Grants for Housing Initiatives Awarded to Families in Transition and Four New Hampshire NeighborWorks Organizations

BEDFORD, NH – Two affordable housing initiatives – one to explore a multi-organization collaboration and another to fund a housing development resource person – recently received grants from the New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority.

An Emerging Opportunities Program grant of $50,000 was awarded to Families in Transition (FIT) in Manchester, prompted by the recent FIT-New Horizons merger and integration of services, to create a position to increase that organization’s housing development capacity. The new housing development director will also serve as a resource for homeless service providers around the state who want to develop housing solutions for homeless families and individuals.

A second grant of $25,000 will support a New Hampshire Affordable Housing Organization Partnership Project study of a prospective collaboration among four state organizations – AHEAD (Littleton), CATCH Neighborhood Housing (Merrimack Valley area), Lakes Region Community Development, and NeighborWorks Southern New Hampshire. As members of the NeighborWorks America national network of community development organizations, their study will look at how increased collaboration might help them gain efficiencies by building capacity, strengthening sustainability, and supporting staff expertise and opportunities for advancement.

“These Emerging Opportunities Grants are targeted to organizations that are exploring innovative ways to provide important housing needs and services around the Granite State,” said Dean Christon, New Hampshire Housing’s executive director. “In addition to benefitting the agencies directly funded, these initiatives will benefit other housing organizations by helping to identify effective partnership models.”

Non-profit organizations engaged in affordable housing activities in the state were invited to apply for grants from the Emerging Opportunities Program. Now in its sixth year, the program supports innovative initiatives by non-profit organizations engaged in affordable housing activities.

About New Hampshire Housing
As a self-supporting public benefit corporation, New Hampshire Housing Finance Authority promotes, finances and supports affordable housing. NHHFA offers rental and homeownership programs that assist low- and moderate-income persons with obtaining affordable housing. Since its inception, New Hampshire Housing has helped more than 44,000 families purchase their own homes and has been instrumental in financing the creation of more than 14,500 multi-family housing units. NHHFA.org

Media Contact
Grace Lessner
603-310-9371
glessner@nhhfa.org