The City of Birmingham’s Department of Innovation and Economic Opportunity (IEO) is soliciting proposals from any organization, firm, corporation, or other business entity, public or private, that provides programming or services to Birmingham residents to promote economic development.
Donor Name: City of Birmingham
State: Alabama
City: Birmingham
Neighborhood: Selected Neighborhood
Deadline: 08/07/2023
Size of the Grant: $50,000 to $150,000
Grant Duration: 1 year
Details:
IEO is working to fuel an ecosystem that allows innovation and opportunity to thrive by providing resources to nurture talent; by establishing infrastructure that supports the growth of women-, minority-, and disadvantaged businesses; and by focusing on developing the small businesses. Now in its sixth year, the Building Opportunities for Lasting Development (BOLD) funding program seeks to develop partnerships with community organizations that share IEO’s vision of making Birmingham the model of an inclusive and resilient economy.
BOLD proposals are evaluated based on providing programming and/or services that advance one or more of the following objectives and in one or more of the following geographic priority areas.
BOLD Objectives
- Small businesses
- provide resources to Birmingham small business owners so they can sustain and grow their businesses
- Minority-, women-, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MWDBEs)
- identify and address barriers for MWDBEs within the City of Birmingham
- Workforce development
- develop and implement a reskilling strategy for Birmingham workers to gain upward mobility and to close the gap between employer needs and the skills institutions produce
- Overcoming barriers
- improve access to education, training, or employment opportunities through innovations in transportation, childcare, food access, housing, and/or the elimination of other critical barriers
- Birmingham’s neighborhoods
- advance economic resilience, mobility, and inclusive growth in Birmingham’s neighborhoods
- Data-driven Innovation
- use data-driven and innovative approaches to advance sustainable development in Birmingham
Funding Information
- This funding is authorized under Mayor Woodfin’s FY 2024-2025 budget, which allocates up to $1 million total to IEO for this funding program.
- The funding amount of most BOLD awards ranges from $50,000 to $150,000, though compelling proposals of other funding amounts will be considered.
- Performance Period: January 8, 2024 – January 6, 2025
Geographic Priority Areas
- East Lake
- Ensley
- Five Points West
- Fourth Avenue Business District / Civil Rights District
- North Birmingham
- Smithfield/Elyton
- Titusville
- Woodlawn
Eligibility Criteria
- Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis through a Request for Proposals (RFP) process. Applications are encouraged from Alabama non-profit organizations (IRC Section 501(c)(3) entities preferred), post-secondary education institutions, and relevant for-profit enterprises, particularly those with a social impact focus. Partnerships are encouraged, and groups of organizations may apply as a consortium of partners with a unified application. Funding will be awarded to organizations with missions that align with the City of Birmingham’s and IEO’s priorities.
- Organizations that currently receive other City of Birmingham funding are eligible to apply for BOLD. However, BOLD is intended to encourage new ideas, ensure wide impact across Birmingham’s diverse organizations, and foster investment in organizations for which a small amount of funding can allow organizations to scale and create a larger impact. Therefore, organizations that do not currently receive funding from other City of Birmingham sources may be considered more competitive in the application process. Additionally, the specific project that is proposed for BOLD funding cannot be supported by other City funding sources (i.e. the budget narrative for the proposal should not include other City of Birmingham funding sources).
- Additionally, applicants that have previously received BOLD funding are eligible to apply. However, BOLD is intended to encourage new ideas and foster investment in organizations for which a small amount of funding can allow organizations to scale and create a larger impact. Therefore, new BOLD awardees may be considered more competitive in the application process
- The City of Birmingham, as a matter of public policy, encourages participation of minority-, womenled, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MWDBEs) to the maximum extent possible. Therefore, the City is committed to awarding contracts to firms that identify as MWDBE, that are dedicated to diversity, and that provide high-quality services. The City strongly encourages firms that are certified as MWBEs by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) to submit responses to this RFP.
For more information, visit City of Birmingham.
