Together We Can End Homelessness
Spotlight on Funding
Fiscal Year 2023 Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) Grant Program NOFO
The purpose of the FY23Youth Homelessness System Improvement (YHSI) grants is to support selected communities in either improving existing or establishing and implementing a response system for youth homelessness. The grants will focus on systemic change to either improve or create response systems for youth homelessness by funding projects that create and build capacity for Youth Action Boards; collect and use data on at-risk youth and youth experiencing homelessness; develop strong leaders within a community; and improve the coordination, communication, operation, and administration of homeless assistance projects to better serve youth, including prevention and diversion strategies. Communities may either establish or improve existing response systems for youth homelessness through the following objectives:
- Improve the capacity of youth in the community: Developing peer support models, including training, project design, and implementation; creating Youth Action Board training, including government rules, leadership, and other skills; community training and outreach on how to work with youth and integrate youth leadership in an authentic way.
- Establish partnerships: Bringing together system partners who also work with youth who are living in unstable housing. This could include partnerships with Tribes and cultural organizations in the community, K-12 schools, higher education, juvenile justice, child welfare, employment services, etc.
- Improve the centralized or coordinated assessment system also known as the Coordinated Entry Systems (CES).
- Improve data collection and use between systems that work with youth at-risk of and experiencing homelessness.
- Assess, address, and improve equity in youth homeless response systems.
Funding of approximately $50,000,000 is available through this NOFO HUD expects to make approximately 35 awards from the funds available under this NOFA.
Estimated Deadline Date: February 15, 2024
State and Federal Funding
CO Division of Housing
HUD: Continuum of Care Program
CO Public Health and Environment
HUD CoC Program Grant Program
CoC Program Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Competition
Each year, the Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Department releases their annual Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program. In Northern Colorado, the HUD CoC Program funds roughly $1.5 million to support:
- Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH)
- Rapid Rehousing (RRH)
- Coordinated Entry (CE-CAHPS)
- Data Infrastructure (HMIS)
- CoC Planning
Though it varies between years, the CoC NOFO typically is released in the summer and CoC's have roughly 3 months to conduct a local competition that rates and ranks individual project applications. Ranked project applications will be submitted for funding consideration to HUD alongside a Consolidated Application the CoC prepares that details our region's efforts to collectively address homelessness.
The NoCO CoC's Consolidated Application, previously submitted data reports, and Project Applications are evaluated alongside all of the other Continuums of Care across the country to determine level of renewal and new funding that we will receive.
2023 CoC Program Competition
On July 5, 2023, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) officially posted the Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) for FY2023 Continuum of Care Competition on Grants.gov. The NoCO CoC submitted our Consolidation Application detailing the comprehensive work on addressing homelessness in northern Colorado as well as the projects considered for funding on September 27th, 2023.
CO-505 Consolidated Application Priority Listing - Renewal, New CoC Projects
CoC Funded Project Evaluation Resources
The NoCO CoC is highly committed to supporting and keeping accountability for CoC funded programs to implement Housing First and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusionary (DEI) practices. Beginning in 2023, CoC funded programs must complete yearly self assessments and create actionable steps for improvement of their programming from a Housing First and DEI lens.
Webinar: Housing First & DEI Self Assessments for NoCO CoC Grantees
5.11.23 - This webinar details changes made for evaluating NoCO CoC Program grantees and subrecipients on their Housing First and DEI practices. This evaluation influences the yearly CoC Program NOFO Competition.
DEI/HF Evaluation Flow Chart Housing First Self Assessment DEI Self Assessment