HUMAN AND SOCIAL SERVICE 2014 GRANT APPLICATION

APPLICATION COVER SHEET HUMAN AND SOCIAL SERVICE Project Title: Free Grocery Program Project Applicant Contact Information: Agency Name: Bellingham Food Bank Organization Type: Nonprofit Community, Neighborhood, State or Regional Organization Contact Person: Mike Cohen Title: Executive Director Mailing Address: 1824 Ellis St. City, ST, ZIP: Bellingham, WA 98225 Phone: 360-676-0392 Email: mike@bellinghamfoodbank.org Project Description (one sentence): Bellingham Food Bank will offer free, critical, and high value groceries for hungry Bellingham families and individuals. Project Goals (choose all that apply): Increase access to affordable childcare Increase economic security and reduce vulnerability Increase access to mental health services, including case management Increase access to basic needs (excluding housing) Promote integration and coordination between systems Project Location: (must be in City of Bellingham to be eligible) 1824 Ellis St. Is this a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of service above that which was provided in the twelve months prior to May 15, 2014? Yes No BFB sees a steady increase in client visits each year. Has this service previously received funding from the City of Bellingham? Yes No If Yes, does this application include an increase in amount of funding requested? Yes No Explain: Visits to Bellingham Food Bank have increased dramatically since 2007. Additionally, Bellingham Food Bank has consistenly applied for funding in excess of what is has received. Funding Request: (maximum request is $40,000 and minimum request is $5,000) City Funds Requested: $ 40,000 Total Project Funds: $ 730,056 CERTIFICATION and AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: To the best of my knowledge and belief, the information contained in this application, and in the additional required documentation submitted with this application, is true and correct. The submission of this application has been duly authorized by the governing body of the Applicant. The Applicant agrees that if the project is allocated City funding, it will comply with all federal, state and local statutes, regulations, policies and requirements applicable to City funding. Signature of Authorized Applicant Representative Name and Title of Authorized Applicant Representative (Please Print or Type) Date

Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 2

PROJECT DESCRIPTION & CERTIFICATION 1. Project Summary. Summarize your proposed project in one paragraph (2 to 3 sentences); include a general statement of the project s overall purpose. Bellingham Food Bank (BFB) is Whatcom County s largest emergency food provider. The program BFB is seeking support for is its Free Grocery Program. BFB offers free, high quality groceries to any Bellingham family or individual. Any family can visit BFB once a week and will leave the food bank with about 60 pounds of food that has a retail value of $100. 2. Project Design. Provide clear, detailed information to support that project design is (a) evidencebased or (b) introduces an innovation that substantially improves the services provided. Please refer to research, third-party program evaluations or other objective data that indicates the service delivery model will achieve the desired results. Indicate whether the service delivery model to be used is considered a best practice. Note the sources for the data. There are numerous studies that demonstrate that low-income families and individuals are more likely to be food insecure than moderate and high income families. The Opportunity Councils Prosperity Project (pg.28-30) and the recently completed Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) supported by Peace Health, Whatcom County Health Department, Whatcom Community Foundation, and Chuckanut Health Foundation both identified food insecurity disparities for low-income community members when compared to other sectors of the community. Low income famileis are profoundly more food insecure than others. Access to food is identified by both studies as being needed and important for low-income families. Similarly, there are numerous studies that demonstrate that significant health exist for food insecure people. Feeding America sites several studies that identify that adults and seniors that are food insecure and receiving fewer nutrients hinder their ability to lead full and active lives. A Journal of Nutrition (2009) study found lower scores on physical and mental health exams for adults that are food insecure. A 2010 Journal of Nutrition study also found that food insecurity is associated with a range of chronic illnesses such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and various cardiovascular factors. The negative impacts of food insecurity for children is also very well documented. Children who are food insecure are more likely to require hospitalization (Journal of Nutrition, 2006) and are at higher risk of chronic health conditions such as anemia and asthma (Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine 2010). Multiple reports also comment on the link between childhood hunger and behavioral problems and learning impediments that limit a child s school success. The food provided at BFB through its Free Grocery Program is a successful intervention for food insecure families and individuals. BFB provides its clients with free food without questioning a family s need for support. BFB puts an emphasis in acquiring as much Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 3

