FY2026-27 Social Action Funding Application Instructions

For the Funding period of October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

I. Introduction/Purpose

The Social Action Funding Program is designed to provide one-year, reimbursement funding to qualified non-profit social service agencies or non-profit organizations providing social services for priority services that directly support low-income Pinellas County residents. To ensure these funds are allocated effectively within the community, The Social Action Advisory Board (SAFAB) was established in 2023 to serve in an advisory capacity to the Board of County Commissioners. One of its primary duties is to review applications and recommend projects to be funded by social action funds. In alignment with Pinellas County’s commitment to transparency and community engagement, all meetings related to this process are open to the public. Members of the public are encouraged to attend and observe the proceedings, providing an opportunity to stay informed about funding priorities and decision-making.

Administered by the Human Services Department, these Social Action Funding Program application instructions outline the competitive process for the selection of organizations to receive Social Action Funding as allocated by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for FY 2027.

II. Funding Priorities

Based on availability of funds and approval by the Board of County Commissioners, the total anticipated available funding is up to $1,705,610.00 for the county fiscal year 2027 (FY27). Contingent awards beyond this amount may be offered in the event additional funding comes available.

B. Minimum/Maximum

1. Applications are limited to a minimum of $10,000.00 and a maximum of $150,000.00 in requested funding.
2. Only one application may be submitted per agency. Applicants may apply for either a large award ($100,000-$150,000), or a small award ($10,000 -$99,999) to the whole dollar.
3. Five large awards will be made with the remaining funding allocated to smaller awards.
4. The amount requested does not guarantee an award. Actual awards will be based on the recommendation of the Social Action Funding Advisory Board (SAFAB) committee with the approval of the BCC.
5. Funding for award is paid on a reimbursement basis only. Reimbursements can be requested no less than quarterly, but no more frequently than monthly.

C. Project Period Timeframe

All awards will be for a one (1) year period, October 1, 2026- September 30, 2027, contingent upon funding availability and BCC approval, without the option of carryover funding to future fiscal years

D. Key Dates/Deadline

* Pre Solicitation Conference is not mandatory; however, it is strongly encouraged as it provides a valuable opportunity to gain clarity on application requirements, ask questions, and receive important updates that may impact proposal preparation.
** Recommendations are subject to budget review process and public hearings. Awards contingent upon funding availability and BCC approval.

E. Technical Assistance Contact

Amanda Craft
Human Services Department
Pinellas County
440 Court Street, 2nd Floor Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-8421
acraft@pinellas.gov

IV. Application Instructions

A. Eligibility

• The applicant organization must be a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization for at least one (1) year and must be incorporated in the State of Florida for at least one (1) year prior to required submission deadline.
• The applicant organization must be the legal entity entering into the contract. Subcontracting of contractual services is prohibited unless approved in writing by the County prior to the start of services. Any proposed subcontract must be discussed and integrated in the application scope.
• The proposed programs and services must be dedicated solely to the residents of Pinellas County.
• The mission of the applicant organization must be consistent with the goals of the Social Action Funding Program to address the health, economic, and social well-being of Pinellas County residents in need of assistance.
• The applicant organization shall not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions or privileges of employment or any matter directly or indirectly related to employment or against any client because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.
• The applicant organization must not discriminate against any person on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services, and activities.
• Programs proposed by faith- based organizations must have a secular purpose, neither advance nor inhibit religion, and must not require worship or religious instruction activities as a condition of participation. Services provided by faith organizations must be available to all Pinellas County residents, not solely for congregation members.
• The applicant organization must agree to the terms and conditions contained in the Pinellas County Social Action Program Agreement. NO EXCEPTIONS to the terms and conditions of the Agreement will be permitted and timely execution is expected. The County reserves the right to update these terms and conditions from time to time and as needed to meet the needs of the County.
• If awarded, the applicant organization must comply with all insurance requirements and submit the required Certificates of Insurance in a timely manner, naming Pinellas County, A Political Subdivision of the State of Florida as the Certificate Holder. See Attachment 6

