Consolidated Homeless Fund Application Workshop

Consolidated Homeless Fund PartnershipMarch 26, 2015

Agenda

• Welcome & Introductions

• Purpose & Overview– CHFP– Eligible Applicants

• Eligible Activities

• Available Funding– ESG– SSBG– HRC– CDBG

• Ineligible Activities• Proposal Submission• Questions and

Answers

THE CHF PARTNERSHIP

FUNDING PARTNERS•RI Office of Housing and Community Development/Human Resources Commission

•ESG Entitlement Cities of Pawtucket, Providence and Woonsocket

•RI Department of Human Services

THE CHF PARTNERSHIP (continued)

COLLABORATING PARTNERS

•RI Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals

•Rhode Island Housing/RI Continuum of Care

Goal/Purpose of the CHF Partnership

– Reduce administrative burden on grantees, to allow more resources and time to be allocated to client services.

– Develop consistent policies and procedures across municipal boundaries to allow for more effective and efficient programs and services.

– Increase efficiency and reduce the duplication of administrative efforts across municipal and state units of government.

Objectives of The CHF Partnership

• Support Opening Doors RI

–Increase economic security for those who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

–Improve Health and Housing Stability

Objectives of the CHF Partnership

– Help support the cost of operating emergency shelters, transitional housing facilities, and Housing First Programs.

– Provide emergency assistance to individuals and families who are currently homeless.

Objectives of the CHF Partnership (Continued)

• Encourage and strengthen positive program outcomes, including

• Increased exits to permanent housing.• Increased client participation in mainstream resources

(EITC, SNAP, RITE CARE, etc.).• Decreased length of shelter stays.• Elimination or reduction of repeated episodes of

homelessness.• Increase income (employment/and or benefits to

clients.• Decreased shelter program entries because of

prevention or diversion efforts (Coordinated Access).

Support Goals of Social Services Block Grant Program

• Achieve or maintain economic self-support to prevent, reduce or eliminate dependency.

• Achieve or maintain self-sufficiency, including reduction or prevention of dependency.

• Prevent or remedy neglect, abuse or exploitation of children and adults unable to protect their own interests, or preserving, rehabilitating, or reuniting families.

SUPPORT GOALS of SOCIAL SERVICES BLOCK GRANT PROGRAM (Continued)

• Prevent or reduce inappropriate institutional care by providing for community-based care, home-based care, or other forms of less intensive care.

• Secure referral or admission for institutional care when other forms of care are not appropriate or providing services to individuals in institutions.

Eligible Applicants

•Not for Profit Organizations

•Units of General Local Government

AVAILABLE FUNDSCHF Funding Sources:• Pawtucket, Emergency Solutions Grant $100,549 est.

• Providence, Emergency Solutions Grant $268,945 est.

• Woonsocket, Emergency Solutions Grant $61,447 est.

• Rhode Island, Emergency Solutions Grant $401,219 est.

• Rhode Island, Title XX Homeless Funds $1,272,598 est.

• Rhode Island, Housing Resources Commission $1,151,000est. • Rhode Island, CDBG Program $500,000 est.

Total Approx. Amount Available: $3,755,759

CHF ELIGIBLE POPULATIONS– There are two eligible populations identified for Consolidated

Homeless Fund Street Outreach and Essential Services Programs:*

• Homeless as defined by HUD (Categories 1 – 4)1. Literally Homeless2. Imminently homeless (within 14 days)3. Unaccompanied youth/families who meet other Federal

homeless definition (must also meet additional criteria for HUD, similar to 2)

4. Fleeing/attempting to flee Domestic Violence

Definition of Homelessness1. An individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate

nighttime residence, meaning:I. An individual or family with a primary nighttime residence that

is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings, including a car, park, abandoned building, bus or train station, airport, or camping ground;

II. An individual or family living in a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designated to provide temporary living arrangements (including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or by federal, state, or local government programs for low income individuals); or

III. An individual who is exiting an institution where he or she resided for 90 days or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place not meant for human habitation immediately before entering that institution;

