7-RFQ-26-00101 Attachment A - Cold Weather Shelter Partnership Application.pdf

ATTACHMENT A - Cold Weather Shelter Partnership Application

The purpose of the Cold Weather Shelter (CWS) Partnership Program is to offer organizations a stipend to support the costs associated with community led efforts in providing shelter for our most vulnerable population when the Cold Weather Shelter (CWS) Plan is activated. The target population includes people who either lack shelter or have insufficient heating in their home. The CWS Plan is activated during the cold weather season and will be utilized on nights when the temperature, measured at the Plant City Municipal Airport, dips to 40 degrees or below including wind chill for two consecutive hours between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Congregate Shelters must be open no later than 6 p.m. on the day of activation and remain open until at least 6 a.m. the following day. Non-Congregate Shelters must make vouchers available no later than 6 p.m. on the day of activation. Bus Passes will be provided to community partners to support the egress from cold weather shelter sites. Also, the County will provide mats, blankets, and personal protective equipment, as available.

All partners will be notified by the Director/Designee prior to and no later than fifteen days before any adjustments are made to the activation threshold, as listed in the plan.

Organizations submitting this application are applying for a financial stipend to support their operations that will provide capacity for a minimum of fifteen (15) nights of cold weather shelter activation during the 2026 cold weather season.

Note: If your organization has funding to support this initiative and no additional funds are needed, please complete the application so that we can have an official record of your facility, capacity, etc. on file for planning, resource support, and media coordination, as needed.

All applications for stipends are subject to funding availability and must meet the eligibility requirements listed below.

Eligibility Requirements:

Applicants must be a 501c3, Business, Faith-Based Organization, Shelter, or Community Service Provider and in good standing with the State of Florida.

Facility to include Congregate Shelter and/or Non-Congregate (Motels) shall be in Hillsborough County.

Congregate shelters shall have capacity to provide overnight accommodation for a minimum of 10 people, except for non-congregate sites (motels) which can be multiple locations without a minimum and subject to availability (any changes to shelters location must be approved by County Department Director and meet eligibility requirements).

Safety protocols must be adhered to according to CDC guidelines (regarding COVID 19). Partners may enforce stricter protocols regarding COVID 19.

Secure a facility that includes:

o Heat o Plumbing o Electricity o Male/Female Restrooms

Provide food for each guest to include:

o A hot meal or individually boxed dinner o Cold and/or Hot beverages (including water) o Take-Away Breakfast

Provide staff and/or volunteers to handle:

o Logistics (Set up of congregate shelter or motel shelter arrangements) o Registration o Meal Pick-Up and Distribution o Secure Storage of Belongings o Overnight Supervision (Congregate shelter only) o Clean-up o Egress from Shelter

Applicants must have a security plan to include overnight at congregate shelters from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Facility must pass or have passed an annual inspection by Hillsborough County Code Enforcement or provide a completed and passed inspection report from a Local or FL Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR), Division of Hotels and Restaurants or other State Regulatory Agency, as designated.

Applicants that will provide a congregate and/or non-congregate site must complete each respective section of the application.

Application

Organization Name: _________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ________________________________________________Phone Number: ______________________

Point of Contact: _____________________________________________________________________________

Cell Phone Number/Email Address: ______________________________________________________________

Shelter Coordinator(s)/Volunteer Contact Information:

Name(s): _____________________________________________________________________________________

Cell Phone #(s)/Email address: ____________________________________________________________________

Provisions: The applicant shall request the stipend amount that aligns with the type of shelter (congregate and/or con-congregate/motel) and available capacity of their shelter. Applicants must consider the number of volunteers and their capacity for managing operations.

Are you applying to host a congregate shelter? Yes or No

Are you applying to host a non-congregate shelter (motel voucher)? Yes or No

Are you applying to manage both a congregate shelter and non-congregate shelter? Yes or No If yes, you must complete each section.

Please check the type of Cold Weather Shelter Operations that your agency or group will manage:

☐Congregate Shelter – Each shelter is required to have heat, plumbing, electricity, male/female restrooms, and capacity to provide temporary shelter (overnight).

Please check capacity for the respective cold weather shelter (congregate) location you will be managing:

Capacity Stipend (CWS Season)

Up to 10 $4,000 11 – 20 $5,000

21 -- 30 $6,000 31 – 40 $7,500 41 – 60 $9,500 61 – 80 $12,000 o Is your organization the owner of the shelter?

Yes No o If not, do you have permission to use the building for this purpose?

o Is your shelter a pet-friendly shelter?

☐ Non-Congregate Shelter - Motel Rooms (Vouchers) Motel Rooms – Vouchers will be provided for persons that are identified by the applicant for temporary shelter. Motel Rooms must be licensed to operate in Hillsborough County and include basic operational amenities to include but not limited to bed, linen, access to heat, and bathrooms.