B. Exclusions

C. Fatal Criteria

1. Agency has not been incorporated in the State of Florida for a minimum of one (1) year prior to required submission deadline.
2. Agency has not had 501 (c) (3) status for a minimum of one (1) year prior to required submission deadline.
3. Agency is not in good standing with Pinellas County at the time of submission.
   • a. Compliance with Active Agreements: The vendor must be in compliance with all current Pinellas County agreements and must not have had any contracts terminated for cause within the past five (5) years.
     • i. Note: Vendors on a Quality Improvement Pathway with Pinellas County Human Services (Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or Corrective Action Plan (CAP)) are not automatically disqualified, however, presence of the Plan must the documented in the application in B.5.
       • 1. A copy of a Human Services CAP, and applicable status report(s), will be provided to the Review Committee.
   • b. Purchasing Status: The vendor must not appear on the Pinellas County Purchasing Suspended Vendor List.
   • c. Federal Eligibility: The vendor must not be currently debarred or excluded from federal contracting, as listed on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov).
4. Agency’s proposal is under/over the minimum ($10,000.00)/ maximum ($150,000.00).
5. Application is late (system will not allow incomplete or late submissions).
6. Agency does not submit a completed Annual Budget Form. (3 pages)

D. Submission Guidelines

1. Applications will be accepted through an electronic submission process found at www.pinellas.gov/humanservices.
2. The application system will open on Monday, March 2, 2026, and will close on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 1:00 pm.
3. Organizations must utilize the online application through the Neighborly System. Please allow ample time for submission and technological challenges, as late applications will not be accepted. For questions regarding your application, please contact: Amanda Craft at: acraft@pinellas.gov.
4. The application system will automatically close and late applications will be automatically rejected. Please allow time to reach out for any submission technical issues prior to the deadline.
5. Please note: All materials and supporting documentation included with the application are subject to Florida’s public records law and requirements. Any personal participant information that can be used to identify or trace an individual, regardless of whether it correlates to protected health information, must be omitted or redacted from all solicitation applications and any supporting documents/communications provided.
6. Lobbing
   • a. Lobbying shall be prohibited on all county competitive selection processes and purchasing contract awards pursuant to this division, including, but not limited to, requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids, or the award of purchasing contracts of any type. The purpose of this prohibition is to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from undue influences prior to the contract award, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. However, nothing herein shall prohibit a prospective bidder/proposer/protestor from contacting the purchasing department or the county attorney’s office to address situations such as clarification and/or pose questions related to the procurement process.
   • b. Lobbying of evaluation committee members, county government employees, elected/appointed officials, or advisory board members regarding requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids, or purchasing contracts, by the bidder/proposer, any member of the bidder’s/proposer’s staff, any agent or representative of the bidder/proposer, or any person employed by any legal entity affiliated with or representing a bidder/proposer/protestor, is strictly prohibited from the date of the advertisement, or on a date otherwise established by the board, until either an award is final, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. Any lobbying activities in violation of this section by or on behalf of a bidder/proposer shall result in the disqualification or rejection of the proposal, quotation, statement of qualification, bid or contract.
   • c. For purposes of this provision, “lobbying” shall mean influencing or attempting to influence action or non-action, and/or attempting to obtain the goodwill of persons specified herein relating to the selection, ranking, or contract award in connection with any request for proposal, request for quotation, request for qualification, bid or purchasing contract through direct or indirect oral or written communication. The final award of a purchasing contract shall be the effective date of the purchasing contract.
   • d. Any evaluation committee member, county government employee, elected/appointed official, or advisory board member who has been lobbied shall immediately report the lobbying activity to the director.”
   • e. Pinellas County Code §2-189. – Lobbying, 2025[GS1] [GS1]This is aligned with County Ordinance – updated reference for clarity.

V. Content and Form of Application Submission

A. General Information

Applicants must complete an online application through the link provided at www.pinellas.gov/humanservices. If this is the applicant’s first time using the online application, the applicant will be asked to set up a free account.