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Definition of Homelessness

2. An individual or family who will imminently lose their primary nighttime residence, provided that:

i. The primary nighttime residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of application for homeless assistance;

ii. No subsequent residence has been identified; andiii. The individual or family lacks the resources or support networks, e.g.,

family, friends, faith-based or other social networks, needed to obtain other permanent housing;

Definition of Homelessness3. Unaccompanied youth under 25 years of age, or families with children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless under this definition, but who:I.Are defined as homeless under section 387 of the Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (42 U.S.C. 5732a),section 637 of the Head Start Act (42U.S.C. 9832), section 41403 of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994(42 U.S.C. 14043e–2), section 330(h) of the Public Health Service Act (42 U.S.C254b(h)), section 3 of the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2012),section 17(b) of the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1786(b)) or section725 of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. 11434a);II.Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy agreement in permanent housing at any time during the 60 days immediately preceding the date of application for homeless assistance;

Definition of Homelessness 4. Any individual or family who:i. Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic

violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member, including a child, that has either taken place within the individual’s or family’s primary nighttime residence or has made the individual or family afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence;

ii. Has no other residence; andiii. Lacks the resources or support networks, e.g.,

family, friends, faith based or other social networks, to obtain other permanent housing.

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Definition of Homeless (cont’d)

4. Any individual or family who:I.Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or other dangerous or life-threatening conditions that relate to violence against the individual or a family member, including a child, that has either taken place within the individual’s or family’s primary nighttime residence or has made the individual or family afraid to return to their primary nighttime residence;II.Has no other residence; andIII.Lacks the resources or support networks, e.g., family, friends, faith based or other social networks, to obtain other permanent housing.

CHF ELIGIBLE ACTIVITES

– Street Outreach for Essential Services

– Emergency Shelters

• Essential Services

• Operations

• Shelter Renovations

STREET OUTREACH FOR ESSENTIALSERVICES

Street Outreach Component

ESG funds may be used for costs of providing essential services necessary toreach out to unsheltered homeless people; connect them with EmergencyShelter, housing, or critical services; and provide urgent, non facility-based careto unsheltered homeless people who are unwilling or unable to accessEmergency Shelter, housing, or an appropriate health facility. For the purposesof this section, the term ‘‘unsheltered homeless people’’ means individuals andfamilies who qualify as homeless under paragraph (1)(i) of the ‘‘homeless”definition under § 576.2. The eligible costs and requirements for essentialservices consist of:

• Engagement• Case Management• Emergency health services• Emergency mental health services• Transportation• Services for special populations

EMERGENCY SHELTERS

EMERGENCY SHELTERS Operating Costs Component

CHFP funds may be used to support the costs for operating and maintaining an emergency shelter. Eligible costs include:

• Staffing (administrative, program, security and maintenance)• Cost of operating facility (including rent, utilities/fuel insurance)• Facility maintenance cost and minor improvements• Furnishing and other supplies necessary for operating facility• Equipment (must be reasonable)• Food• Supplies necessary for the operation of the shelter• Reasonable costs associated with HMIS participation

Emergency Shelter Essential Services Component

• Transportation• Services for special populations• Renovation• Legal services• Life skills training• Mental health services• Substance abuse treatment

services

– Case management– Child care– Education services– Employment assistance/job

training– Outpatient health services

EMERGENCY SHELTERRenovations Component

•Eligible Costs include labor, materials, tools and other costs for renovation (including major rehabilitation of an emergency shelter or conversion of a building into an emergency shelter).

SHELTER RENOVATIONS• Minimum Period of Use –

• Major Requirements – – The emergency shelter must be owned by a government entity or

private nonprofit.– Any renovations shall be sufficient to ensure that the building involved

is safe and sanitary (review the Shelter Inspection Form in the Appendix).

APPLICATION

CHF IMPORTANT DATES

IMPORTANT DATESThursday, March 26, 2015 REQUIRED RFP Information Session

Monday, March 31, 2015 Deadline to Submit Questions to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/8JDR2RZ

(Questions will be posted periodically online at: http://www.planning.ri.gov/community/homelessness/funds-grants.php)

Monday, April 20, 2015 Applications Due by 4:00 PM

Late April/Early May Awards Announced

SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

• Submit – – Both Bound & Electronic (diskette or flash drive)

Application – to Pheamo

• Agencies may apply for multiple programs:– Submit only one Agency Capacity and Financial

Assessment Including Agency Cover Sheet per agency– Program Narrative/Design for each Program for which

you are applying for funding including Program/Client data sheets, Budget sheets and outcome chart.