Please check the estimated number of motel rooms to be used per activation.

10 – 25 26 - 50 51 – 75

Applicants will be reimbursed for actual cost for each room.

Applicants will be reimbursed for individuals who did not show. Applicant must provide documentation.

Double occupancy is encouraged.

Agencies will receive administrative fees based on the projected number of motel rooms used per activation.

Up to 25 - $3,000 26 to 50 - $5,000 51 to 75 - $7,500

Has your organization identified at least one motel for temporary shelter?

Please list motel locations with addresses that have been pre-identified.

Is one or more of the motels pet-friendly?

Contractor shall thoroughly document circumstances to support the request to increase capacity during the season and secure prior written approval from the Director or designated Manager in order to be reimbursed for stipends for congregate and non-congregate shelter including Administration.

Reporting The Shelter Coordinator shall E-mail to the Cold Weather Shelter Coordinator and the Community Services Manager a Cold Weather Shelter Census Report for that respective site which includes: name of the shelter, date of activation, a list of guests capturing their number, gender, Veteran status, and if they are interested in shelter or need other services that occupied their shelter by 10 a.m. the following morning.

If your site is a non-congregate facility, the Shelter Coordinator shall E-mail to the Cold Weather Shelter Coordinator and the Community Services Manager a census of families served including persons in household as well as the number of vouchers issued for each activation by 10 a.m. the following morning. The actual number of reserved rooms and utilized rooms may vary and will be reconciled by Applicant prior to non-congregate shelter payment request.

Who is your primary target audience? _______________________________________________________

Are you willing to expand your target population, if needed? Yes or No?

Organizations can expand capacity throughout the season with approval from the Department Director.

Volunteer Base Each organization managing a congregate shelter is required to provide a volunteer plan that will include registration, storage of belongings, meal distribution, overnight supervision, cleaning, egress from facility, and bus pass distribution.

Please provide a brief description of volunteer services including recruitment, training, scheduling, and managing.

Each organization managing a non-congregate shelter is required to provide a volunteer plan that will include on-site registration, meal pick-up, meal distribution, and bus pass distribution for the last day of activation.

Meals – Each organization will be required to provide each guest a hot meal, beverages including bottled water, and a take-away breakfast. Please share how meals will be provided for your guests.

Security - Each organization will be required to provide security from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. at the congregate shelter.

Please share your security plan.

Note: Additional funding can be provided to assist with security costs, contracted and/or one or more members of your team can serve in this role. Security must be provided for a minimum of eight (8) hours per activation. Security costs is matching up to $300.00 per activation, subject to approved documentation.

Will you be able to activate your cold weather shelter beginning Monday, January 15, 2026?

If not, what day will you be able to open? _________________________________________

Certification Statement:

o I hereby certify that the information above is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. I understand that a false statement may disqualify my organization for participation in the program. I agree to cooperate fully with the County and submit reports, as required, on the census at the shelter each night.

o I further understand that the County is not responsible for the management and operation of the cold-weather shelter locations and that the partnership (with or without a stipend) is a part of a coordinated effort to help the community with this initiative.

Printed Name of Organization Lead:

Signature of Organization Lead: _________ Date: ______________

Distribution of stipend for congregate shelters will be distributed in two (2) payments:

50% of Congregate Shelter Award will be processed after the execution of related documents.

The remaining 50% of the Congregate Shelter Award will be processed at the end of the Cold Weather Season

(mid-March 2026).

Distribution of stipend for non-congregate shelters will be distributed in two (2) payments:

50% of the Administration Fee will be processed after the award and execution of related documents. The remaining 50% of the Administration Fee will be processed at the end of the Cold Weather Season (mid—March).

ALL sign-in sheets but be provided before the remainder of the stipend can be processed.

The request for reimbursement for non-congregate sheltering can be submitted no more than once per week to watkinsonj@hcfl.gov. The request for payment must include an invoice and the following:

o List/register of clients staying at hotel and dates of stay.

o Hotel folios showing client name, date of stay and amount paid.

Copy of payment made to hotel by agency i.e., cancelled checks, bank transaction records, electronic statements, or detailed receipts with transactions highlighted.

Note:

Security costs are reimbursable monthly based on a copy of the invoice and documentation of payment made to vendor or person(s), i.e. cancelled checks, bank transaction records, electronic statements, or detailed receipts with transactions highlighted.

All sign-in sheets, list of registered households, or documentation of clients in shelter must be provided before the remainder of the stipend can be processed.

Key Dates:

Cold Weather Shelter Wrap-Up Meeting: May 2026 Note: Meeting Dates are subject to change and partners will be properly notified.