Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition for the Homeless (TJACH) is soliciting proposals for the US Dept. of HUD’s Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Competition.  We are seeking proposals from organizations interested in providing services for persons and families experiencing homelessness in the City of Charlottesville and counties of Albemarle, Fluvanna, Greene, Louisa, and Nelson.

Background

The CoC Program provides funding for eligible organizations to provide housing and/or supportive services for households experiencing homelessness. TJACH serves as the community’s CoC Lead Agency, tasked with preparing a consolidated application for funding on behalf of interested organizations. Therefore, TJACH is issuing this RFP to receive proposals from organizations interested in applying for renewal project funding and/or new project funding. After receiving these proposals, the TJACH Governance Board’s Project Evaluation Committee will review these proposals and select projects to include in our consolidated application to HUD. The consolidated project is due to HUD by September 30^th. For more information, please read HUD’s FY2019 CoC Program NOFA here: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5842/fy-2019-coc-program-nofa/

Funding Opportunities

DV Bonus Project: Funding is available for new projects to assist survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. $50,000 in funding is available for the following project types:   

• Rapid Re-housing (PH-RRH) projects that demonstrate trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches.
• Joint Transitional Housing (TH) and Rapid Re-Housing (PH-RRH) component projects as defined in Section III.C.2.n of HUD’s FY2019 CoC Program NOFA that demonstrate trauma-informed, victim-centered approaches.
• Supportive Services Only (SSO) Projects for Coordinated Entry (SSO-CE) to implement policies, procedures, and practices that equip the CoC’s coordinated entry to better meet the needs of people experience homelessness who are survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking (e.g., to implement policies and procedures that are trauma-informed, client-centered or to better coordinate referrals between the CoC’s coordinated entry and the victim service providers coordinated entry system where they are different).

CoC Bonus Project: Funding is available for new projects or an expansion of an existing renewal project to serve households experiencing homelessness. $18,467 is available for the following activities for new or expansion projects:

• Permanent housing-permanent supportive housing (PH-PSH) projects that meet the requirements of Dedicated PLUS, as defined by HUD, where 100 percent of the beds are dedicated to individuals and families experiencing chronic homelessness, as defined in 24 CFR 578.3.
• Permanent housing-rapid rehousing (PH-RRH) projects that will serve homeless individuals and families, including unaccompanied youth;
• Dedicated HMIS project for the costs at 24 CFR 578.37(a)(2) that can only be carried out by the HMIS Lead (TJACH).
• Supportive services only (SSO-CE) project to develop or operate a centralized or coordinated assessment system.

Matching Funds Requirement: All new and renewal project applications require matching funds at 25% of the requested amount. Matching funding must be used on any of the eligible project types listed above. For more information on matching requirements, please read the HUD CoC Program NOFA here: https://www.hudexchange.info/resource/5842/fy-2019-coc-program-nofa/

Proposal Process

For new organizations interested in applying for CoC Program funding in partnership with TJACH, we are requesting the following information be sent electronically in a Word or PDF file to anthony@tjach.org by 5:00PM on Thursday, August 8^th:

New Project Proposal Questions:

1. Project Description
   1. Provide a brief description of the proposed project
2. Experience
   1. Describe the experience of the applicant and sub-recipients (if any) in working with the proposed population and in providing housing similar to that proposed
      1. 15 points
   1. Describe experience with utilizing a Housing First approach. Include 1) eligibility criteria; 2) process for accepting new clients; 3) process and criteria for exiting clients. Must demonstrate there are no preconditions to entry.
      1. 10 points
   1. Describe experience in effectively utilizing federal grant funds including HUD grants and other public funding, including timely drawdowns of existing grants, timely resolution of monitoring findings, submission of required reporting on existing grants
      1. 5 points
3. Design of Housing and Supportive Services
   1. Describe the extent to which the applicant 1) demonstrates understanding of the needs of clients to be served; 2) demonstrates that type and scale of the supportive services, regardless of funding source, meets the needs of clients to be served; 4) demonstrates how clients will be assisted in obtaining mainstream benefits; 5) establishes performance measures for housing and income that are objective, measurable, trackable, and meet or exceed those established by HUD or the CoC.
      1. 15 points
   1. Describe the plan to assist clients to rapidly secure and maintain permanent housing that is safe, affordable, accessible, and acceptable to their needs.
      1. 5 points
   1. Describe how clients will be assisted to increase employment and/or income and to maximize their ability to live independently.
      1. 5 points
4. Timeliness
   1. Describe the plan for rapid implementation of the program, documenting how the project will be ready to begin housing the first program participants. Provide a brief schedule for proposed activities for 60 days, 120 days, and 180 days after grand award.
      1. 10 points
5. Attachments
   1. Please include a proposed project budget including the required 25% matching funds and their source
   1. Please include current organizational budget
   1. Please include most recent fiscal audit

Proposals will be reviewed by the TJACH Governance Board’s Project Evaluation Committee and selected proposals will be included in TJACH’s consolidated application for funding. If you have any questions, please email Anthony Haro at anthony@tjach.org.

