Howard?s organizations serving the county?s homeless and low-income residents want to join forces to better compete for state and federal grants amid tight budget times.
“We need to have a formal board that we can use for funding at the federal level,” said Susan Rosenbaum, director of Howard?s Department of Citizen Services.
Howard officials want to create a Board to Promote Self-sufficiency, which would bring together the county government, nonprofits and advocates to highlight the needs of low-income residents and raise the chances for funding.
Some federal agencies are considering requiring jurisdictions have a formal governance group before providing funding, said Lois Mikkila, deputy director of the county Citizens Services Department. Creating a board now would position the county well for continuing to receive and compete for funds, she said.
A measure before the Howard County Council would create the service-organization board, which would plan initiatives to advance economic stability and reduce poverty. The board would coordinate and distribute resources such as federal and state grants, according to the legislation.
The meaning of being self-sufficient varies, Mikkila said, but the focus is on ensuring individuals and families can meet their basic needs.
In Howard in 2005, 3 percent of families had incomes below the federal poverty level, which is $20,650 for a family of four. The number of families in the lowest income levels is growing, Rosenbaum said in written testimony on the bill.
Board members would include representatives from the county departments of social services, health, citizens services and housing, as well as nonprofits, businesses and advocates.
The group would be focused on long-term solutions and policy changes, Rosenbaum said.
James Smith, head of the county?s Community Action Council, said a board is “absolutely the right way to go.
“As nonprofits, we are asked to do more with less,” he said.
“One agency cannot help address all the needs a low-income family brings to the table.”
