Introducing the Fund for Housing and Opportunity
As our nation grapples with our collective identity—what do we value, and what binds us together?—the question of who among us has access to a safe, stable, and affordable place to call home is central to the conversations and political decisions ahead. Who has been excluded from the basic need for shelter, what policies and funding structures are in place to keep it that way, and what stories do we tell about why and how we got here?
Rental prices continue to increase, and too many lawmakers continue to prioritize strategies that punish people experiencing homelessness instead of solving the underlying issues. The moment we’re in further crystallizes how people and communities most affected by housing injustice must always be at heart of our work.
While our core beliefs and purpose remain the same, those who know us may notice we now have a new name. The change is subtle but meaningful: We are now the Fund for Housing and Opportunity (FHO)—and we continue to be a leading collaborative working to protect renters and solve homelessness.
This change—from “Funders” to “Fund”—is a part of our ongoing effort to modernize our operating structure to reflect FHO’s long-term and ongoing evolution from a funder-centric grantmaking model to more trust-based and restorative philanthropic practices.
FHO was established by a core group of funders who came together through the shared recognition that inherent racism has deeply and intentionally limited the housing options and life opportunities of millions of Black, Indigenous, and communities of color and the urgency needed to advance systemic solutions. Since 2017, FHO has awarded over $23 million to organizations working to advance policy, change the narrative, and elevate housing solutions that move our nation toward housing justice.
As we move into the future as the Fund for Housing and Opportunity, our new name better reflects how we achieve our mission, which remains: to invest in groundbreaking strategies that ensure renters have access to safe, stable homes they can afford in communities that support better health, economic mobility, and access to good jobs and schools, free from the barriers and harms of systemic racism.
We continue to aspire to regenerative grantmaking, supporting organizations led by people who have been most impacted by housing instability and homelessness, and pursuing efforts to build the leadership and power of people closest to the problem. We are proud of all that we and our grantee partners have accomplished in our seven years as a pooled fund and philanthropy-serving organization, including:
FHO grantee partners have preserved or leveraged $130.4 billion in state, local, and federal revenue for affordable housing and contributed to 201 policy advances. For example, Housing Justice for All organized and won Good Cause protections against rent hikes and unfair evictions for 1M+ New Yorkers. Good Cause gives tenants the power to challenge evictions that are arbitrary, retaliatory, or discriminatory.
Narrative Change grantee partners have reached over 100 million people, moving them to see housing as a basic need. For example, research by the Housing Narrative Lab shows a 15% increase between 2021 and 2024 in public understanding of economic factors as the primary cause of homelessness.
Grantee partners connected movements and partnerships for housing justice with community-driven solutions for climate, disability, youth, economic, and racial justice. These collaborations prevented thousands of evictions and secured millions of dollars for affordable housing. For example, the Chelsea Anti-Displacement Roundtable in Chelsea, MA helped 462 households avoid evictions, leveraged $1.5 million in rental assistance, and provided an additional $1.3 million in utility assistance.
100% of our member foundations report that FHO provides them with meaningful learning opportunities and 85% say that FHO has influenced the direction of their work.
FHO is expanding our membership. If you share this vision, our table is for you. To learn more about joining the Fund for Housing and Opportunity to advance transformative housing solutions through collaborative grantmaking, check out how to get involved or reach out directly!
By collaborating, we can drive greater system-level impact, leverage shared resources, and amplify effective, innovative approaches to housing.
We look forward to all we will continue to accomplish—together—toward a future where all renters are protected and secure in stable housing, and everyone has a safe place to call home.
