Notice of Renewal Funding Availability

Directions Home Plan: City-funded Initiatives

Program Year X

(April 1, 2018 – March 31, 2019)

Due February 19, 2018

4:00 PM

Introduction

The United Way of Tarrant County is pleased to partner with the City of Fort Worth, Texas to announce the availability of funds to eligible organizations for the provision of services to City residents who are homeless. Program Year Xinitiatives will begin on April 1, 2018 and conclude on March 31, 2019.

In 2008, the City of Fort Worth adopted Directions Home:Making Homelessness Rare, Short-Term, and Non-Recurring in Fort Worth, Texas within Ten Years (Plan)as its official homelessness plan. The plan articulates seven key strategies that focus on the goal of ending homelessness and serves as a guide to funding and collaborations.

The City of Fort Worth has committed over $20 million to the implementation of initiatives in support of the Plan—amajority of which has been managed in partnership with the United Way. Across the community, additional resources have been secured and leveraged from the private and public sectors (federal, state, and local) to pursue the vision of the Directions Home plan.

As the funder in this announcement, the City of Fort Worth retains the exclusive right to determine timetables, guidelines and conditions under which funds are made available and what, if any, funding awards are made. The United Way Special Allocations Committee on Homelessness will receive and review proposals and make awards of Directions Home funding for Program Year X.

Please read the entire document thoroughly.

Timeline

 / Date / Event/ Deadline
Jan. 24, 2018 / Funding announcement and renewal application released
Jan. 31, 2018 / All NOFA questions are due to the United Way
Feb. 2, 2018 / United Way posts answers to questions regarding the NOFA
Feb. 19, 2018 / Applications are due
Mar.16, 2018 / Funding announcement made
Mar.19-23 / Memorandums of Understanding are signed

Renewal Funding Priorities

Funding priorities in support of the Directions Home Plan have been based on staff recommendations as well asinput from the public, agencies, persons experiencing homelessness and the Fort Worth Advisory Commission on Ending Homelessness. For Program Year X, City of Fort Worthfunds will be made available for renewal grants for the following initiatives:

Program Year XFunding Priorities
Permanent Supportive Housing
  • Case Management for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients
  • Rental Assistance Administration for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients
  • Mental Health Services for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients
  • Case Management for Project Based Voucher Clients
Housing First
  • Housing First Program
System Support
  • Critical Documents Clerk and Funding
  • Direct Client Services Fund
  • Veterans Housing Fund
  • Continuum of Care Coordination
  • Project Homeless Connect
  • Cold Weather Emergency Overflow Shelter Operations
  • Navigators
  • Administration
  • Capacity/Reserve

Initiative / Total Funding / Category
Permanent Supportive Housing
Case Management for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients / $546,000
NOTE: BNSF Foundation is providing $500,000 and CFW is providing $46,000 / Renewal: The Salvation Army and My Health, My Resources
Rental Assistance and Administration for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients / $1,000,000 / Renewal: Fort Worth Housing Solutions
Mental Health Services for Permanent Supportive Housing Clients / $150,000 / Renewal: My Health, My Resources
Case Management for Project Based Voucher Clients or special populations / $54,600 / Renewal: DRC
Housing First
Housing First Program / $594,712 / Renewal: SafeHaven of Tarrant County, Center for Transforming Lives, The Salvation Army, DRC
System Support
Continuum of Care (CoC) Coordination / $45,600 / Renewal with decrease: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition
Project Homeless Connect / $5,000 / Renewal: First Presbyterian Church
Cold Weather Overflow Emergency Shelter Operations / $12,000 / Renewal: CFW administered
Critical Documents Clerk and Funding / $180,000 / Renewal with Increase: DRC
Direct Client Services Fund / $100,000 / Renewal: Tarrant County Homeless Coalition
Navigators / $67,336 / Renewal with decrease:
Tarrant County Homeless Coalition
Administrative Fee / $15,000 / Renewal: United Way of Tarrant County
Veterans Housing Fund / $170,000
$20,000 from Directions Home Year X, $150,000 from prior years Directions Home rollover funds / New: CFW Administered or Tarrant County Homeless Coalition
Capacity/Reserve – for case management to match additional project based vouchers or fill other system needs / $166,664 / Non-Competitive: CFW Administered
TOTAL / $3,106,912

Use of Funds

Descriptions of eligible activities and expected outcomes for specific initiatives are explained in this announcement. Applicants are encouraged to read this renewal of funding announcement in its entirety to determine their eligibility and the most appropriate category(ies) for their application(s).

Funds available under this announcement are intended to support the existing capacity of the Continuum of Care to serve people who are homeless residing in Fort Worth, Texas. To be eligible for Directions Home funds, the client must currently reside in the City of Fort Worth or entered into the homeless system from the City of Fort Worth. Awarded funds shall not be used to supplant pre-existing costs. It is the expectation of the City and the United Way that every effort is made to maximize volume and speed of service without sacrificing quality. Expenditure of funds awarded under this announcement that are deemed to be outside of contract guidelines will be subject to recapture and may be grounds for contract termination.

