What We Do
Filling a Funding Gap
How Does Our Housing Stability Grant Program Work?
John Cooper, our founder, learned about transitional housing grants while involved with Haven in Lee County, a non-profit that provides assistance to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. The Cooper Charitable Foundation adapted this concept and created Housing Stability Grants to address the critical issue of housing accessibility in our communities.
Our grants provide financial assistance to those who are working but cannot keep up with their monthly expenses due to life circumstances. Issues as illness, mental health, a car accident, job loss, divorce or domestic violence can all impact people’s lives in different ways. Our goal is to help those who are unsheltered find housing and help them get back on their feet or assist those who are at risk of becoming homeless. Prevention is key.
We also work with partner organizations dedicated to our mission. Rather than duplicate efforts, we started the Foundation with a focus on collaboration. Please see below for a list of our partners and their contact information. These organizations vet potential grantees and then apply to us for assistance.
Who We Assist
- People who are low income, unsheltered or at risk of becoming homeless
- People who are working but need help covering their total monthly expenses, or those who need help with move-in fees such as security deposits and rent
- Victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse
- Children who have aged out of the foster care system
- People in rehabilitation from alcoholism or drug addiction
- People being treated for mental health issues
- Individuals leaving care systems (such as prisons)
- Single moms and widows adjusting to life on their own
GET STARTED
How to Apply?
Our application process is conducted in collaboration with the following non-profits. Please contact any of these organizations directly to inquire about the Housing Stability Grant Program offered by the Cooper Charitable Foundation.
Oak City Cares is a multi-service center that assists our unsheltered community in Wake County.
Website: oakcitycares.org
Address: 1430 S Wilmington St, Raleigh, NC 27603
Phone: (984) 344-9599
The Women’s Center of Wake County provides stability, services and housing to single women experiencing homelessness.
Website: www.wcwc.org
Address: 2200 New Bern Ave, Raleigh, NC 27610
Phone: (919) 829-3711
Healing Transitions assists and houses men and women recovering from addiction.
Website: healing-transitions.org
Address: Men’s Campus – 1251 Goode Street, Raleigh, NC 27603 / Women’s Campus – 3304 Glen Royal Road, Raleigh, NC 27617
Phone: (919) 838-9800
The Carying Place provides working, homeless families in the Triangle with short-term housing and support services to prepare them for independent living.
Website: www.thecaryingplace.org
Address: 491 James Jackson Ave, Cary, NC 27513
Phone: (919) 462-1800
The Fostering Bright Futures Program supports young adults at Wake Technical Community College who are transitioning out of the foster care system.
Website: www.waketech.edu/student-services/fostering-bright-futures
Contact: drsinodis@waketech.edu
Phone: (919) 866-5485
Family Promise of the Triangle helps children and families access safe, affordable, permanent housing and provides support services, as well as transitional housing.
Website: www.familypromisetriangle.org
Address: 903 Method Rd, Raleigh, NC 27606
Phone: (919) 832-6024
Grant Amount & Duration
Amount: The amount varies, depending upon each individual or family’s needs. Grants have ranged from $531 to $5500 with the average around $2,050.
Types of Grants: We will pay for upfront move-in costs to get working people into stable housing; rent payments to ensure that people do not get evicted; and expenses such as utility payments and car repairs, again with the goal of helping someone access housing or preventing someone from losing their housing. In doing this work, we have discovered a major funding gap. While many people can afford the monthly rent, they cannot afford move-in costs such as security deposits, and first and last month’s rent. That is the major barrier to people accessing housing. About 90 percent of our grants have gone to fill this need.