1. Please complete all the fields. Some questions in the application are limited to a character count.
2. Please provide accurate contact information and the full legal name for your organization, as well as any fictitious names (“doing business as, or DBA”). If funded, legal agreements will be executed using this information.
3. Please submit one application per agency. If more than one application is submitted by an agency, only the most recent submission will be considered for award.
4. Please be sure to include all required attachments and check to ensure attachments have been uploaded properly. Missing or illegible attachments may be grounds for disqualification.
5. Any personal participant information that can be used to identify or trace an individual, regardless of whether it correlates to protected health information, must be omitted or redacted from all solicitation applications and any supporting documents/communications provided.

B. Application Sections

1. Section A: Agency Information

2. Section B: Organizational Profile

1. Describe how the mission and purpose of the agency align with the funding priority area.
2. Describe your board membership and how the board is reflective of the target population.  
3. Explain the organization’s experience relevant to the proposed priority area.
4. Describe your organizational capacity including accreditations, expertise and credentials. If your organization is currently on, or has been on within the last year, a performance improvement plan (such as a Corrective Action Plan), initiated by a publicly funded organization, please explain the cause and the status/result.
5. If your organization is currently on, or has been on within the last year, a performance improvement plan (such as a Corrective Action Plan), initiated by a publicly funded organization, please explain the cause and the result. If not applicable enter N/A.  No points will be assessed for this question.

3. Section C: Community Needs

1. Clearly identify the need to be addressed through the proposed program.
2. Provide supporting statistics or data specific to Pinellas County such as needs assessments, interviews, waiting lists, surveys, trends and/or analyses to demonstrate the need described in 3.a.
3. Is the program new and innovative, sought to expand capacity or service in an existing program, or is funding being sought to support the continuation of current programming? No points are to be assessed for this question.
   • i. If new and innovative, discuss what is currently being done in the community to address the need and how this program differs to provide better results.
   • ii. If expanding capacity, describe the current services available in the community, numbers unserved, and how the proposed program will reduce the number of unserved.
   • iii. If funding is being sought to support the continuation of current programming, discuss efforts to obtain alternate funding and potential impact if funding is not secured.
   • iv. If program is currently operating, please provide or discuss outcomes and utilization as well as program success. Upload report or discuss. Describe how the proposed program will coordinate with existing programs in the community? If program is working with partners, you must include a collaborative letter documenting the mutual efforts and responsibilities in support of the project.

4. Section D: Scope of Services

1. Describe the proposed program. Services to be delivered should be clearly identified. Include information regarding evidence-based practices or best practice models used, if applicable.
2. Describe what the funding be used to purchase or pay for to support the program? This should align with the attached Annual Budget Form and the selected priority area (A.12. of the application). Include how this funding request supplements, not duplicates, current program funding.
3. Describe program services including frequency, duration and intensity. Example: One hour weekly financial literacy sessions for 20 clients for six months or completion of curriculum.
4. Describe the target population and eligibility criteria for the program?
5. Identify the geographic service area(s) and hours and days for the program during the contract period.
6. Describe the program staff, including qualifications, expertise, and credentials, if required. Also describe the staff onboarding process and program implementation timeline.

5. Section E: Core and Flexible Outcomes

Applicants must complete the Social Action Funding Core Outcomes Template (Attachment 2) and submit it with the application. This template includes both required Core outcomes and optional Flexible Outcomes.

A. Core Outcomes – REQUIRED -Each agency must report on the following four core outcomes provided using the established benchmarks:

• I. Increased Access to Services
• II. Increased Stability and Empowerment
• III. Increased Knowledge and Skills
• IV. Improved Health and Well-Being

For each outcome, select at least one indicator your project will report on a quarterly basis. You may select more than one indicator. If you select an indicator that includes a fillable field, please be sure to complete all required fields. In the Indicator Purpose & Data Process column, explain the reason for selecting each indicator, the data source(s), collection method, and responsible staff.