Homelessness jeopardizes the health and well-being of those who experience it; therefore, applicants must agree and certify that time is of the essence in all respects. Late reporting and slow expenditures may be cause for a decrease or termination of awarded funds. Unspent funds will be subject to recapture within thirty (30) days following the end of Program Year X or a Directions Home request.

Client Eligibility

Documentation of homelessness and/or disability will conform to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and will be recorded in the Fort Worth/Arlington/Tarrant County CoC (TX-601) Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) database, maintained by Tarrant County Homeless Coalition (TCHC).

For purposes of this document and related agreements, “homeless” means an individual or family meets the criteria of HUD’s Category 1 or Category 4 definition:

  1. Category 1, “Literally Homeless,” individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence, meaning:
  2. Has primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not meant for human habitation;
  3. Is living in a publically or privately operated shelter designed 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); or
  4. Is exiting an institution where (s)he has 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.
  1. Category 4, “Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence,” any individual or family who:
  2. Is fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence;
  3. Has no other residence; and
  4. Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other permanent housing.

Coordinated Entry

All Directions Home partners must be part of Coordinated Entry, meaning that HUD and ViSPADT assessments will be used to determine vulnerability and appropriate housing. Individuals will then be placed on either Permanent Supportive Housing or Rapid Rehousing lists. Agency partners must pull the next available client only from the community Coordinated Entry list.

All referrals for available housing slots in Directions Home programs must use the Coordinated Entry Process.

Housing First

The Directions Home Plan emphasizes “Housing First”, a flexible, strengths-based, client-driven approach to ending homelessness guided by the following principles:

  1. Housing is a basic human right;
  2. Clients do not have to prove their readiness for housing;
  3. Clients do not have to “earn” housing;
  4. Clients are not required to have income
  5. Client choice is valued and allowed without adverse consequences;
  6. Client’s needs are addressed from his or her perspective;
  7. Client defines his or her needs and goals;
  8. Client receives personalized, collaborative care;
  9. Client-driven recovery is adhered to;
  10. Services are provided in the client’s environment; and
  11. A harm-reduction approach is used to address substance abuse, psychiatric symptoms, or crises.

Contractor is expected to deliver services consistent with a Housing First approach. For more information on Housing First, visit the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ (NAEH) website,

Fair Housing

The Federal Fair Housing Act makes it illegal for landlords, home sellers, mortgage companies, and homeowners associations to discriminate against persons in any housing-related transaction because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, families with children, immigration status, or national origin; per HUD:

  • Clients cannot be evicted from housing;
  • Rules cannot unfairly target immigrants;
  • Clients cannot be denied a housing application;
  • Clients cannot be denied housing for sale or rent;
  • Clients cannot be charged more rent or related fees;
  • Clients cannot be assigned to one area of a building or complex;
  • Clients cannot be steered to one neighborhood or area; and
  • Clients cannot be required to show extra forms of identification to apply for housing.

The City certifies that it affirmatively furthers fair housing in its annual HUD Action Plan; eligibility for participation in Directions Home programs will not be denied to any person because of race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, transgender, gender identity, gender expression, or criminal background.

All persons must abide by City and Federal Fair Housing rules and regulations. Contractor will be informed of any suspected violation of these rules. Failure to address these concerns may result in contract termination and/or referral.

Safe, Appropriate, Permanent Housing

In order to rapidly move people off of the streets, out of shelters, and into appropriate housing, it is necessary for those involved to be knowledgeable regarding the availability of housing, resources, and supportive services in the community. It is also important to be creative when collaborating with community partners and analyzing appropriate housing options.

In all cases, housing must meet the characteristics of safe, appropriate, and permanent housing:

  • Must be environmentally and structurally safe;
  • Must be free of abuse;
  • Must be appropriate to the client’s needs in terms of mobility and accessibility to needed medical and social supports;
  • Must improve housing stability and quality of life (e.g. assisted living, supportive housing, nursing home, rapid rehousing, apartment without supportive services, family reunification, moving in with a roommate); and
  • Client typically has his or her name on the lease.

For example, in-patient hospitalization or treatment, jail, prison, transitional housing, hotel or motel, time-limited halfway house, temporary familial arrangements, and temporary group homes are not considered safe, appropriate, permanent housing.

Open Records

All documents emailed, faxed, or delivered to the City and/or other public entities are subject to Public Information Requests without redaction. To limit the exposure of personal information, written and electronic communication pertaining to specific clients that is shared with the City should include only the client’s first initial, last name, and should not include sensitive information (e.g. addiction history, health, HIV status).

Contractor must understand and acknowledge that the City is a public entity under the laws of the State of Texas, and as such, is subject to disclosure under Chapter 552 of the Texas Government Code, the Texas Public Information Act (the “Act”).