healthy, nutrient-dense food as possible from a variety of activities. Projects such as Food4Tots (baby food), Milk Money (milk), Small Potatoes Gleaning Project (vegetables), and Food Bank Fresh (vegetables) have all received Awards of Excellence from Food Lifeline (Western Washington s Feeding America partner agency) and have been featured as a Best Practice by the Washington Food Coalition. The activities and others allow BFB to provide food insecure families with access to critical food and nutrients. 3. Proposed Services or Activities. Define and describe what services will be provided by this project (i.e. how they will be implemented, who will implement them, frequency and duration of services). BFB is seeking support for its Free Grocery Program. This is a core service of the food bank as it provides free groceries, four times a week, to anyone living in Bellingham. Families and individuals can visit once a week and typically receive 60 pounds of food each visit. The food is a mix of perishable and nonperishable food. In response to client surveys, BFB puts an increased emphasis on perishable, nutrientdense food, and has dramatically increased the amount of frozen protein, dairy, eggs, and fresh fruits and vegetables that a family receives. The Free Grocery Program has grown dramatically since the recession started. Client visits have grown 80% since 2007 and BFB now receives more than 11,200 visits each month. In 2013 BFB distributed more than 3 million pounds of food to hungry families and individuals. Currently, one in six Bellingham families visit the food bank on a regular basis. BFB distributes food four times a week; 11:30-3:00 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and 5:00-7:00 on Wednesdays. BFB is staffed by 8.25 FTEs and has more than 200 volunteers each month that contribute the equivalent time of 15 FTEs. BFB s goal is to provide as much good, nutrient dense food as possible to the thousands of families that visit our food bank each month. BFB s is on nutrient-dense,healthy food and serving people with dignity and respect. BFB acquires food from a variety of sources. It picks up donated food from local grocery stores every day, buys truckloads of food from regional food bank distributors like Food Lifeline, participates in the Federal USDA Commodity Foods Program, organizes community food drives, and sources tons of local produce from its agricultural programs. It is imperative that all of this food is organized, handled safely, and distributed to clients in a strategic and efficient manner. Staff and volunteers participate in the many steps it takes from acquiring the food to handing the food out to food bank families. BFB is seeking City support for two components of the program. BFB is seeking support of a portion of the costs associated with its Operations Manager. The Operations Manager is responsible for all aspects of BFB s Free Grocery Program. He schedules, trains, and manages volunteers, oversees the receipt of donated grocery store food, the safe handling of the food, and the eventual distribution of this food to food bank families. The Operations Manger s main responsibility is focused on the Free Grocery Program and the many details and activities associated with it. BFB is seeking support to cover a small portion of the costs associated with the food and other essential items it purchases on a regular basis. BFB puts significant resources into providing its families with healthy food such as milk, frozen protein, eggs, and fresh produce. BFB, in response to client surveys, also provides diapers and toilet paper to food bank families. These foods and essential items are typically absent or limited from traditional donation streams and BFB is committed to providing these items to its families. BFB buys nutrient-dense food from emergency food distributors to ensure that food Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 4

bank families have healthy food, not just lots of food. BFB is seeking City funds to support the food bank s purchase of nutrient-dense food and essential items throughout the year. 4. Describe how the proposed services address the needs identified. Describe what this project will accomplish and how the proposed services meet client or community needs. The primary need addressed by the BFB is hunger and food insecurity. Hunger and food insecurity rates in Bellingham mirrors hunger in the state and nationally. Far more families are food insecure than most think. In addition to surveys about hunger and food insecurity, other indicators such as food stamp participation, poverty rates, and free and reduced lunch percentages are indicative of the prevalence of food insecure households. According to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), 13.5% of Washington households are food insecure. FRAC also reports that food stamp enrolment has increased by 90% in the past five years and that 82% of eligible persons are enrolled in food stamps. Poverty is one of the most reliable indicators of food insecurity. According to the US Census Bureau, Washington has a poverty rate of 15.9%. Bellingham's poverty rate is 22%. Other local research confirms that hunger and food insecurity is a very real issue for Whatcom County families. The Opportunity Council s recently updated study of poverty in Whatcom County is the Prosperity Project. The Prosperity Project found that food insecurity was a prevalent condition for the low-income community. More than 85% of households interviewed for the study relied on some sort of food assistance and more than 86% of those households were using food banks. Food insecurity/accessing food assistance was the most prevalent characteristic in the Prosperity Project report. Additionally, Whatcom County Health Department s most recent Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) report found high incidences of hunger and food insecurity. The BRFSS report found that 9% of its respondents experienced hunger in the past year. For respondents earning less than $20,000 annually, that number jumped to 35%. The report also found that 15% of respondents often or sometimes could not afford to eat well balanced meals. Perhaps the greatest indicator of need is the actual visits made to BFB. Client visits to BFB have increased by 80% since 2007. One in six Bellingham households now use the food bank on a regular basis. Due to the lagging economy BFB is a critical resource for more families every year. BFB s Free Grocery Program meets the identified needs by getting food to hungry families and individuals. BFB will provide free groceries, once a week, to anyone living in Bellingham. A family or individual will receive about 60 pounds of food each visit to the food bank. The food will consistently have a retail value of $100 per visit. The food Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 5