AGENCY CAPACITY AND FINANCIAL ASSESSMENT

• Agency Cover Sheet and Checklist• Brief Description of Agency Today• Experience with Eligible Populations• Capital Improvement & Maintenance Plan• Describe Structure of Agency • Involvement of Homeless in Agency• Process for Managing Fiscal and Programmatic Requirements

of Grants• HMIS Management Capacity• Fiscal Obligations

Agency Capacity and Financial Assessment

• Be sure to complete agency cover sheet and checklist.• Make sure all items requested are attached.• Answer each question so that the review committee can get a

complete understanding of how your agency is managed and how it is contributing to ending homelessness in RI.

• Capital improvement and maintenance plan shows that you have a plan in place to address emergency and on-going maintenance needs.

• HMIS capacity questions directly contribute to an agency’s ability to document, measure and analyze results- i.e. performance review.

PROGRAM NARRATIVE/DESIGN

• Program Summary• Program Narrative Design Specific to Program for which you

are Seeking Funding• Measuring Program Success/Efficiency• Program Outcomes Plan• Program Budget

Program Summary

• Should be no longer than 2-3 paragraphs long• Provides a quick synopsis of your program

– What is the purpose of your program’– Who are you serving– What is special and/or unique about your program

Program Narrative/Design• Answer each and every question.• Be brief and succinct, yet thorough.• Emphasize effective and efficient use of CHFP

resources by describing collaborations and partnerships.

• Clearly demonstrate a need for your program, and that your program does not exceed or overfill existing services.

• Highlight how your program promotes housing stability, movement toward permanent housing and increased self sufficiency.

Measuring Program Success Past Year’s Performance

• Attach a copy of your HUD CoC APR for the time period of 1/1/14-12/31/14.

• Describe how your program met or did not meet CFHP Performance Standards.

• If you did not meet the standards, explain why not and what corrective measures you have taken.

Measuring Program Success Projected Outcomes

• Use Attachment 2: Program Outcomes Plan to document your projected outcomes, relating to the following CHFP performance indicators:

• # of exits to positive destinations • # of exits to negative destinations• Average length of stay in shelter• Changes in client’s income, employment stays• Access to resources to address housing needs• Access to resources to address other critical

needs

Program BudgetGeneral Information

• Use single budget form for agencies submitting proposals for only one program.

• Use multiple budget form for agencies submitting proposals for more than one program.

• Formulas have been built into the budget forms.• Drop down menus have been added to document

how expenses relate to eligible activities.• Clearly document the true cost of your program

(including those portions of the program not covered by CHFP).

Program BudgetIneligible Costs

• Depreciation, bad debts and late fees• Public relations or fundraising• Recruitment, staff training, entertainment,

conferences and retreats not specifically related to the goals of the CHFP funded project

• Payment of client credit card or other consumer debt

• Cash assistance paid directly to participants

Program Budget Expense Categories

• Costs must be classified in the following expense categories:1. Direct program expenses –costs (including staff costs that are directly related to carrying out eligible activities) that are specifically identifiable to the program.2. Direct client expenses – costs that are paid to others in support of clients (i.e. bus passes, rent for OFS shelters) 3. Administrative expenses( should not exceed 10% of the program budget) – costs of overall program management, coordination, data entry, fiscal management, monitoring, HMIS costs (including computers and software costs) and program evaluation.

Program BudgetStaff Salary Detail

• All staff working on the project must be listed on program salary detail page.

• Must clearly justify all staff expenses (must tie staff to a CHFP eligible cost).

• The cost allocation basis for charging CHFP grant must be described (what does this staff person do? How do they contribute to the program’s success? Do they work part-time or full time on this program?)

