Department of Housing and Urban Development will select up to 10 communities to participate in the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) to develop and execute a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness. Four of the 10 selected communities will be rural communities. Only CoC Collaborative Applicants may apply to this NOFA [Section III.A] Applications are submitted through grants.gov, and are due by November 30, 2016 Communities represented by the CoC Collaborative Applicant must include a youth advisory board, the local or state public child welfare agency, and a broad array of other partners. The rating and ranking criteria included in this NOFA will be used to competitively select the communities. The selection of the 10 communities will be announced in January of 2017. Selected Communities Will: Develop and implement a Coordinated Community Plan to prevent and end youth homelessness. Apply for project funding up to an amount between $1 million and $15 million per community, based on each community’s youth population size and poverty rate, for a total demonstration amount of up to $33 million. Request project funding on a rolling basis using a project application in the e-snaps grants management system beginning in early 2017.
Requests funding for all project types allowed under the CoC Program to support homeless and at risk youth, as well as innovative project types that may require a waiver of CoC Program requirements Request funding for a 2-year grant term that will be eligible for renewal under the CoC Program, as long as the project meets statutory CoC Program requirements. Receive a dedicated team of technical assistance providers to advise the development and implementation of the Coordinated Community Plan. Participate in an evaluation that will inform the federal strategy for preventing and ending youth homelessness. NOFA Priority The purpose of the YHDP is to learn how communities can successfully approach the goal of preventing and ending youth homelessness by building comprehensive systems of care for young people rather than implementing individual or unconnected projects that serve this population. In order to effectively implement a system that addresses the needs of youth experiencing homelessness, Continuums of Care (CoCs) must understand the subgroups of unaccompanied youth – including pregnant and parenting, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ), and minor age youth – experiencing homelessness and the unique challenges they face within their communities.