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Housing
The Bush Foundation’s giving in the area of housing was primarily focused on supportive and transitional housing programs that provided comprehensive services for the vulnerable individuals served. Occasionally grants were made to support model programs or policy-change efforts.
Capital grants for individual units in housing projects were typically not considered due to their high cost and the availability of funding from other sources, including the government.
Summary of Giving
From 1970 to 2008, the Bush Foundation made 196 grants totaling approximately $21.5 million.
See Complete List of Grants for Housing Programs (1991 - 2008) (PDF)
To search for specific grants or organizations, go to our Search Grants page.
Additional Background
The Bush Foundation’s interest in housing and homelessness started in the mid-1980s. In 1988 the Bush staff prepared a Report on Homelessness for the May Board meeting. The report summarized the causes of homelessness and the size of the homeless population nationally and in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. The report stated that the number and distribution of homeless people is uneven with limited agreement among agencies on prioritized needs and responsibility for providing shelter. The report concluded that the capital cost of housing programs made it unlikely that Foundation support could increase the supply of low-cost housing for homeless people. It suggested opportunities for local governments to coordinate existing programs and resources to better serve homeless families.
The Board asked staff to explore the development of an inter-governmental and inter-agency grantmaking program to reduce homelessness of women and children in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. On August 8, 1989, a group of 22 state and county officials from three states participated in a facilitated discussion to advise the Foundation on grantmaking for collaborative projects among public agencies.
The first major Bush Foundation grants in the area of supportive housing were made in 1991. In September 1997, a report titled, Grantmaking for Human Service Housing Programs– 1991 – 1996, summarized giving in the first five years of the program.
At the April 2004 Board meeting, Bush Foundation staff proposed interim changes in Human Services grantmaking to reduce the volume of completed proposals for a one-year trial period beginning October 1994. The Board agreed with a recommendation to eliminate funding for the construction of permanent residential spaces for supportive housing due to the cost, growing number of housing projects by nonprofits and the size of government grants.
In November 2004, Bush Foundation staff issued a report summarizing Bush history regarding supportive housing, which demonstrated a shift toward grantmaking that connected housing and needed services, supported demonstration projects and utilized intermediaries.
Learn More....
Human Services Overview
Housing
Legal Issues
Sheltered Workshops for Developmentally Disabled Adults
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How Bush Grants Made a Difference |
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Home with Supportive Services for Mothers Benefits Their Children (PDF) - A 2001 grant to Tasks Unlimited supported the development of Oakwood Residence, the first lodge in Minneapolis to provide permanent residences with supportive services for women with mental illness and their children. |
Other Success Stories in Housing |
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In 1993, a $50,000 two-year grant helped establish a Twin Cities office for the Corporation of Supportive Housing (CSH). CSH was established in 1991 with funds from the Pew Charitable Trusts, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Ford Foundation, with a mission to promote the development of permanent supportive housing for the homeless and vulnerable adults. |
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In 2002, the Foundation provided a $3 million three-year grant to the Family Housing Fund of Minneapolis and Saint Paul (FHF) to create a supportive housing system for homeless families. |
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In 2006, FHF received a $1.2 million three-year grant to continue the development of a supportive housing system. FHF used this grant to offer an asset management education program to 17 agencies that provided supportive housing and to fund the Healthy Family Network. The Healthy Family Network improved agencies’ capacity to assess chemical and mental health of residents; increase access to mental and chemical health systems by families; and reduce evictions due to untreated behavior.
In addition to the Bush Foundation grant, FHF secured $4.6 million to support its 2006-2008 initiatives from private foundations and the National Institute of Mental Health. |
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