Renewal Project Proposal Instructions:

For organizations interested in renewing existing CoC Program Funded projects, please send an email to anthony@tjach.org by 5:00 PM on Thursday, August 8^th stating interest in renewing funding and please include the following attachments:

• Current organizational budget
• Most recent fiscal audit

Project Evaluation and Ranking

New and renewal projects will be evaluated by TJACH’s Project Evaluation Committee using objective scoring criteria. The project score will determine the project’s ranking among other CoC projects, both new and renewal. The Project Evaluation Committee’s recommended scores and project ranking will be presented to the full board for review and approval before being submitted to HUD. Projects will be evaluated based upon the following criteria:

CoC Threshold Requirements (all must be met to be considered for new or renewal funding):

• Participation in TJACH’s Coordinated Entry System
• Housing First and/or Low Barrier Implementation
• Documented, secured minimum match of 25% of funding requested
• Project has reasonable costs per permanent housing exit
• Project is financially feasible
• Applicant is active CoC participant
• Application is complete and data are consistent
• Bed/unit utilization rate is at or above 90%
• Acceptable organizational audit/financial review

Renewal Project Criteria:

• Length of Stay
  • RRH/PSH – On average, participants spend 30 days from project entry to residential move-in
    • 20 points
• Exits to Permanent Housing
  • RRH – Minimum of 85% move to permanent housing
    • 25 points
  • PSH – Minimum of 85% remain in or move to permanent housing
    • 25 points
• Returns to Homelessness
  • RRH/PSH – Maximum of 15% of participants return to homelessness within 12 months of exit to permanent housing
    • 15 points
• New or Increased Income and Earned Income
  • RRH/PSH – Minimum of 8% of project stayers gain or increase earned income
    • 2.5 points
  • RRH/PSH – Minimum of 10% of project stayers gain or increase non-employment
    • 2.5 points
  • RRH/PSH – Minimum of 8% of project leavers gain or increase earned income
    • 2.5 points
  • RRH/PSH – Minimum of 10% of project leavers gain or increase non-employment
    • 2.5 points
• Serve High Need Populations
  • RRH – Assessment scores for 95% of participants indicate RRH or more intensive intervention
    • 20 points
  • PSH – Assessment scores for participants indicate PSH with 90% at top range of the By-Name List
    • 20 points
• Project Effectiveness
  • RRH/PSH – Project has reasonable costs per exit to permanent housing
    • 20 points
• CoC Monitoring
  • RRH/PSH – Project had no findings on most recent CoC Monitoring Report, and addressed previous recommendations
    • 10 points
• Total Points Available: 120

New Project Criteria:

• Experience
  • Describe the experience of the applicant and sub-recipients (if any) in working with the proposed population and in providing housing similar to that proposed
    • 15 points
  • Describe experience with utilizing a Housing First approach. Include 1) eligibility criteria; 2) process for accepting new clients; 3) process and criteria for exiting clients. Must demonstrate there are no preconditions to entry.
    • 10 points
  • Describe experience in effectively utilizing federal grant funds including HUD grants and other public funding, including timely drawdowns of existing grants, timely resolution of monitoring findings, submission of required reporting on existing grants
    • 5 points
• Design of Housing and Supportive Services
  • Describe the extent to which the applicant 1) demonstrates understanding of the needs of clients to be served; 2) demonstrates that type and scale of the supportive services, regardless of funding source, meets the needs of clients to be served; 4) demonstrates how clients will be assisted in obtaining mainstream benefits; 5) establishes performance measures for housing and income that are objective, measurable, trackable, and meet or exceed those established by HUD or the CoC.
    • 15 points
  • Describe the plan to assist clients to rapidly secure and maintain permanent housing that is safe, affordable, accessible, and acceptable to their needs.
    • 5 points
  • Describe how clients will be assisted to increase employment and/or income and to maximize their ability to live independently.
    • 5 points
• Timeliness
  • Describe the plan for rapid implementation of the program, documenting how the project will be ready to begin housing the first program participants. Provide a brief schedule for proposed activities for 60 days, 120 days, and 180 days after grand award.
    • 10 points
• Financial
  • Proposed project is cost-effective when projected costs per person served is compared to the CoC average within that project type
    • 5 points
  • Organizations most recent audit:
    • Found no exceptions to standard practices
      • 5 points
    • Indicates no findings
      • 5 points
  • Documented match amount meets HUD requirements (Match must be 25% of requested funds)
    • 5 points
  • Budgeted costs are reasonable, allocable, and allowable
    • 20 points

Total Points Available: 105