As the Parker Administration in Philadelphia moves to change the funding framework for grassroots efforts addressing the opioid crisis, many community organizations are grappling with uncertainty regarding their future operations.
A crucial community-led grant program recently ended, leaving nonprofits concerned about how the city’s new initiatives will align with their needs, particularly as the summer season approaches.
In 2022, The Scattergood Foundation aimed to partner with the City of Philadelphia to launch the Overdose Prevention and Community Healing (OPCH) Fund, intending to allocate federal opioid settlement dollars.
By 2024, the OPCH fund had successfully dispersed $3.1 million to 43 organizations through a community-led grantmaking approach.
However, in March, the Philadelphia city administration announced a new grant program, effectively halting Scattergood’s involvement in the OPCH initiative.
Joe Pyle, the foundation’s president, expressed disappointment over the removal of the participatory element from the funding process but acknowledged the city’s desire for increased control over grant allocations.
The city’s new initiative, presented in March, emphasizes grants for nonprofit organizations focused on making a demonstrable impact in combating the overdose crisis.
Many nonprofits claim the changes have resulted in operational hardships.
Organizations have reported needing to reduce their hours, limit staffing levels, and decrease programming due to uncertainty regarding the availability of funding.
Dianne Hoffman, executive director of Kensington’s Mother of Mercy House, voiced her concerns about the impact these changes could have on their community lunch program, essential for many throughout the year.
She stated the tight financial situation might force them to pause the program for several months.
Originally, the OPCH Fund provided two distinct types of grants: program grants, which supported staff time and specific program-related expenses, and capacity-building grants that catered to a broader range of operational costs.
The city confirmed that all previous program grant recipients could apply for the new initiative but did not clarify whether capacity-building grantees received similar invitations.
Interviews with all five of the 2024 capacity-building grant recipients revealed that none received invitations to reapply.
Jeremy Chen, executive director of Klean Kensington, noted that losing the $20,000 capacity-building grant would significantly impact their ability to sustain operations.
“It was a nice chunk for us,” he stated, stressing the importance of continued funding.
Further complicating the funding landscape was the delayed timeline for the application process, which began in early May – five months later than previous iterations.
Community groups, including Fab Youth Philly, received late notifications regarding their funding status, complicating summer programming plans as many organizations rely heavily on timely funding to hire staff.
Rebecca Fabiano, executive director of Fab Youth Philly, highlighted the struggles they faced in planning summer activities and pointed out how the late funding notification affected their ability to provide job opportunities for local youth.
The Parker administration’s newly structured program is valued at $3.6 million, funded through the City of Philadelphia General Fund rather than the federal opioid settlement money used previously.
Critics have expressed concerns about the lack of transparent decision-making in the allocation of these funds, with some emphasizing the importance of community voices being heard in the funding process.
Jennifer Malazita from Socks for the Streets emphasized the need for transparency, stating that many community members appreciated the participatory approach used during the Scattergood grantmaking process and were wary of an administration with sole discretion over funding.
As the city prepares to roll out its new grant program, the Office of Public Safety has committed to continuing financial support for prior OPCH grantees.
Jennifer Crandall, spokesperson for OPS, confirmed that the city will be honoring commitments made to previous OPCH fund recipients while planning for the key initiatives in the upcoming fiscal year.
Still, community organizations like Fab Youth Philly and Safe-Hub, which previously received funds from both the OPCH and the Kensington Community Resilience Fund (KCRF), are apprehensive about the future.
The KCRF, also developed by Scattergood in collaboration with the Bread and Roses Foundation, operated through a participatory approach and aimed to improve community resilience before evolving into funding linked with the OPCH initiative.
Since its establishment in 2021, the KCRF has allocated over $1 million to local organizations, with Scattergood continuing its funding efforts through other philanthropic sources.
The altered funding landscape, wherein the KCRF will see a significant drop in financial support while maintaining a participatory structure, begs questions about the sustainability of many grassroots programs.
Pyle reaffirmed that Scattergood will maintain its commitment to community feedback and participatory funding processes, emphasizing that 40% of its grant dollars will be reserved for community-driven initiatives starting in FY26.
Amidst these funding uncertainties, organizations like Safe-Hub Philadelphia remain hopeful that the city will sustain its support for community development and harm reduction initiatives.
Elizabeth Clinton, executive director of Safe-Hub, reflected on the current funding challenges while viewing community development and youth programming as crucial elements of a wide-ranging solution to the opioid crisis.
She expressed optimism that community engagement will continue to play a vital role in shaping future initiatives and addressing critical needs in the neighborhood.
The city is expected to make a public announcement regarding the recipients of the new grant program shortly, but many organizations remain anxious about the sustainability of their operations moving forward.
image source from：metrophiladelphia