will be mix of perishable and non-perishable food; with a strong focus on nutrient dense food. The typical family s BFB groceries will consist of 45% fresh fruits and vegetables, 15% protein, 10% non-perishable, 15% dairy, and 15% bread. The need being addressed by this project is food insecurity in Bellingham. BFB s Free Grocery Program meets this need by being open four times a week, allowing any family to visit on a weekly basis, and by providing a significant amount of nutrient dense, healthy food to those families. 5. Describe the specific outcome goals for the proposed project. State measurable outcome(s) that will result from the services provided. The outcome goals of the Free Grocery Program are clustered around the numbers of families that visit, engaging volunteers in all aspects of the program, and on the types of food and essential items the program provides for food bank families. BFB measures a variety of activities related to it Free Grocery Program. The measures typically focus on the numbers of people served, the volunteer resources needed to accomplish the program, and the types of food and essential items the food bank provides to hungry families and individuals. Goals I. BFB will provide food to all families and individuals in need of hunger relief. Measure BFB will provide service to at least 11,200 client visits each month. BFB will distribute at least 250,000 pounds of food to hungry families each month. II. BFB will organize and mobilize an inspired cohort of volunteers to support all aspects of its Free Grocery Program Program. BFB will record at least 2,500 volunteer hours each month in its Free Grocery Program. III. BFB will provide families with a healthy array of food and essential items to insure food bank families are receiving more than just a lot of food. BFB s typical food box will consist of at least 70% nutrient dense food (fresh protein, dairy, fruits and vegetables). BFB will purchase and distribute 2,000 diapers and 16,500 rolls of toilet paper each month to insure families in need have access to these essential items. BFB will regularly distribute 4,000 ½ gallons of milk and 4,000 dozen eggs each month. Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 6

BFB will annually purchase, glean, or source at least 275,000 pounds of fresh local produce for food bank families. 6. Measurement and evaluation of progress. Describe the methodology that will be used to measure progress towards achieving project outputs and outcomes; include the data collection tools, the measurement timeline, and who will be responsible for monitoring progress and compiling the information required for reporting. BFB routinely tracks multiple outputs and outcomes using a variety of tools and methodologies. Data collection is well integrated in BFB s business practices. Outlined below is the methodology, data collection tools, and responsible staff person for all data associated with each of the three goals identified in Question 5. Goal 1 BFB uses a client intake database to track client visits. BFB intake volunteers use this database each day to record client visits at each food distribution. At the close of each distribution day, BFB staff review the records to insure the database was working properly. The client intake database is the data collection tool used to track client visits and is used on each of the four weekly distributions. BFB s finance director creates a monthly report summarizing the client intake data. Each week, BFB staff collect and weigh a sample food bank box for small, medium, and large families. BFB then takes the average weight of each box and multiplies that against the numbers of small, medium, and large families that visit the food bank each week. The combination of the sample box weights and the numbers of small, medium, and large families are the data collection tools that track the weight of the food distributed at the food bank each month. BFB s finance director is responsible for the weekly creation of and weighing of each sample box and determining how much food was distributed each week. Goal 2 BFB uses Salesforce, a customer relationship management (crm) tool to record its volunteer hours. Each week BFB s operations manager creates the volunteer shift schedule for the upcoming week. Each day he compares the forecast schedule against the actual volunteers allowing him to account for any absences. At the end of each day he records each volunteer s actual hours using the volunteer platform of Salesforce. At the end of each month, the finance director aggregates the total number of volunteer hours by BFB program. These activities closely track how many volunteer hours are donated each month to the Free Grocery Program. Goal 3 As described above, the BFB staff collect a sample food bank box each week. As part of that exercise, BFB staff weighs all of the contents of that box and records the Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 7