B. Flexible Outcomes –OPTIONAL– Reporting on any of the following seven flexible outcomes provided is optional:

1. Reduced Involvement with Crisis or Justice Systems.
2. Strengthened Social and Family Relationships.
3. Improved Housing Quality or Safety.
4. Systems and Partnerships are Strengthened.
5. Increased Client Engagement and Retention.
6. Program staff/volunteers strengthen their knowledge, skills, and capacity to deliver effective, person-centered services.
7. Clients are satisfied with the services received.

For each flexible outcome your agency chooses to report on quarterly, establish a benchmark and enter it in the Suggested Benchmark field. Select at least one indicator for each outcome; you may select more than one indicator. If you select an indicator that includes a fillable field, please be sure to complete all required fields. In the Indicator Purpose & Data Process column, explain the reason for selecting each indicator, the data source(s), collection method, and responsible staff.

6. Section F: Budget and Financial Sustainability

1. Each application must include a complete Annual Budget Form (3 pages) to identify the organizational budget, program budget, and a detailed Operational Narrative describing the major categories of expenses, local match, if applicable, and financial capabilities. The required format can be found in Attachment 3 and within Neighborly under the Budget portion of the application.
   • a. F.1 Total Agency budget for entire organization (local), this should be the largest amount.
   • b. F.2 Total Program budget. Amount allocated to fund the program including the requested Social Action Funding. This should include 3.c and 3.e.
   • c. F.3 Total Pinellas County Social Action Funding request.
   • d. F.4 Percent of Pinellas County Social Action funding budgeted to the program. Example: If program is funded currently at $50,000 and you are requesting and additional $50,000 the percent would be 50%. If it is currently funded at $50,000 and you are losing all of the funding and asking for $50,000 it would be 100%.
   • e. F.5 Total amount of funding also supporting this program, including external funders, in-kind, etc.
   • f. F.6 What other Pinellas County Government funding does the organization receive for any and all programs?
   • g. F.7 Describe the organization’s plan for financial and program sustainability beyond fiscal year 2027.
   • h. Allowable expenditures include staff salaries, operational expenses, direct services, and other items as outlined in the operational narrative instructions.
     
2. The proposed program Annual Budget Form must demonstrate that program costs are reasonable, allocable, consistently treated, and allowable for the type of program proposed.
   a. Proposed expenditures are allocable in that they will be incurred for the awarded program, they are proportional to the usage of the program, and they are necessary to the overall operation of the program.
   b. Proposed expenditures are allowable if they are consistent with the policies and procedures of the program, the award, Human Services Department, and Pinellas County.
   c. Proposed expenditures are reasonable. A cost is reasonable if it does not exceed that which would be incurred by a prudent person under the circumstances prevailing at the time the decision was made to incur the cost.
3. The following expenses are not eligible for Social Action Grant funding:
   • a. Capital Expenses (acquire or upgrade a fixed or not consumable asset and/or any $5,000 single item threshold)
   • b. Improvements to real properties that increase the value or useful life of an asset
   • c. Indirect Cost Rate (e.g. a fixed % of the program budget; direct costs are allowable)
   • d. Research studies or technical assistance
   • e. Employee or volunteer incentives
   • f. Legal fees or any expenses specifically related to criminal activity including court costs or fees, fines, citations, restitution, child support, alimony, or federal, state or local taxes or penalties. Additionally, funding cannot be used to pay for costs related to legal expenses or legal actions of the applicant agency.  Allowable legal expenditures may include staff attorney costs or direct client support (i.e. rent monies for settlement) for legal aid programs.
   • g. Alcohol, tobacco, firearms or lottery tickets
   • h. Immigration related expenses
   • i. Gift Cards
   • j. Money orders
   • k. Property taxes
   • l. Vehicle purchases (however, a portion of the lease, maintenance costs, or monthly payments for vehicles proportional to how often the vehicle is used for this program is allowable)
     

