OHY Program Grants

OHY Program Grants is sponsored by Washington State Department of Commerce, Office of Homeless Youth (OHY). The OHY Program Grants support efforts to prevent and reduce youth homelessness in Washington State, including Spokane County. Grants support residential youth programs, young adult housing and rental assistance, youth crisis response, and youth supportive services.

OHY Program Grants – Washington State Department of Commerce Shared Standards Initiative 简体中文 ( Chinese (Simplified) ) 繁體中文 ( Chinese (Traditional) ) Tiếng Việt ( Vietnamese ) OHY administers nearly $40 million in grants annually, at the direction of the Legislature, in support of its mission to prevent and reduce youth homelessness.

Grants support both well-established programs and innovative new strategies, all of which strive to be responsive to the changing needs of individual communities and young people. OHY relies on partnerships with local providers receiving these funds to ensure a range of quality services are accessible to young people throughout the state.

Grants and eligible services Grants and eligible services Crisis response grants include funding for street outreach, drop-in centers, emergency overnight shelter, case management, referrals, and diversion resources. Services focus on addressing immediate needs such as directly providing emergency supplies, crisis intervention, and individual needs assessments as well as connection to other relevant resources.

Young Adult Housing and Rental Assistance Residential Youth Programs HOPE Centers, Crisis Residential Centers, and Transitional Living Programs are licensed by DCYF and provide temporary residence, basic needs and services such as assessment, referrals, family reconciliation, and behavioral health support while assisting youth in obtaining safe and stable housing.

Youth Supportive Services Resources focus on specific needs or populations at higher risk of experiencing housing instability or homelessness. Grants center on youth interacting with the child welfare system, behavioral health, juvenile courts, schools, protected healthcare services and homelessness services.

Some grants are part of larger strategic initiatives that focus on developing and implementing coordinated, data-informed approaches to preventing and ending youth and young adult homelessness. These projects require collaboration with system partners and are tailored to local community needs. Communities for Functional Zero Functional zero is a model developed to measure when homelessness has been effectively solved for a population.

Grants currently support efforts to achieve functional zero for youth and young adults in Clallam, Clark, Jefferson, Skagit, Thurston, Whatcom, Pierce, Spokane, Walla Walla and Yakima counties. Youth Homelessness Prevention OHY leads youth homelessness prevention efforts by collaborating with various partners to coordinate systems and services as a central component to ensuring safe and stable housing.

Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) OHY leads the collaboration of YHDP providers in 34 “Balance of State” counties and subcontracts for services like the Youth Lead Project. YHDP is a federally funded grant through the Department of Housing & Urban Development (HUD). Frequently Asked Questions The Governor must finalize the state budget before a funding opportunity can open.

The legislative session typically ends in late April in odd-numbered years after approving the biennial budget, and in mid-March in even-numbered years approving the supplemental budget. Notification timing varies depending on factors such as how much advance notice of potential legislation is known, how much program design is needed for new projects, how many other procurement processes are occurring, and other such questions.

Where are public notices for OHY grants? Visit Washington Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) for open state funded solicitations Who can apply for funding?

OHY grants are typically open to the following types of agencies that are licensed to do business in Washington : Local housing authorities Nonprofit community or neighborhood-based organizations See the Housing Division By-and-For Application Type Assessment (SmartSheet) for more information Federally recognized Indian tribes in the state of Washington See the Office of Tribal Relations webpage for more information Regional or statewide nonprofit housing assistance organizations How do you apply for grants?

Public notice is published at the start of a funding opportunity and includes complete application instructions and materials for each grant. An informational webinar is hosted approximately one week after the opportunity opens. It will be recorded and posted online.

Webinars provide an overview of grant goals, requirements and process for applying. OHY encourages both administrative and programmatic staff to watch to best understand how to successfully apply for funds and implement services.

Only questions asked according to the process outlined in the application will be answered including: Communicated through the identified Coordinator only Within the designated Q&A period, open for at least 2 weeks All answers will be made publicly available Application due dates are typically one week after final answers are posted from the Q&A period.

Submission due date and time are not flexible; it is recommended to submit with enough time to ensure receipt confirmation. Applications typically require general agency information, narrative questions regarding service plan, and proposed budget. See past OHY competitive funding materials (Box) for examples.

How are awards determined? The identified Coordinator determines if applications have met minimum eligibility requirements identified in the application materials. Those failing to meet full criteria will not be evaluated or scored and will be notified as being unsuccessful with all award announcements.

Applications are scored individually by a panel typically consisting primarily of young people with lived experience of homelessness or housing instability and some provider, partner agency, or OHY staff with professional related experience.

Scores are compiled and award amounts determined by priorities stated in the application materials, often including geographical area, service needs, amount requested, etc. All applicants receive email notification of being either an “Apparent Successful Bidder” or being unsuccessful at least 11 business days prior to grant execution .

Unsuccessful applicants may request a debriefing conference within the parameters outlined in the application and/or email notification. Awards amounts do not always align with funding requested in applications. Increasing award amounts is generally not possible.

Agencies may negotiate terms with OHY prior to signing a grant agreement. It is important for both parties to fully understand and agree to all terms, particularly the scope of work and related program guidelines, prior to beginning work. Services proposed in applications may need to be adjusted if they do not fully align with grant requirements or are not feasible within the awarded budget.

Providers may decline the award if it is not possible to find agreement. How long are grant periods? Most grant periods are issued for two years in alignment with the state biennium, July 1 through June 30 of odd-numbered years.

Grants might also begin after the state supplemental budget is approved for one year, beginning in an even-numbered year. Please note that funding cannot be provided in advance, so initial reimbursements are not paid until after invoice submission following the first month of a grant. What is required of OHY-funded programs?

Most OHY-funded programs require the following at minimum, see individual program guidelines for each grant’s specific requirements: Compliance with the OHY grant with general terms and conditions template (PDF) , including: Participant data collection through the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) Maintaining insurance outlined in the grant terms and conditions Compliance with the associated program guidelines, including policies regarding participant rights, staff training, youth engagement throughout program operations, etc. Adherence to the service model approved by OHY, this is most often the design proposed in the funding application but may be adjusted as needed and documented in the contract Scope of Work.

Licensing through the Department of Children, Youth & Families for programs serving minors overnight ( find your local DCYF office ) Can OHY help with an application? OHY is not able to directly support individual organizations with applications beyond answering questions submitted during the formal Q&A period. See Nonprofit Resource Directory – 501 Commons for resources on strengthening grant applications.

Find contact information and descriptions of programs in your area serving young people, ages 12-24, who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability. OHY Resources for Youth and Young Adults Office of Homeless Youth (OHY) Christopher Hanson (he/him) Christopher. Hanson@Commerce.

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