weights of each category of food (produce, fresh protein, dairy, bread, desserts, etc.) in each sample box. This is the data collection tool BFB uses to monitor the nutritional content of each week s food bank distribution. BFB s finance director records the contents of each week s box and creates a monthly summary report. BFB closely tracks, mostly through purchasing invoices, the amount of diapers, toilet paper, milk, and eggs it buys each month. BFB s finance director closely monitors the invoices and creates a monthly report that tracks each month s purchases. BFB purchases enough milk, eggs, toilet paper, and diapers to provide each needy family a certain amount of each product. BFB has a suite of agricultural programs that result in significant amounts of fresh, local produce that is distributed to hungry families through BFB s Free Grocery Program. BFB s Food Bank Fresh program buys produce throughout the local growing season from commercial farms. BFB s agricultural programs coordinator closely monitors the invoices received each week to insure that each participating farmer is meeting the goals established in the program s purchasing contract. The agricultural programs coordinator creates a monthly report that tracks how much Food Bank Fresh produce arrives at the food bank each month. Similarly, the agricultural programs coordinator runs the Small Potatoes Gleaning Program that harvests/gleans produce from commercial farms. At each glean, he records how much produce was brought back to the food bank for distribution. The finance director takes the data from each glean, records it in BFB s Salesforce database, and tracks how much gleaned produce is distributed to food bank families. Finally, each time a home gardener donates home garden produce as part of BFB s Victory Garden program, it is weighed and recorded. That allows BFB to carefully track how much Victory Garden produce is donated and distributed to food bank families each month. So, the data collection tools associated with BFB s agricultural programs; Food Bank Fresh, Small Potatoes Gleaning Program, and Victory Gardens will collectively aggregate the number of pounds of fresh, local produce what is distributed to food bank families throughout the year. BFB s executive director is ultimately responsible for analyzing all of the aggregate reports, insuring each activity is tracking towards the annual goals, and for reporting the outcomes to staff, Board of Directors, and funders. 7. Organizational Description and Capacity. Please briefly describe the organization, experience and the capacity to provide these services. BFB is Whatcom County s largest emergency food provider. BFB has been operating its Free Grocery Program since its inception in 1972. In recent years BFB has grown smartly, developed innovative programs, and has successfully dealt with massive increases in client visits. According to Food Lifeline and Northwest Harvest (regional and statewide hunger relief organizations), BFB has one of the five busiest food banks in Western Washington. Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 8

BFB also distributes more food per household than nearly every food bank in Western Washington. BFB has been able to significantly expand the variety and amounts of food its distributes via its Free Grocery Program from year to year. Just prior to the recession, BFB distributed just over 1.5 million pounds of food in response to 72,000 visits. In 2013 these numbers jumped to 3.1 million and 134,000 respectively. BFB is led by a staff of nine employees, directed by a volunteer Board of 12, and supported by hundreds of volunteers each year. 8. Certification. By signing this application, your organization certifies that: All expenses submitted to the City will be directly related to carrying out the eligible services. City funds will not be used for income payments, fundraising, political activities, equipment or furnishings and maintenance of facilities. All funds will principally benefit persons or households with incomes less than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Services are either a new service or a quantifiable increase in the level of service above that which was provided in the 12 months prior to May 15, 2014 unless previously funded by the City. Your agency will not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, age, families with children, and disability in employment or the provision of services. Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 9

BUDGET NARRATIVE 1. Budget Description. Please briefly describe the budget proposed for this activity, and how it was determined. Each year BFB s executive director and finance director develop an annual budget. The budget is developed in conjunction with BFB s annual operating plan, goals and objectives. BFB s budget is closely reviewed and eventually approved by its board of directors. BFB s budget consists of many activities and two core programs. The Free Grocery Program is BFB s largest program and represents approximately 70% of the organization s total budget. Inherent to building the budget is forecasting expenses such as staffing, food purchases, transportation, supplies, and occupancy costs associated with each program. 2. Consultants and Subcontractors. Please briefly describe the use of any consultants or subcontractors, including the cost rates and reasons to use these services. BFB is not using any consultants or subcontractors for its Free Grocery Program. 3. Program Costs. Please describe the program costs that are directly attributed to the proposed activity. How are costs determined? Why are they necessary to carry out the activity? If rent, the cost must be directly charged to the activity and not a proportional share of office costs for an agency (this would be an allowed administrative or indirect cost). Salaries and benefits are a significant budget category for the Free Grocery Program. There are four key staff positions related to the Free Grocery Program. BFB s operations manager organizes all volunteers, manages the client flow on food distribution days, and is the key staff person associated with the program. He is on site during each distribution and recruits, trains, and supports all volunteers at BFB. BFB s grocery rescue truck driver supports two volunteers each day as the food bank truck visits all grocers and bakeries in town. This staff person is responsible for coordinating the rescue of thousands of pounds of food each week from local retailers. BFB s two warehouse staff coordinate, organize and manage food flow in BFB s 4,500 square foot warehouse. Each year the warehouse staff coordinates the flow of more than six million pounds of food. A second significant budget category for the program is food and essential items. As described earlier in the application BFB receives a significant amount of donated or rescued food. But, in an attempt to provide a healthy array of food and other essential items needed by BFB families, the food bank regularly purchases food and other essential items that are missing from the typical donation stream. BFB establishes bulk purchasing and wholesale contracts with nearly all its vendors in an effort to save funds Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 10

and establish predictability. This practice also makes budgeting easy as prices for nearly all the food and products are established early and remain consistent for the year. BFB s overall budget and cost allocation plan are audited and have consistently been found to be compliant with generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). BFB allocates expenses by activity reports, time records, direct cost expenses, and square foot analysis by program of its site at 1822 Ellis St. 4. Indirect or Administrative Costs. Please briefly describe the indirect or administrative costs to be charged for this project. If the agency does not have an approved indirect rate from a cognizant federal agency, how will occupancy and office supplies be documents? BFB is not seeking any administrative costs from the City for the program. BFB is audited by a third party auditor and has had clean audits for the past nine years as it closely follows generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP). BFB s organizational overhead typically runs between 3%-5% as found on its IRS 990 form. Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 11

COMPETITIVE SELECTION CRITERIA A. City Priorities (15 pts maximum) 1. Community Solutions Workgroup. Mayor Kelli Linville convened community stakeholders and city staff to provide public health and safety solutions for various challenges facing the City. Please identify whether your service would meet any of the following challenges. If so, identify how your proposed service would provide a solution to the challenge. 24-hour Youth Drop-In Center. Homeless youth are under-supported during non-business hours. Click here to enter text. Social Service and Outreach Coordination between Agencies. Resources provided by agencies often overlap. Creating a single point of contact could provide coordination of resources. Click here to enter text. Support Intensive Case Management. Supporting individuals through the entire spectrum of needs, rather than only the particular issue that is visible at any given time, is needed. Click here to enter text. Create a 24-hour Mobile Crisis Response System. The ability for the City to provide a mobile crisis response 24-hours per day is limited. Click here to enter text. Support the Homeless in Bellingham Video Series. There are challenges with the public perception of the homeless population in Bellingham, which creates a reluctance to assist these individuals or programs that work with the homeless. Click here to enter text. 2. City Legacies and Strategic Commitments. The performance measurement system approved by the Bellingham City Council in 2009 has as its basis a set of twenty- to fifty-year goals or "Legacy" statements that are supported by six- to twenty-year "Strategic Commitments". The performance measures, Legacies and Strategic Commitments can be found at http://www.cob.org/data/metrics/. The City would prioritize activities that measurably implement these Legacies and Strategic Commitments. Identify the City Legacies and Strategic Commitments, and how the service will help achieve those legacies and strategic commitments below. The City Legacies and Strategic Commitments most directly impacted by BFB s Free Grocery Program is Equity and Social Justice. BFB s Free Grocery Program provides direct and essential services to the low-income families featured in this legacy. The metrics associated with this legacy category speak to families supported by BFB. The City s metrics show that nearly 24% of Bellingham families are at or below 1.84 times the federal poverty line, that 45% of renters are paying more than 35% of their Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 12

household income for rent, and that nearly 20,000 persons were assisted with services (food, shelter, clothing) in 2012. These are the very families being served by BFB. BFB s Free Grocery Program is one of the programs that drives one of the metrics connected with this legacy. According to the City s metrics page providing grants to support an adequate social service safety net demonstrates City support for the Equity and Social Justice Legacy, and to the Strategic Commitment to support services for lower-income residents. Similarly, BFB may not move the dials with metrics associated with those near the poverty line or living in unaffordable housing, but BFB s services support those families that are low-income and/or living in unaffordable housing. BFB s Free Grocery Program has a clear and direct impact on the City s performance measurement system. B. Population Served (45 pts maximum) 1. Special Needs Population. The 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan identifies priorities and preferences based on need, equity and social justice. Activities that identify measurable ways to meet the following priorities will receive preference in the selection process. Identify the populations that your activity would provide services to, and describe below. Activities that provide services to families (three or more persons per household, or single-parent households). Points = 0-5 Activities that provide services for persons with physical or mental impairment. Points =0-5 Activities that provide services for persons that are elderly (62+) persons. Points = 0-10 Activities that provide services for victims of domestic violence. Points = 0-5 Activities that provide services for youth or young adults (21 and under). Points = 0-5 Activities that provide services for persons re-entering from institutions or prisons. Points = 0-5 Explain: BFB s client intake system and our annual survey confirm that BFB s Free Grocery Program provides services to the special needs populations identified in the City s 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan. Additionally, Feeding America s national hunger study Hunger in America, provides useful data about food bank families across the country that are paralleled here in Bellingham. BFB s intake system confirms that nearly70% of the households served by the Free Grocery Program have either three or more persons or are single parent households. BFB s annual survey confirmed that Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 13

