The Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance, the Continuum of Care for the Marion-Polk county region, is eligible to apply for federal Continuum of Care (CoC) Program funds and is launching a local competition for organizations interested in submitting project proposals for consideration and inclusion in the CoC’s consolidated application.
The local competition is open and accepting project applications. The CoC will consider applications from organizations that have not previously received CoC program funding, as well as those that have previously received CoC program funding.
Prior to submitting an application, applicants are required to participate in the appropriate session of the virtual bidders’ conference on September 9, 2021 via Zoom:
- 9:00-10:00am: Renewal Projects
- 10:00-11:30am: New Projects
Local project applications must be submitted online using e-snaps no later than Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 5pm. Any supplemental materials allowed in the instructions are to be submitted by electronic mail to CoC staff Carla Munns (Carla@CsuiteNW.com). Late applications will not be accepted.
Local competition materials will be available for review on September 2, 2021 by 5:00 pm and can be accessed and downloaded from the Alliance website: MWVHomelessAlliance.org. People with disabilities needing assistance in accessing and reviewing materials should contact CoC staff Carla Munns at Carla@CsuiteNW.com or 503-539-3377.
Applications that address a combination of local and federal priorities and goals will be prioritized for funding. Priorities include:
- Utilization of Housing Management Information System (HMIS), Coordinated Assessment, and a Coordinated Entry System, including assuring data quality
- Housing First implementation; minimizing or eliminating barriers to entry; achieving at least 80% bed utilization
- Alignment with and positive contribution to HUD System Performance Measures
- Alignment with and positive contribution to Mid-Willamette Valley Homeless Alliance Strategic Plan goals and objectives
- Projects with a focus on serving:
- – Those experiencing chronic homelessness (using the Housing First model)
- – Youth
- – Those fleeing from domestic violence, sexual assault and/or human trafficking, including the utilization and coordination of a Domestic Violence Coordinated Entry System
- – Families
- – Veterans
- – Other culturally specific populations
CoC application materials available on September 2 will include a scoring chart to be used by project reviewers.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care Program released a 2021 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), announcing the annual federal funding opportunity for local Continuums of Care. HUD’s 2020 Continuum of Care Program awarded $2.5 billion to renew support to thousands of local homeless assistance programs across the nation, choosing to renew awards from 2019’s CoC competition, and not releasing a new competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Local Continuums of Care across Oregon were awarded $44,054,337 collectively in 2019 and 2020. The Marion-Polk region received $861,586 of those funds.
HUD’s Continuum of Care Program funding supports a broad array of interventions designed to assist individuals and families experiencing homelessness, particularly those living in places not meant for habitation, located in sheltering programs, or at imminent risk of experiencing homelessness.
HUD’s Continuum of Care Program is designed to promote a community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; to provide funding for efforts by nonprofit providers, states, and local governments to quickly re-house individuals, families, and youth experiencing homelessness and persons fleeing domestic violence while minimizing the trauma and dislocation caused by homelessness; to promote access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs by homeless individuals and families; and to optimize self-sufficiency among those experiencing homelessness.
CoC application materials will be posted to the “Funding” page of this website as they become available.