Program Budget Cost Allocation

Program Budgets Matching Funds

Recognition of matching contributions.•To count toward the required match for the Contractor's fiscal year grant, cash contributions must be expended within the grant period, and noncash contributions must be made within the grant period. •Contributions that have been or will be counted as satisfying a matching requirement of another Federal grant or award may not count as satisfying the matching requirement of this section.

Program BudgetIn-Kind Contributions

Calculating the amount of non-cash contributions. •To determine the value of any donated material or building, or of any lease, the contractor must use a method reasonably calculated to establish the fair market value.

•Services provided by individuals must be valued at rates consistent with those ordinarily paid for similar work in the contractor’s organization. If the contractor does not have employees performing similar work, the rates must be consistent with those ordinarily paid by other employers for similar work in the same labor market.

•Some noncash contributions are real property, equipment, goods, or services that, if the contractor had to pay for them with grant funds, the payments would have been indirect costs. Matching credit for these contributions must be given only if the Contractor has established, along with its regular indirect cost rate, a special rate for allocating to individual projects or programs the value of those contributions.

DOCUMENTATION & ADMINISTRATION

Documentation & AdministrationPayments to ContractorsDisbursement of funds will follow a cost reimbursement procedure and will be for actual funds expended. •Contractors shall only be reimbursed for costs that have been incurred within the current grant year and corroborated with paid invoices or other evidence of Contractor expenditure submitted with the Request for Reimbursement (RFR). •Contractors are reminded that any costs incurred or paid prior to the beginning of the start-up date or after the ending date cannot be reimbursed by the grant.•The Grant Period will begin (approximately) July 1, 2014 and ends June 30, 2015.

Documentation & Administration Requests for Reimbursements (RFR) should be submitted on a monthly basis and must include the following:—Correctly completed RFR forms—Copies of invoices and evidence of payment for the eligible costs for which reimbursement is being sought—Evidence of payment can include check copies and bank statements. Additionally, when bank statements are submitted as evidence of payment, there should be sufficient notation of which items are relevant to the request. —When client services costs are requested financial assistance logs must be attached to the RFR i.e. financial assistance for rent—The final Request for Reimbursement must be submitted to the OHCD within 15 days after the expiration of the grant period (by July 15, 2015). Any costs incurred or paid after the ending date cannot be reimbursed by the grant.

Documentation & Administration

• ALL CHF Providers must:– Enter beneficiary data into HMIS (or Domestic Violence Provider

Database) accurately and on a timely basis.– Follow the documentation standards developed by HUD and the

HMIS for all clients served with CHF shelter and/or services. – Submit required quarterly performance reports as required by

CHFP.

Documentation & Administration

• ALL CHF Providers must:– Agree to participate in periodic onsite monitoring– Send staff to periodic workshops– Adhere to federal and state regulations (including

requirements applicable to their ultimate funding source.)

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT

• CHF Providers will be held to performance standards outlined in their contracts.

• “Bonus Awards” may be available annually to agencies based on program performance.

• These performance objectives will be discussed and outlined in greater detail during the award and contracting phase following the review of submitted applications.

• If an agency repeatedly fails to meet their performance objectives current and/or future funding may be jeopardized.

PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT• Performance Outcomes may include:*

– High number of clients exited to permanent housing;– Low number of clients exiting to emergency shelter;– High number of clients exiting shelters with an increase in

income;– High number of chronically homeless clients exiting to

permanent housing; or– High numbers of clients with a reduced length of shelter stay,

prior to permanent housing.– Low number of clients with repeated episodes of homelessness.

*The Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) will be used to track these outcomes, so the capacity to collect and enter data into HMIS is very important for any prospective applicant.

CHF REVIEW PROCESS

– Experience and Financial Capacity – Need

• Area/Population Served– Program Narrative/Design

• Beds, Clients, Services– Program Current and Projected Performance

• HMIS, Consumer input, Measures• Prior year and current year outcomes

– Budget/Budget Narrative • Clear and reasonable budget• Clear description of other sources of funds• Indirect costs are explained

INFORMATION & RESOURCES

Resources – • ESG Regulations –

https://www.onecpd.info

• Resource Exchange – http://www.hudhre.info/index.cfm

• OHCD Website – http://www.planning.ri.gov/community/homelessness/index.php

Questions?Comments?