with the application to facilitate a full project evaluation.
Provide a list of individuals serving on the board.
2023 ICCompassion Board of Directors.docx 2.82KB
Provide the budget for the agency.
ICCompassion Budget 2023 FY23 PL Classes Report.pdf 33.6KB
Provide a 990 form, agency financial statements, or similar documentation.
990 2021.pdf 2.18MB
1/30/2023