Youth Activities and Mental Health Solicitation FY26 PDF

Youth Activities and Mental Health Application FY26

 Youth Activities and Mental Health Fund

CITY OF HAVERHILL

 

Notice of Grant Funding Availability - FY 2026 

Grant Fund Title: Youth Activities and Mental Health Fund
Total Funds Available: $750,000.00 in Reimbursable Grants
Eligible Applicants: Haverhill-based organizations
Eligible Youth: Youth living in Haverhill
Solicitation Issued: May 26, 2026
Applications Due: June 8, 2026, by 4:00 PM ***
                              *** Late submissions will not be accepted

Notice

The City of Haverhill seeks applicants for the use of grant funds to address the educational, social, physical well-being, substance abuse, and mental health needs of Haverhill's youth.  Eligible applicants for grant funds include Haverhill-based education providers, community-based organizations and non-profits, providers of mental health services, civic groups, and the faith community.

Background

Mayor Barrett has established a budget of $750,000.00 for the Youth Activities and Mental Health Fund (“Fund”), for fiscal year 2026.  The City now seeks eligible applicants to propose educational options, socialization, enrichment and recreation activities, employment skills training, and other youth development opportunities.  It is the City’s intention that $250,000.00 of the funding be for services that provide direct mental health counseling and services to Haverhill youth.

Last year, the Fund provided grants to 20 programs. A sample of the applications funded last year included:

•  Youth Development:  Academic learning, camperships, violence intervention initiatives, and design thinking.
• Mental Health:  Direct counseling providers.  Counseling youth in areas of self-esteem and personal achievement.
•  Career Development:  System-wide career awareness and career development programs, an initiative that connected youth to local companies, city government, and cultural programs.
• Education:  Partnerships between the Haverhill Public Schools and community-based sports programs to link sports with the importance of academic skills development, advancing reading in youth.
• Music & Arts:  Music production, voice training, learning crafts and painting projects tied to downtown beautification and correlated with improved behavioral or mental health outcomes.

Successful applicants combined hands-on initiatives, with a focus on educational gains, teamwork, self-regulation, health and wellness, cultural awareness, and career development.  Last year’s funded applicants included the Haverhill School Department, Haverhill YMCA, Haverhill YWCA, Community Action, Somebody Cares New England, Bradford Swim Club, Haverhill Performing Arts Academy, Haverhill Youth Football, Haverhill Youth Soccer, and Haverhill Boys and Girls Club.

This year the City is again soliciting applications from entities that can help City youth with the challenges they face with mental health and addiction.  Eligible applicants include Haverhill community-based organizations who serve Haverhill youth, Haverhill businesses, civic groups, the faith community, education providers, and mental health counseling providers.  Successful applicants will address youth development activities in combination with other enhancements such as educational, social, wellness, and career development, to mention a few.

Application Guidance:

• The City encourages applicants to propose activities that may be offered as part of the applicant's existing business model but that could be expanded and/or enhanced by grant funding. 
• The City encourages programs that will be sustainable in the long run, with or without additional grant funding. 
• The City discourages starting new programs that require planning, new hiring, and additional space.
• The City discourages using grant funds to buy higher cost items, such as equipment, furniture, vehicles, etc.  Smaller purchases, such as sports equipment, classroom and educational supplies, art supplies, and safety clothing, are allowed to the degree that these investments will make the program(s) sustainable or available to children in families who for economic reasons could not normally take advantage of the activity.
• The City strongly encourages applicants that will serve disadvantaged youth who traditionally lack access to activities and services due to economic barriers, such as fees, uniforms, equipment, and transportation.  

o   One preferred source of eligible participants is youth who would otherwise be eligible for Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds.  

o   Applicants seeking information on CDBG eligibility (often those households at or below 80% of Area Median Income) can contact Andrew Herlihy at aherlihy@haverhillma.gov for information regarding CDBG guidelines.

