Camden Community Uplift - Community Co-Labs: Benefits Access

Camden Uplift | Community Co-Labs: Benefits Connection | Call for Collaborations

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Key Dates 

​​July 22nd​, 2025: Call for Collaborations Released 

July 29th, 2025: Webinar @ 12pm

September 5th, 2025: Proposals Due 

September 29th, 2025: Grantees Selected 

October 2025 – August 2027: Grant Period 

Section I

1. Introduction: A Camden-Centered & Collaborative Approach

Camden Uplift is a strategic investment in resident-centered partnerships designed to strengthen social protection systems across Camden. In 2023, the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey (“United Way”) convened local partners to gain community feedback from organizational leaders and residents of the city, working to understand the highest impact issues to consider for investment and support. 

Led by United Way, this initiative supports collaborative approaches that expand across three key areas: access to public benefits, enhanced digital navigation networks, and increased workforce readiness, creating a holistic and sequenced approach to upward economic mobility for Camden residents.  

In its first phase of a multi-year strategy, this request for collaboration invites lead organizations, along with a coalition of their community partners, to launch and drive Community Co-Labs – cross sector teams to collaboratively create solutions with and for Camden communities. We are seeking bold, equity-driven proposals grounded in collaborative design, leadership and both in systems change and immediate intervention.  

2. Our Theory of Change & A Call to Action 

Despite high barriers to overcome, Camden is home to valuable community assets and resources to draw from.  With a poverty rate of 33.6%—nearly three times the national average—and a labor force participation rate of just 55%, far too many residents are locked out of the very systems designed to support them. Although a wide range of public benefits are available—SNAP, Medicaid, housing subsidies, tax credits—eligibility does not equal access. 

Residents face a benefits system that is fragmented, difficult to navigate, and often experienced as confusing or burdensome. Language barriers, inconsistent service delivery, and past experiences of exclusion or stigma can all create additional hurdles—especially for those managing multiple stressors at once. At the same time, the expiration of federal programs like the Affordable Connectivity Program and the rollback of pandemic-era supports have left critical gaps. In this landscape, there is a growing opportunity—and need—for community organizations to come together to coordinate efforts, share knowledge, and build a more supportive and accessible ecosystem. Benefits access is not only more essential than ever—it is also more complicated. 

The problem: Too many Camden residents are unable to access the public benefits, services, and resources they are entitled to—due not to lack of need, but to barriers built into the systems themselves. These barriers are technological, bureaucratic, and relational, and they disproportionately impact households already experiencing multiple forms of disadvantage. 

The impact: Access to need-based government benefits has been shown to significantly reduce poverty. According to the federal Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), the national poverty rate declined from 26% in 1967 to 14.4% in 2017, largely due to programs like Social Security, food assistance, and tax credits for working families. Over the same period, the child poverty rate dropped from 24.9% to 14.8%, lifting nearly 37 million people—including more than 7 million children—above the poverty line. [1]

Our theory of change: If we invest in coalitions of community-based organizations to collaboratively co-design and deliver coordinated, culturally responsive benefits access services, then more residents will successfully enroll in essential supports, stabilize their households, and build toward long-term, upward economic mobility. This initiative will invest in new and existing collaborations between local, Camden organizations and their trusted partners and service providers to develop service delivery models that bring together a range of programs meant to support family stability and access to benefits. 

3. Why Now? 

This initiative launches at a critical moment. Nationally, key federal programs are being scaled back, and many low-income families are facing new barriers to stability. Reduced investments in social protection, and rising service fragmentation are compounding challenges in Camden and beyond. 

Camden is a city of resilience, momentum, and possibility. Local leaders, grassroots organizations, and residents are aligning around shared goals and a renewed commitment to economic justice. The Camden Uplift: Community Co-Lab(s) is designed to meet this moment—moving beyond one-off programs toward systems that are community-rooted, responsive, and built to last. 

In this environment, forging strong partnerships and durable alliances is not just beneficial—it is essential. No single organization can dismantle systemic inequities alone. Collaborative models that align resources, share decision-making, and build collective capacity are the most effective tools we have to address entrenched disparities and create lasting change. Together, we can align outreach, integrate systems, and simplify the path for residents. 

Camden Uplift: Community Co-Lab(s) is not just a funding opportunity. It’s a commitment to reimagine benefits of access in Camden—collaboratively, equitably, and sustainably. 

Section II

1. Benefits Connection Co-Lab Opportunity Overview

The Camden Uplift: Community Co-Lab(s) will support partnerships that:

• Deliver services through a coalition of community organizations as part of one cohesive, community-centered initiative that uses culturally responsive methods (see Appendix A)
• Increase access to public benefits (e.g., SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, housing subsidies, EITC) (see Appendix B)
• Offer free tax preparation and application assistance 
• Provide digital navigation support to overcome technology barriers 
• Improve outreach and address accessibility-related barriers using non-traditional venues, such as community-based organizations, community colleges, public schools, and childcare centers  

2. Funding Structure 

Proposed Funding Structure ($2M over 4 Years): 

Lead Organizations: 

• Up to two lead applicants will be selected through the RFP process. 
• Each lead organization is eligible for a grant of up to $1 million total over a four-year period. 
• Funds will be disbursed in annual installments of up to $250,000, contingent on performance, reporting, and compliance. 

