Emergency Solution Grant (ESG)

How to Apply – Conference CallMarch 16, 2011

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Overview

• ESG formula allocation from HUD to State of Virginia (DHCD)

• For use in non-entitlement areas

• Open, competitive process

• Completely separate from State Shelter Grant and other DHCD programs

• Two-year grant term (2nd year renewal based on available funding, performance, and compliance) – (July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012)– (July 1, 2012 – June 30, 2013)

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Funding Levels

• Estimated to be approximately $1,600,000

• Program-based funding - not agency-based

• Unknown– Number applications – Number of awards (i.e., programs funded)– Number of sub-grantees– Amount of available funding – Hearth Act Implementation

• Don’t anticipate making any awards greater than $50,000 (With the exception of Homeless Service Programs)

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Non-Entitlement Areas Only

• For use in non-entitlement areas• Program must be physically located/targeted in a non-

entitlement area• Entitlement areas* (non-eligible) include:

– Norfolk– Richmond– Roanoke– Virginia Beach– Fairfax county– Prince William county

*Areas are based on a HUD formula and are subject to change.

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System Transformation

Programs

Activities

Shelter

Transitioning

Systems

Outcomes

Prevention

Rapid Re-housing

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Federal Changes

• Nobody is homeless (on street or in shelter or transitional housing) for more than 30 days

• Reduce the lengths of homelessness

• Reduce new and return entries into homelessness

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Federal Changes (cont.)

• Emphasis on preventiono ESG requires some prevention/rapid re-housing o ESG prevention targeted at 30 percent or below AMI

• Adds chronically homeless families as a category• Effective May 2010 - projects serving families can NOT

refuse to serve based on the age of a child

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Applicant Eligibility

• Either unit of local government or non-profit

• No outstanding findings or other issues

• Experienced homeless/prevention service provider

• Must be able to meet record keeping and reporting requirements

• Must be able to meet HMIS requirement – DV programs are exempt

• Must be certified as local CoC participant

• Must have proposal certified as meeting local needs

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Applicant Eligibility – DV Program

Domestic violence shelters are exempt from HMIS requirements but MUST meet all other aggregate data and reporting requirements.

Domestic violence programs MUST be targeting and serving clients fleeing a domestic violence housing situation where no other subsequent, appropriate residence has been identified and the person lacks the resources and support networks needed to obtain housing.

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Applicant Eligibility – Primarily Religious Organizations

• MUST establish a completely separate, secular, private, non-profit organizations to serve as sub-grantee

• Pending 501(c)(3) application is okay for application

• Must adhere to limitations on discrimination against religious affiliation

• Cannot require participation in religious service or activity

• Cannot provide religious instruction or counseling

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Eligible Programs

• Emergency Shelter• Transitional Housing• Rapid Re-housing• Homeless Prevention• Homeless Services Programs

– Include two or more of the following eligible program types:• Emergency Shelter• Transitional Housing• Rapid Re-housing• Homeless Prevention

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Purpose - Emergency Shelter

Short-term emergency housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness to provide triage, intake, assessment, and referral and move program participants in a timely manner to transitional housing (where appropriate), permanent housing or permanent supportive housing.

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Purpose – Transitional Housing

Temporary supportive housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness with more significant housing barriers, to provide shelter and supportive services designed to address housing barriers and move program participants in a timely manner to permanent or permanent supportive housing.

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Purpose – Rapid Re-housing

Financial assistance and services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness to provide immediate access to permanent housing (includes transition-in-place).

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Purpose – Homeless Prevention

Financial assistance and services to help individuals and families at-risk of homelessness to maintain permanent housing.

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Purpose – Homeless Services

• Services and assistance to address housing barriers and move program participants in a timely manner to permanent housing or permanent supportive housing

• Includes two or more of the other program types (emergency shelter, transitional housing, rapid re-housing, and homeless prevention)

• Program components within a homeless services program must be structured to work together to further state and federal goals

• Logic model required

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Important

• Applicants must not submit multiple proposals that share any of the same program components.

• DHCD will not consider or fund either proposal in any case where proposals appear to share program components. 

• DHCD reserves the right to fully de-obligate all funding commitments for any sub-grantee found to have shared program components across multiple funding commitments.

 

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Eligible Costs- Emergency/Transitional

• Actual rent• Utility costs• Maintenance costs associated with shelter• Staff costs associated with shelter operation (ex. intakes,

assessments, etc.)• See page 13 of program guidelines

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Eligible Costs- Rapid Re-Housing/Homeless Prevention

• Rent assistance/subsidy• Rent/utility deposit• Rent/utilities arrears• Case management• Staff and facility costs associated with program• See page 13 of program guidelines

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Eligible Costs- Homeless Services

• Any of the previous listed eligible costs in the other program types.