Applicant Eligibility Requirements

Below are general eligibility requirements that all applicants must meet:

• Organization must be physically located in Haverhill.
• Organization must be recognized as tax-exempt by the Internal Revenue Service under Section 501(c)(3).
• Organization must provide proof of a current license, certification, or registration confirming it is authorized to provide service in the City and/or county.
• Organization must not discriminate based on any characteristic protected by law, including age, sex, religion, national origin, disability, economic status, or sexual orientation.
• Organization must disclose any potential conflicts of interest for the City to evaluate.
• No owners, including all managing members and/or officers of the applicant, have been convicted of financial crimes within the past three (3) years.
• The applicant has not received alternate Federal, State or Local grant funding to cover the same costs, programs, and/or impacts identified in its grant application to the city.

Required Documentation

Applicants must submit the documents listed below, as well as a full and complete application describing the program that the applicant will implement on behalf of the City, and how the applicant will track its performance and ensure all grant funds are spent prior to June 30, 2027.

• Completed conflict of interest disclosure form.
• Current copy of a signed IRS W-9 tax form.
• The City reserves the right to request additional information from the applicant as needed.

Ineligible Uses of Funds

• Contributions to rainy day funds, financial reserves, or similar funds.
• Payment of principal or interest on outstanding debt instruments.
•  Inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, and/or those that promote or inhibit religious interest.
• Lobbying, support of candidates for public office, or other political activities.
• Funding for programs or organizations that do not serve City residents.
• Using funding that may be awarded for any other purpose beyond those specifically identified in the grant application.

The applicant must be a Haverhill-based not-for-profit corporation, business, or faith organization.  All youth served with this funding must be Haverhill residents.  

Questions

For questions about the program contact:  Effie Miscowski at mayors_admin@haverhillma.gov (978) 374-2300

Key Dates: 

Solicitation Issued: May 26, 2026

Applications Due: June 8, 2026, by 4:00 PM***
                              ***Late Submissions will not be accepted

Applicant Teams Meeting: To be announced

Applicant Office Hours: In-person technical assistance will be available on an as-needed basis by               contacting Effie Miscowski for an appointment at mayors_admin@haverhillma.gov (978)374-2300  

Application Review Process

The City will establish a panel to review grant applications for completeness, eligibility and final award. Review panel members may consider the following factors in their evaluation:

•       Applicant is a qualifying and eligible entity.

•       Fiscal and administrative capacity of the applicant to administer the funding in compliance with City requirements, and findings of a risk assessment

•       Completeness of grant application narrative and required documents.

•       Alignment of the request with the City’s mission and vision.

•       Impact the funding request will have on youth that come from low-income families within the community.

•       Applicant’s quality of performance measures submitted for compliance monitoring.

•       Anticipated long-term and short-term impacts the funding will create for youth in the community.

•       Applicant’s readiness to fund the program and capacity for implementation.

•       Grant budget is provided, reasonable, and aligns with eligible uses as defined by City

•       Confirmation that funding award will not create a duplication of benefit for the applicant.

•       Applicants’ ability and commitment to fully expend funds by June 30, 2027.

•       Other factors as deemed appropriate by the panel members.

Public Record

Unless otherwise exempt under applicable law, applications and application materials are public records. All information received from an applicant, whether received in connection with a grant application or in connection with any grant-funded activities performed, will be subject to disclosure pursuant to the State of Massachusetts Public Records Law unless otherwise exempt.

Grant Agreement & Monitoring

Grant awards will be made in the form of an agreement executed between the applicant and the City. The grant period, scope, allowable budget, and reporting requirements will be outlined in a grant agreement between the applicant and the City. All awarded funds must be expended no later than June 30, 2027. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification from future grant cycles. Additional information may be required at the City's discretion, based on the usage of funds.

Program Contact

Please contact mayors_admin@haverhillma.gov for all inquiries regarding this notice of funding availability, or call (978) 374-2300 and leave your name, phone number, email, and reason for calling, and a member of our team will return your call.