Partnered Delivery Model: 

• Lead organizations must implement a collaborative delivery model with community-based partners. 
• Subawards will be made to partner organizations, with amounts and scopes based on the submitted proposal budgets. {No more than 7 partners per applicant)  
• Disbursement of subawards will be managed by the lead organizations to ensure coordination, flexibility, and localized accountability. 

3. Process and Timeline

Proposals are due by September 5, 2025. The United Way staff and local Camden advisory board will identify candidates for further review and interview finalists until September 29, 2025. 

• Community Challenge announcement and release: July 22, 2025 
• Informational Webinar: July 29, 2025 @ 12pm
• Proposals Due: September 5, 2025 
• Services Begin:  October 8, 2025 
• Grant Period: October 8, 2025 - August 31, 2028 

4. Eligibility and Requirements 

To be eligible to apply, organizations and their program or service providing partners must have these core elements in place:  

• Must be a nonprofit or educational institution with IRS code Section 501(c) (3) and 509(a) (1), (2) or (3), or Section 170(c); or a public entity 
• Must serve low-income communities and the mission must align with advancing individuals and families economically 
• Ability to screen for, assess, and confirm receipt of a wide range of local, state, and federal benefits (see Appendix B for sample list)
• Demonstrated success in convening partners and bundling resources to maximize outcomes and increase access for community members  
• Ability to track and report outcomes, including total financial and non-financial resources accessed, and participate in comprehensive evaluation 
• Must have had an independent audit of their finances within the last two years 
• Must be able to implement and operate the program between September 2025 - September 2028 

5. Our Commitment to Community-Led, Industry-Informed Change

Proposals must reflect a collaborative delivery model, (see Appendix A) engaging multiple Camden-based organizations (no more than 7) with clearly defined roles. All proposals should demonstrate co-design with residents and include a plan for implementation, evaluation, and adaptive learning. 

The Community Co-Lab Benefits Connection is rooted in the belief that solutions to poverty and benefits access must be designed with, not just for, the communities they serve. We are looking for partners who lead with lived experience, data, and a willingness to innovate. 

We encourage the applicants to center community co-design in their work—from defining success, to shaping strategies, to refining implementation. We value bold, adaptive, and meaningful collaboration. This initiative is both community-led and industry-informed, and seeks to elevate equity and sustainability through partnership, shared learning, and local wisdom.

Section III: 

1. What We’re Looking For: Selection Criteria & Narrative Responses 

Successful proposals will include: 

• Community Co-Design: Residents must be directly engaged in shaping goals, strategies, and implementation activities 
• Partnership Strength: A collaborative team (up to 7 organizations) with clear governance structure, outlining the responsibilities and roles of the lead organization and service provider partners 
• Equity-Centered Approach: Demonstrated commitment to serving historically excluded groups including immigrants, returning citizens, older adults, and those with limited English proficiency 
• Service Integration: A plan for accessible, seamless delivery of wraparound supports through one-stop models or coordinated hubs
• Evaluation and Learning: A plan to track impact, center community voice in learning, and adapt based on feedback 

2. Selection Criteria 

Applications will be reviewed and scored by a diverse committee of community leaders and subject matter experts.

Criteria include: 

• Community Need and Relevance: 15% 
• Co-Design and Resident Engagement: 20% 
• Strength of the Collaborative Model: 20% 
• Feasibility of Implementation: 20% 
• Evaluation and Learning Plan: 15% 
• Budget and Resource Strategy: 10% 

3. Proposal Questions

In order to be considered complete, applications must include a detailed written narrative, a completed projected outputs table, a detailed budget, and all requested attachments.

4. Required Attachments

• Completed budget template
• Completed projected outputs table
• Copy of lead organization’s 501(c)(3) determination letter for nonprofit educational institution’s determination letter with IRS code Section 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1), (2) or (3), or Section 170(c)
• Copy of most recent audit (within past two years)
• Previous evaluations and outcomes reporting from previous years (if available)
• List of current board members and affiliations
• Biographies of Key Personnel
• Letters of commitments from partners

5. Evaluation: Data Collection Resources & Expectations

United Way recognizes that evaluation infrastructure varies across organizations, particularly among smaller grassroots partners. Technical assistance and learning support will be available throughout the grant cycle. We view evaluation as a tool for collective insight and adaptive learning—not just reporting. Grantees are encouraged to track not only outputs and outcomes, but also lessons learned and community impact stories.

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[1] Danilo Trisi and Matt Saenz, “Economic Security Programs Cut Poverty Nearly in Half Over Last 50 Years,” Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, September 14, 2018, https://www.cbpp.org/research/poverty-and-inequality/economic-security-programs-cut-poverty-nearly-in-half-over-last-50