C. Required and Requested Documents

1. Proof of 501(c)(3) Status for at least one (1) year prior to required submission deadline
2. Proof of incorporation in the State of Florida for at least one (1) year prior to required submission deadline
3. Most Recent Financial and Single Audit (required if available) or IRS Form 990 (only if audit unavailable)
4. W-9 with legal name which matches that of applicant’s name
5. Current Certificate of Insurance
6. Completed Internal Control Questionnaire
7. Annual Budget Form (3 pages)
8. Social Action Funding Core Outcomes Template
9. Current State Licenses or Registrations
10. Local Agency Organizational Chart – Local executive-level through program-level staff, at a minimum. For national organizations, this can be limited to the Florida, Tampa Bay, or Pinellas division
11. Program Job Descriptions, if funding supports salaries
12. Shelter Entrance Criteria, if applicable
13. Data Control Questionnaire
14. E-Verify
15. Board member list, including mailing and email addresses and phone numbers, if applicable
16. Accreditation, if applicable
17. Human Trafficking Affidavit
18. Travel /Mileage Policy, applicable when travel related funding is requested
19. Conflict of Interest Policy 
20. Program Policy and Procedures, if applicable

VI. Review Process

All applications will be subject to a three-tiered review process.

1. All applications will be subject to a Responsiveness and Completeness Review by Human Services to ensure applicants have met the minimum required submission guidelines, including the Social Action Funding Core Outcomes Template which is provided.
2. All applications deemed complete will undergo a Fiscal Review by Human Services Business Services to ensure applicant agencies and budgets are fiscally sound and appropriate for the proposed program.
3. Applications meeting the submission requirements will move to the Merit Review process

A. Responsiveness and Completeness Review

Human Services will screen all applications to identify those that do not meet the criteria outlined below:

1. The applicant meets the eligibility requirements identified in Section IV Application Instructions. To include a review of Quality Improvement Pathways (CAP or PIP) if placed by Pinellas County if applicable. Presence of a Quality Improvement Pathway will be noted on the review documents, and, in the case of a CAP, a copy of the CAP will be provided to the review committee and may impact scoring.
2. The application is complete and includes the required components (no blank, incorrect, illegible, or missing attachments).
3. The Social Action Funding Outcomes Template is complete, includes actual metrics, and is linked to the services proposed in the application.

All applications that meet the submission guidelines above will be submitted for Fiscal Review. A copy of the review form is included as Attachment 4.

B. Fiscal Review

Human Services will screen all applications for the most recent financial audit, Internal Control Questionnaire, and/or IRS Form 990 to ensure that the agency follows Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and is financially solvent with no significant unresolved audit concerns. This will not result in a disqualification but will be provided to the review committee and may impact scoring.

C. Social Action Funding Advisory Board Merit Review

Social Action Funding Advisory Board (SAFAB)

1. Pursuant to Resolution 23-33, Attachment 1 the SAFAB shall serve as the screening body for consideration of social service grant applications and submit its recommendations to the BCC for review and approval. All meetings of the SAFAB are conducted “in the Sunshine” and open to the public.
   • a. Meeting dates for all meetings are publicly noticed and open to the public. Attendance is not required and will not impact application scoring, however, is encouraged. 
2. The SAFAB will review applications in two (2) subcommittees, one for large awards and one for small awards.
   • a. All eligible grant applications shall be distributed to the appropriate committee members for their independent review prior to the public review process. Reviewers will assign preliminary scores based upon the Merit Review Score Sheet included as Attachment 5.
   • b. An average score will be calculated based on reviewer’s independent scoring of each applicant. All applications earning an average score of 80 points (80% of 100%) or above will advanced to the applicable Committee Deliberation.
   • c. In Committee Deliberation, each application that meets the threshold may earn up to ten (10) Committee Deliberation Points.  All applicants included in the deliberation review will be discussed.  Any Committee Deliberation Points earned shall be added to the applicant’s average score to reach a final score.
3. The recommendations of each committee will then be presented to the full SAFAB for approval before being submitted to the BCC for final approval.
4. Recommended awards, and alternates, will be posted at Pinellas County Human Services Social Action Funding – Pinellas County/ following approval by the full SAFAB.
   • a. To preserve the integrity of the procurement process, Human Services’ staff and members of Review Committees shall not respond to requests for information, or communicate with applicants, regarding an applications merits or status outside of the Question & Answer Period.  
   • b. Inquiries received outside of the Question-and-Answer period shall be held until final approval of the BCC of the award recommendations.  
   • c. Inquiries on application merits and/or scoring will be addressed following final approval of by the BCC.
5. Upon BCC approval all applicants will receive email notification of the approved awards. Emails should be expected in July 2026 and will be sent to the application contact email listed in A.22 of the application. 
6. All BCC funding decisions are contingent upon the availability of funds and the BCC passing the FY27 budget.
7. Contracts should be executed on or around October 1, 2026.
   