If the City and/or other public entities receive a request for any documents that may reveal any of the Contractor’s proprietary information under the Act, or by any other legal process, law, rule, or judicial order by a court of competent jurisdiction, the City and/or public entities that will utilize its/their best efforts to notify the organization prior to disclosure of such documents. The City and/or other public entities shall not be liable or responsible in any way for the disclosure of information not clearly marked as “Proprietary/Confidential Information” or if disclosure is required by the Act or any other applicable law or court order. In the event there is a request for such information, it will be the responsibility of the Contractor to submit reasons objecting to disclosure. A determination on whether such reasons are sufficient will not be decided by the City and/or other public entities, but by the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Texas, or by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Reports

Homelessness jeopardizes the health and well-being of those who experience it; therefore, Contractor agrees that time is of the essence in all aspects of funded initiatives. Late reporting may be cause for recapture or withdrawal of awarded funds.

Using a Monthly Report Form provided to each Contractor at the beginning of the year by City Staff, the previous month’s reports will be required electronically for all initiatives by the fifteenth (15th) of the following month.

Attestation

Each report submitted to the City will include the following, signed attestation:

Contractor: ______

Name of Person submitting report: ______

Date Range Covered by this report: ______

I have reviewed this report and certify that it is a complete, accurate, and up-to-date reflection of the services rendered under the terms of our Agreement with the United Way of Tarrant County.

Signature: ______

Date: ______

Data Collection, Reporting and Evaluation

To ensure transparency and accountability for the effective and efficient use of public dollars, all funded organizations will be contractually obligated to collect data, produce periodic reports and participate in evaluation programs.

Data Collection

All funded organizations will maintain up to date, accurate and complete records on all assisted clients/tenants in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to the extent allowed by law. All fees for participation in HMIS are the responsibility of funded applicants. Directions Home funds cannot be used to pay for HMIS fees. HMIS fees will be billed through Tarrant County Homeless Coalition.

To ensure that data is up-to-date and accurate, after delivery of service data must be recorded in HMIS within three business days. Funded organizations will collect and maintain client-level data in HMIS per the terms of an Agreement with the United Way. Data collection requirements may include:

  • Continuum of Care Assessments
  • A collaboratively developed and individualized service plan with clear specification of goals, levels of goal attainment, and tasks to be accomplished by service providers and client
  • Brief narrative updates of client progress, service plan updates, and details of disenrollment (where applicable) in HMIS case notes (completed once per month at minimum, though more routine use of case note function is strongly recommended)

Financial Reporting

To further financial accountability, contractors will be paid on a program cost reimbursement basis, up to the maximum contracted amount except in such cases when doing so would result in delaying housing or services to clients. All contractors will use an accounting code specific to Directions Home. Contractors will submit monthly invoices by the 15th of the following month.Late financial reports may result in nonpayment of funds.

Homeless Management Information System (HMIS)

Contractor will collect and maintain client-level data per the HMIS user agreement and federal statutes. To ensure that data is up-to-date and accurate, all services rendered must be recorded in HMIS within five (5) business days. All fees for participation in HMIS are the responsibility of Contractor.

Evaluation

Contractor will actively participate in monthly evaluation activities with Directions Home staff including planning, periodic meetings, data collection, monitoring, and reporting.

Right of City and United Way to Audit

City reserves the right to perform an audit of Contractor’s financial and business records that pertain to its duties and services provided under a duly executed agreement at any time during the program year (April 1 – March 31) and for five (5) years thereafter. Contractor agrees to allow City reasonable access to all records pertaining to the duties and services contracted with the United Way.

Conflicts of Interest

Actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as serving persons who have familial or financial relationships with board or staff members of Contractor must be avoided. Where an actual or perceived conflict of interest exists, clients that would otherwise be eligible for services should be referred to another Contractor.

Use of Funds

Directions Home funds are intended to expand existing capacity of the Continuum of Care (CoC) to serve people who are homeless residing in Fort Worth, Texas. Awarded funds shall not be used to cover preexisting costs. It is the expectation of the City and the United Way that every effort is made to maximize volume and speed of service delivery without sacrificing quality.

Leverage

Funding from public and private sources used to supplement Directions Home initiatives will be closely tracked. While there is not a required percentage or dollar amount of funding and/or in-kind contributions Contractor must bring to the table, Contractor will be asked to provide projections and track actual expenditures throughout the year. At a minimum, Contractor is challenged to document an amount of leverage greater than the percentage of their application that is budgeted for administrative costs or fifteen percent (15%), whichever is greater.

Direct Assistance

Under no circumstances will Directions Home funding be provided as cash assistance to any client.

ApplicationSubmission and Contact Information

One electronic file containing all application materials in PDF formatis due on

February 19, 2018 by 4:00pm to . Agreements will be executedMarch 19-23, 2018.

For more information about this funding announcement, please contact: