CLEARWATER, Fla. – January 18, 2019 – Online grant applications to help fund senior housing needs in Pinellas County are being accepted until January 31 by Senior Citizens Services, Inc. (SCS) in coordination with Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF). Applicants must be a 501(c) (3) or government agency.
Funds for organizations providing housing services may use grants for needs such as financial assistance (rent subsidies), housing referral assistance and education, housing repair, relocation assistance, aging in place assistance (wheelchair ramp, door widening) and other house-related services except for utilities.
To review grant criteria and the apply using the PCF online application system, visitpinellascf.org/scs. The current grant cycle is awarding up to $12,000 in funds per organization. A total of $70,000 in housing grants is available for 2019. Nonprofit and government agencies with questions regarding SCS housing or other grants are invited to call Pinellas Community Foundation at 727-531-0058.
Grants for different areas of need for seniors will be available each quarter. Applications will be accepted in grant cycles for the months of April (wellness), July (other services) and October (activities to reduce social isolation).
From June 2016 through September 2018 (ten grant cycles) SCS has awarded 103 grants to 37 agencies, ranging from $800 to $25,000 and totaling $1.1 million. As of July 2018, grants benefitted 11,857 persons age 55 and older, primarily in Pinellas County. SCS also provided rent subsidies for Prospect Towers residents totaling $474,900 from November 2015 through January 2019.
SCS, a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1960, partnered with Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF) in November 2018, to manage and administer the SCS $10 million donor-advised charitable fund. SCS selected PCF due to its extensive grant management expertise for the benefit of seniors age 55 and older in Pinellas County.
Senior Citizens Services Inc. (SCS) was incorporated 1960 as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to providing senior activities and other services to citizens fifty-five (55) years of age or older residing in Pinellas County. SCS provides grants to 501(c) 3 nonprofits and government agencies that serve older adults in Pinellas County. In 2018, along with Pinellas Community Foundation, SCS funded the first pantry for incontinence products in Tampa Bay.
Pinellas Community Foundation (PCF) was founded in 1969. With over $100 million in charitable assets, PCF seeks effective solutions for Pinellas County’s most challenging social, environmental and educational issues, while supporting the advancement of arts and culture. PCF is the only charitable foundation providing donors with customizable giving opportunities to enhance the quality of life for Pinellas County residents. More than 260 charitable organizations have received donor-funded grants over the last 50 years, totaling over $50 million distributed to support community programs. The PCF mission is only possible thanks to the generosity of donors. For information, call 727-531-0058 or visit www.pinellascf.org.