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A picture of a speaker standing next to a TV monitor with a slide that says "Homeownership Program". A co-panelist is sitting next to the speaker. There is text on the image that says, "New gifts promote fair and affordable homeownership opportunities" and a Health Forward Logo.

Funding Announcement

Health Forward awards $1.6 million to support healthy and affordable homeownership opportunities

Kansas City, MO — Health Forward Foundation is proud to announce nearly $1.6 million in funding for six nonprofit organizations that promote fair and affordable homeownership opportunities. These community-based organizations build health and wealth for rural, Black, Indigenous, and Latino/a/x communities throughout our service area.

“At Health Forward, we understand that homeownership is a vital pathway to better health and financial opportunities,” said McClain Bryant Macklin, Health Forward Vice President of Policy and Impact. “This funding reflects our commitment to helping people and families access and maintain homeownership, because affordable homeownership improves economic well-being through improved credit, building equity, and access to capital like lines of credit and home equity loans.”

These partnerships represent the first strategic homeownership investments Health Forward is making as it aspires to convene, connect, and support and leverage affordable housing and homeownership organizations in the Kansas City region.

In selecting partner organizations, Health Forward prioritized organizations who have demonstrated experience in homeownership education and counseling; connecting potential homebuyers to financial institutions and other funding sources; and providing downpayment assistance to people who are paid low and moderate wages.

“Our wealth directly impacts our access to health,” said Jennifer Tidwell, Health Forward Principal Impact Strategist – Place. “Housing is a primary means of accumulating and building generational wealth. Ensuring that more people can own their own home secures a brighter future for everyone in our service area and has rippling effects on childhood development, education, and access to job opportunities and transportation.”

Health Forward is partnering with the following organizations who work across our six-county service area, which encompasses urban and rural counties in Kansas and Missouri and the entire city of Kansas City, Missouri.

Agency Gift Funding Impact
Community Housing of Wyandotte County $100,000 To support a holistic range of affordability strategies that will increase access to quality housing for Wyandotte County residents.
Community Service League $150,000 To provide financial coaching, housing counseling, wealth and asset building programs, homebuyer education, and increase housing stock.
Credit & Homeownership Empowerment Services  $650,000 To expand access to HUD-approved housing counseling services, provide financial education, credit enhancement, and down payment assistance.
El Centro $150,000 To provide holistic homebuyer to homeowner education and matching down payment support.
Habitat for Humanity of Kansas City $450,000 To reduce barriers to homeownership and build wealth for people of color by providing down payment assistance to build new homes.
Thrive Allen County $50,000 To provide homeownership assistance for residents of Allen County, Kansas.

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