   

D. Terms and Conditions

1. The applicant organization must agree to the terms and conditions contained in the Pinellas County Social Action Program Agreement. NO EXCEPTIONS to the terms and conditions of the agreement will be permitted and timely execution is expected. The County reserves the right to update these terms and conditions from time to time and as needed to meet the needs of the County.
2. Prior to final approval for funding, each organization recommended for funding must enter into a program-specific Agreement specifying the dollar amount awarded, the scope of services to be provided, the outcomes to be measured, and the Agreement duration. Agreements will be generated utilizing application information. Awards provide for a one (1) year funding cycle subject to BCC approval and funding availability. The contract period for applications selected for funding will cover the period from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027.
3. A high score on an application will not necessarily guarantee funding. Other criteria may be utilized to justify funding award decisions including but not limited to geographic services areas, priority areas, etc.
4. Efforts will be made to ensure awards are made for the entire requested amount. In the event, limited funding remains at the end of deliberations and another full award cannot be made, a partial award may be made at the discretion of the SAFAB, subject to approval by the BCC. Should partial funding be awarded, organizations may be requested to modify their proposed scope to align service levels and outcome expectations with the amount awarded. If the organization cannot adjust to the amount allocated the award may be forfeited.  Any misrepresentation and/or failure to carry out the programs as set forth in the contract may result in immediate termination of the Agreement

E. Anticipated or Projected Resources

Resources which are identified to support the program will remain the responsibility of the applicant. If an agency’s resources are reduced or prove to be unattainable, the County will not be obligated to replace anticipated or projected resources. The applicant’s failure to obtain or otherwise replace such resources to sustain the program may constitute a breach of contract and forfeiture of funding, and may result in, among other things, termination of the Agreement.

F. Utilization of Funding

Organizations are expected to have programs operational within thirty (30) days of the start of the contract term, unless otherwise approved as a time-limited program.  Failure to sufficiently spend down awarded funding may result in a forfeiture of a portion of funding unless alternative draw-down arrangements are agreed to by the County in advance.

G. Disclaimer

Pinellas County Government reserves the right to: 1) cancel the application process; 2) accept or reject any or all applications received; 3) waive any non-substantive deficiency or irregularity, waive or remedy any technical or immaterial errors; 4) request any necessary clarifications of proposal data without changing the terms of the proposal; 5) negotiate with any qualified applicant; 6) award a contract in what it believes to be the best interest of the County; 7) cancel the request, in part or its entirety, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County; 8) reject the program of any applicant that has previously failed to perform properly; 9) reject the program of any applicant who has failed to complete a contract within the specified timeframe; 10) reject the program of any applicant that is not in a position to fulfill a resulting contractual obligation.

Attachments

1. SAFAB Resolution
2. Social Action Funding Core Outcomes Template
3. Annual Budget Form
4. Application Responsiveness/Completeness Form
5. Merit Review Score Sheet
6. Sample Insurance Requirements – Requirements are subject to change pending the nature of the applicants proposed service.

To access all attachments in the Neighborly portal, click here.