• All programs under Homeless Services must be directly tied together

• See page 13 of program guidelines

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Ineligible Costs

• Recruitment• Depreciation • Costs associated with the organization rather than the specific program• Any costs associated with advertisements, pamphlets, surveys, etc…• Staff training, entertainment, conferences, or retreats • Public relations or fundraising • Sub-grantee bad debts/late fees • Program participant mortgage assistance/payments • Sub-grantee mortgage/debt service• Indirect costs• Rental assistance in any unit in which the sub-grantee or subsidiary has one

percent or more ownership interest in the property

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Ineligible Costs

• DHCD reviews and reserves the right to reduce request for reimbursement by the amount of the ineligible cost

• Any ineligible cost charged to the ESG program MUST be paid back by the sub-grantee

• Any unresolved issues or findings will make the sub-grantee ineligible for subsequent reimbursements

• Any unresolved issues or findings will make the sub-grantee ineligible for subsequent DHCD Housing Division funding

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Emergency/Transitional Program Requirements

• CANNOT charge program participant rent– Must have program fee agreement

• Transitional housing programs may charge a program fee, but:

– Transitional housing only – Never more than 30 percent of household income– Must be appropriate for target population– Must be tracked and used as revenue for the program– Program fees must be included as revenue source in

program budget– Must be approved by DHCD

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Other ESG Program Requirements

• Homeless/At-Risk of Homelessness Certification Form

• Termination of participation and grievance policy and procedure

• Participation of homeless person in policy-making and operations

• ESG Basic Habitability Check List

• Reporting and reimbursement requests required by contract/program

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Other ESG Program Requirements

• Ensuring confidentiality

• Financial management

• Record keeping

• Lead-based paint

• Non-discrimination and equal opportunity

• Fair Housing/ADA

• Conflict of interest

• MBE/WBE

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Application Process

• Any eligible applicant may apply (doesn’t need to be current sub-grantee)

• Due at DHCD by 5 P.M. on Friday April 15, 2011

• Competitive

• Proposal reviewed and scored by a panel

• Reviewed and scored “as is”

• Proposal must meet minimum thresholds– Eligible Applicant– Eligible Program/Activities– Received before deadline

• Review criteria– Need (maximum 40 points)– Approach (maximum 30 points)– Capacity (maximum 30 points)

• Scoring preferences given to applications consistent with state and federal priorities

• Must score at least 60 points to be eligible for funding

• Applicants must not submit multiple proposals that share any of the same program components

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Application

Applicant Prior Year (2009-10) Information

(a) Prior year total agency budget*

$     

(b) Prior total dollar amount of program budget $     

(c) Prior year number of households served by program      

*Total agency/organizational budget (not program budget). For units of local government only specify

appropriate division or department budget. For national non-profits please specify only the local chapter.

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Application

Program location (county/city):  

     Please tell us what areas this proposed ESG program will target for services:

Primary Service Areas (city/county)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

Please tell us the congressional districts of your service area:

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Application Budget and Financial Information

• Agency budget (current year)

• Program budget (current and proposed)– Expenses/revenues– Proposed budget should include request

• No required budget format, but examples are posted on website

• Most recent audit (if DHCD doesn’t already have it)

• ESG Request Section (application)– One year request and second year renewal*– “Identify and Explain”

*Year 2 is a renewal based on available funding, performance, and compliance

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Application Format and Process

Please complete only one of the following “specific programrequest” sections (Emergency Shelter, Transitional Housing,

Rapid Re-housing, Prevention OR Homeless Services).

• Emergency Shelter – Pg. 32

• Transitional Housing – Pg. 33

• Rapid Re-housing – Pg. 34

• Homeless Prevention – Pg. 35

• Homeless Services – Pg. 36

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Application Format and Process

• All applications must include the following information:

– Target population– Need narrative– Program description– Collaboration– Organizational capacity– HMIS current capacity and plans

• Required documentation- see page 41 of program guidelines

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Application: Need

• 40 percent of score• Need Narrative section• Scope of need:

– Does (and how) does this program fill a service gap?

– Is there a need for the ESG funds?

– Is there a demand for this particular program?

– How critical is the need?

– Does the program have any special feature to meet these needs?

– How credible and relevant is the evidence of need?

– Is there a specific target population?

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Application: Target Population

What population is this program designed to serve?– A specific household type (e.g., women with children)– A specific sub-population (e.g., chronic homeless)

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Application: Approach

• 30 percent of score• Need, program description, and collaboration narrative section• Scope of Approach:

– How experienced is the applicant with providing similar services and assistance?

– How experienced is the applicant with working with the target population?

– How well is the proposal coordinated with other activities and funding sources in the area?

– Does the program appear to be based on proven methods and/or is the program able to demonstrate good outcomes?

– Do the program costs appear reasonable?

– Do the program outcomes and objectives appear reasonable?

– Does the proposal support federal and state goals?

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Application: Capacity

• 30 percent of score• Organizational capacity narrative, budgets, other documentation• Scope of Capacity :

– How experienced is the applicant with providing similar services/assistance?

– Does there appear to be a plan for appropriate program oversight?

– Does the applicant demonstrate effective grant management experience?

– Does the applicant demonstrate adequate capacity for data collection and reporting?

– How many, and what type of findings, concerns, or other compliance issues has the agency had during the 2010-11 program year?

– To what degree does the program leverage other resources

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Wrap Up

Due date is 5:00 PM Friday, April 15, 2011

Send to:

Nichele Carver, Program ManagerHomeless and Special Needs Housing

Department of Housing and Community DevelopmentMain Street Centre

600 East Main Street, Suite 300Richmond, Virginia 23219

(804) 371-7113Nichele.carver@dhcd.virginia.gov

For questions, please contact Kathy Robertson at (804) 225-3129 or Kathy.robertson@dhcd.virginia.gov