50% of all food bank households have at least one person with a disability. BFB s intake system reveals that 12% of all food bank clients are elderly. Similarly, BFB s intake system reveals that 37% of all food bank clients are children or young adults. BFB does not confirm or ask clients if they are victims of domestic violence or reentering from institutions or prisons. However, BFB does conduct outreach to and is in regular communication with DVSAS, Womencare, Lydia Place, Dorothy Place, a number of halfway houses, the Rainbow Recovery Center, Interfaith Health Clinic, Whatcom Counseling and Psychiatry, and the Re-Entry Coalition of Whatcom County. BFB never turns people away. We are certain that we serve families that are victims of domestic violence and persons re-entering from institutions or prisons. 2. Income Targets. Human and social service program activities must principally benefit those households or persons with incomes less than 80% of Area Median Income (AMI). Priority is given to those activities that provide services to those households or persons with lower incomes. Activities that provide services to those households or persons with incomes below 50% AMI. Points = 0-10 Activities that provide services to those households or persons with incomes below 30% AMI. Points = 0-7 Explain: BFB surveys its clients annually. BFB s most recent survey found that the median income of food bank families is $900 per month. This is supported by Feeding America s Hugner in America national survey that found that the median income for food bank households across the county is $749 per month. BFB clearly serves low and very low income families and indivicuals. BFB regularly provices service to perons at or below 50% AMI. C. Leveraging (30 pts maximum) The 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan identifies coordination of funding and delivery of services amongst agencies as a priority. Activities that identify measurable ways to meet the following priorities will receive preference in the selection process. Check the box below if your activities will meet these priorities, and then provide written narrative in support. Volunteers: Activities that use volunteers to provide or support delivery of services being proposed. Points = 0 7 Explain: BFB uses volunteers in all aspects of its Free Grocery Program. Each month, BFBs corps of volunteers contribute more than 2,000 hours to the food bank. They are used in all aspects of the food bank Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 14

including grocery store recovery, sorting of food, gleaning, food distribution, and client intake. On days when the food bank is not handing out food, the volunteers number 15-20. During distribution days, that number grows to nearly 40. Many of the volunteer are current or former food bank clients. Community Partnerships: Activities that demonstrate partnerships with other public, nonprofit and private entities. Examples of how this may be demonstrated include financial contributions, delivery of services, and volunteerism from community partners. Points = 0-10 Explain: BFB had deep and meaningful partnerships with public, nonprofit, and private entities. BFB receives financial, volunteer, food, and other support from all sectors of the community. Space and time will not allow a detailed description of the multiple partnerships BFB and the Free Grocery Program enjoys. BFB has community partnerships that result in significant financial, food, and volunteer support for its Free Grocery Program. I. Financial. BFB is well supported by the local community. Nearly 60% of its annual budget comes from local businesses and individuals. BFB s local financial supporters are more than 1,500 strong. BFB also receives significant financial support from Whatcom County and the City of Bellingham. Private groups such as Industrial Credit Union, Haggen, and Cascade Radio Group partner with and host major fundraising campaigns to help support BFB s Free Grocery Program. Many leaders in the faith community collect donations throughout the year to support BFB s mission. II. Food. Local community members and businesses donate more than 700,000 annually to BFB s Free Grocery Program. Some donations are small, household food donations that result in 10-20 pounds. Others, like Cornwall Church s are much larger and are measured in tons. Cornwall Church donates nearly 10,000 pounds every year. Local letter carriers host a community wide food drive each year the delivers 70,000 pounds of food. The fall Feed the Need food drive totaled 250,000 pounds in 2013. Each day, volunteers from BFB visit every grocery store and bakery in Bellingham to rescue food that would otherwise be thrown out. BFB s grocery rescue activities result in nearly 7,000 pounds each week. Dozens of high school students complete their Culminating Project each year by coordinating food drives with BFB. III. Volunteerism. BFB is very well supported by community volunteers. As described earlier, BFB volunteers contribute more than 2,500 hours each month to BFB s Free Grocery Program. Integration and Coordination between Different Systems: The City will prioritize activities that demonstrate a history of working with other service delivery partners in the community, showing solid community connections. Activities that demonstrate Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 15

integration and coordination between different systems, such as access to health and basic skills, will be further prioritized. Points = 0-10 Explain: BFB is very well integrated with other human service providers in Bellingham and Whatcom County. BFB works hard to use its resources to support other programs that have a hunger relief component. BFB also refers many of its clients to other local organizations and invites those groups to do outreach at the food bank when so many families are in line and available to learn about other services that may be beneficial. BFB supports and distributes two hunger relief information tools. It helps the Opportunity Council keep Tutu s Whatcom County Free Food Hotline 788-7EAT updated and accurate. BFB also distributes and publishes the Food and Meal Resources in Whatcom County pamphlet. Additionally, BFB provides direct support to other agencies hunger relief efforts. BFB receives, stores, and redistributes food to the following programs and agencies: Sun Community Services, Rainbow Recovery Center, Lydia Place, Dorothy Place, Womencare Shelter, Amy s Place, Northwest Youth Services, Bellingham Boys and Girls Club, Sean Humphrey House, Lighthouse Mission, Maple Alley Inn, and all Bellingham Housing Authority high rise facilities. Additionally, BFB serves as Whatcom and San Juan County s food bank distribution center. BFB receives, stores, and redistributes food to 14 food banks scattered throughout Whatcom and San Juan County. In 2013 BFB redistributed 2 million pounds of food to these hunger relief programs. BFB regularly partners with several local human service organizations that disseminate information and/or conduct outreach at BFB. BFB s Free Grocery Program attracts hundreds of families for every distribution. Many line up hours before the food bank opens, typically creating a long wait. This long line is an ideal place for outreach and enrollment for any program that may benefit low-income families and individuals. Outreach focusing on food stamps, affordable health care, child care, job training, Earned Income Tax Credit, Whatcom Community College, and others regularly table or work the line at BFB. Many families are connected with other beneficial services while waiting in line at BFB. Finally BFB participates in community meetings such as Anti-Hunger Coalition, United Way, Whatcom Food Network to remain connected and in touch with other local providers and initiatives. Funding Diversity: The City will prioritize activities that leverage additional financial (cash) resources from federal, state, local or private resources, or can demonstrate future sources of funding sustainability for the proposed activities. Points = 0-7 Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 16

Funding Source: Amount Percent City (request): $40,000 5% Other Cash Sources: $690,056 95% TOTAL $730,056 100% Please describe status and source of other funding, including whether the funding is secured. If the funding is not yet secured, what effect will any loss of funding have on the outcomes of the activity? The Free Grocery Program is one of BFB s core programs. It takes a broad and diverse array of funding sources to reach the budget target. Much of funding is secure or is likely to be secured during the program s year. State, City, County, and Federal support is never guaranteed, but BFB has a good history of regularly securing funds from these sources. Government support of the Free Grocery Program only covers about 30% of the total costs. These funds do fluctuate year to year. BFB is on a calendar fiscal year, and secures much of its local, individual support in the last quarter of each year. So, in truth, while these donations are anticipated, many are not yet secured. However, BFB has a strong track record of meeting its budget target each year. BFB has built up operating reserves in the event that it does not meet its fundraising target. Are all other cash sources committed? If not, please describe status and source of any funding not yet secured, including contingency plans if the funding is not obtained. Many of the other cash sources are committed. Each year BFB staff creates an annual budget that is approved by the Board of Directors. BFB forecasts both revenue and expsenses based on history and forecasts. Oftentimes funding sources remain the similar year to year, but cannot be accurately predicted to the dollar. BFB s revenue streams are diverse and include a broad mix of public, business, individual, and foundation support. Foundations, government sources, and individuals all fluctuate year to year. BFB has successfully met or exceeded its budget for the past ten years. BFB has been able to build up an operating reserve that it will access if it experiences budget shortfalls. Administrative costs are limited to 10% of direct costs paid for with City funds, unless the applicant has an approved indirect cost rate from a cognizant federal agency. Administrative costs must be documented in accordance with accounting principles for nonprofit agencies. Please explain your administrative cost rate assumed in this grant application. BFB is not seeking any administrative costs from the City for the program. BFB is audited by a third party auditor and has had clean audits for the past nine yers as it closely follows generally accepted accounting principles. BFB s organizational overhead can be found on its 990 and is historically 3%-5%. Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 17

D. Vocational (10 pts maximum) The 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan identifies education and training as significant needs to address poverty in our community. Education is a key component of workforce and literacy groups which address these challenges. Check the box below if your activities will meet these priorities, and then provide written a narrative in support. Whatcom Prosperity Project: The City will prioritize activities that address the educational and vocational needs outlined in the Whatcom Prosperity Project 2011. http://www.oppco.org/oppcotest/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/wpp_2011.pdf Points = 0-4 Explain: BFB does not provide any educational or vocational training. However, its services do address the needs identified in the Whatcom Prosperity Project. In the Employment, Education, and Income section of the report, it highlights that the mean monthly income for respondent households is $1,234. The report also describes that getting or keeping a good job has been hard for 70% of respondents. The top reason for difficulty keeping or getting a good job is too few jobs, 65%. Finally 76% of respondents saidy they have recently had to borrow money, 64% were pressured to pay bills, and 29% had utilities shut off. These situations are occurring despite the fact that 53% of the respondents had degrees beyond a high school diploma or GED. BFB responds to these needs by provding a food that has a significant value. Since jobs are hard to come by and these families are low income, the value of a visit to BFB, can reduce a family s grocery bill by $100 each week. BFB doesn t provide job training or education, but it does provide an asset with a real value for low income families that have very limited discretionary income. Also, as described earlier in the application, food insecure individuals face health and behavior challenges. If they remain food insecure, these indivduals will have greater challenges accessing employment and education interventions. Whatcom Asset Building Coalition: The City will prioritize activities that address the goals outlined in the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition. http://www.oppco.org/oppcotest/wpcontent/uploads/2012/07/wpp_2011.pdf Points = 0-3 Explain: BFB s Free Grocery Program address the following goals of the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition, Increase cooperation and mutual support among agencies and individuals working to address financial stability and financial literacy needs and increase awareness of and participation in the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). BFB s Free Grocery Program can add financial stability by providing low-income families an asset. A visit to BFB is worth $100 to each family. BFB works closely with other human service organizations such as the Opportunity Council, YWCA, Northwest Youth Services, DVSAS, Womencare, Red Cross and others about the value of visiting the food bank. BFB encourages these basic needs partners to link their families to BFB s Free Grocery Program to increase their financial Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 18

stability. BFB works with the Opportunity Council and the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition to increase the awareness of the EITC. BFB regularly promotes the program to families while they are in line at the food bank and staff from the Opportunity Council and partners of the Whatcom Asset Building Coalition regularly set up information tables at BFB and talk to families about the benefits of this program. Northwest Workforce Council: The City will prioritize activities that demonstrate implementation of the Northwest Workforce Council Strategic Plan. http://nwboard.org/goals/plan.html Points = 0-2 Explain: The Northwest Workforce Council s 102 page strategic plan for Whatcom, Skagit, Island, and San Juan Counties is dense and many of its measures, strategies, and goals focus on the region s One-Stop Career Centers and Workforce Investment Act (WIA) contracted providers. However, some of its goals and its mission do focus on a skilled, successful and prepared workforce. BFB s Free Grocery Program will support such a workforce. According to BFB s annual survey, nearly 50% of BFB households are unemployed. Even more are underemployed. These households certainly contain persons who work regularly with WorkSource staff. WorkSource also routinely sends its clients to BFB. BFB helps support and prepare a workforce by providing its food insecure participants with free, nutrient dense free groceries. This application has already outlined some of the negative impacts food insecurity has on adults. Other: The City will prioritize activities that address anti-poverty strategies regarding employment training and educational assistance outlined in the 2013-2017 Consolidated Plan. http://www.cob.org/services/planning/cd-planning/consolidated-plan.aspx Points = 0-3 Explain: A careful review of the City s Consolidated Plan did not reveal any clearly stated anti-poverty strategies regarding employment training and educational assistance. On pages 147-150 the Consolidated Plan presents data on poverty and then references several reports and plans already discussed in this application (Prosperity Project, Asset Building Coalition, and City Legacies and Strategic Commitments). There does not appear to be any new employment training and educational assistance strategies in the Consolidated Plan, but it does seem to adopt the strategies imbedded in the other plans and studies. BFB s Free Grocery Program clearly provides direct support to the low income families who are likely to participate in any of the employment training and educational programs. These individuals and families in need of vocational supports are welcome to and certainly are likely to Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 19

regularly visit BFB s Free Grocery Program. The food provided by this program will provide the families with nutrient-dense food and will also reduce the families grocery bill, allowing the family to direct its limited discretionary income towards other needs. Additionally, by providing low-income families with nutrient-dense food, BFB s Free Grocery Program will help individuals be nutritionally prepared and healthier for any vocational interventions they seek. Attachments to Application (submit in Adobe PDF or Excel format) Project budget, detail sheet (Excel form) Total beneficiaries, special needs population and income targets (Excel form) Documentation to support project design and outcomes Documentation demonstrating the service meets the income targets described Copy of Articles of Incorporation Human and Social Service 2014 Grant Application 20