FR-6800-N-35_NOFO.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

Community Planning and Development

Youth Homeless Demonstration Program

FR-6800-N-35

08/29/2024

Table of Contents

OVERVIEW

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

B. Authority

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funds

B. Number of Awards

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information

D. Period of Performance

E. Type of Funding Instrument

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants

B. Ineligible Applicants

C. Cost Sharing or Matching

D. Threshold Eligibility Requirements

E. Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility

F. Program-Specific Requirements

G. Criteria for Beneficiaries

IV. APPLICATION AND SUBMISSION INFORMATION

A. Obtain an Application Package

B. Content and Form of Application Submission

C. System for Award Management (SAM) and Unique Entity Identifier (UEI)

D. Application Submission Dates and Times

E. Intergovernmental Review

F. Funding Restrictions

V. APPLICATION REVIEW INFORMATION

A. Review Criteria

B. Review and Selection Process

VI. AWARD ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

A. Award Notices

B. Administrative, National and Departmental Policy Requirements and Terms for HUD Applicants and Recipients of Financial Assistance Awards

C. Reporting

D. Debriefing

VII. AGENCY CONTACT(S)

VIII. OTHER INFORMATION

APPENDIX

Program Office:

Community Planning and Development

Funding Opportunity Title:

Youth Homeless Demonstration Program Funding Opportunity Number:

FR-6800-N-35

Assistance Listing Number:

14.276 Due Date for Applications:

08/29/2024

OVERVIEW

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) issues this Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to invite applications from eligible applicants for the program and purpose described within this NOFO. You, as a prospective applicant, should carefully read all instructions in all sections to avoid sending an incomplete or ineligible application. HUD funding is highly competitive. Failure to respond accurately to any submission requirement could result in an incomplete, ineligible, or noncompetitive proposal.

In accordance with Title 24 part 4, subpart B of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), during the selection process (which includes HUD’s NOFO development and publication, and concludes with the announcement of the selection of recipients of assistance), HUD is prohibited from disclosing covered selection information. Examples of impermissible disclosures include:

1) information regarding any applicant’s relative standing; 2) the amount of assistance requested by any applicant; and 3) any information contained in the application. Prior to the application deadline, HUD may not disclose the identity of any applicant or the number of applicants who have applied for assistance.

For further information regarding this NOFO, direct questions regarding the specific requirements of this NOFO to the agency contact identified in section VII.

Paperwork Reduction Act Statement. In accordance with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 (44 U.S.C. §§ 3501- 3520) (PRA), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) approved the information collection requirements in this NOFO. HUD may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to a collection of information unless the collection displays a valid OMB control number. This NOFO identifies the applicable OMB control number, unless the collection of information is excluded from these requirements under 5 CFR Part 1320.

OMB Control Number(s):

2506-0210

I. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY DESCRIPTION

A. Program Description

1. Purpose

In 2022, the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) published All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness (All In). The plan is built around six pillars: three foundations—equity, data and evidence, and collaboration—and three solutions— https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-4/subpart-B https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-5/chapter-III/subchapter-B/part-1320?toc=1 https://www.usich.gov/all-in https://www.usich.gov/all-in housing and supports, crisis response, and prevention. The work funded through this NOFO will support the actions and strategies proposed within the pillars.

The goal of the Youth Homeless Demonstration Program (YHDP) is to support selected communities in the development and implementation of a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness. This community planning approach supports the foundations outlined in All In and will guide communities in designing solutions that match the needs in their community, and sharing that experience with and mobilizing communities around the country toward the same end. The population to be served by this demonstration program is youth experiencing homelessness, age 24 and under, including unaccompanied youth and pregnant or parenting youth who are experiencing homelessness. HUD will award approximately $72,000,000 in YHDP under this NOFO through funding appropriated for fiscal year (FY) 2023 on December 29, 2022, through the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-

328) ("FY 2023 Appropriations Act). The FY 2023 Appropriations Act appropriated this funding to HUD "to implement projects to demonstrate how a comprehensive approach to serving homeless youth, age 24 and under ... can dramatically reduce youth homelessness.”

Through this NOFO, HUD will select up to 25 communities, with a priority for communities with substantial rural populations in up to eight locations. This NOFO outlines the methodology HUD will follow to determine award amounts and to alert each community selected of the amount of money available to them through the YHDP. Subject to HUD's right to select lower scoring community selection applications under Section III.F.a, HUD will use the community scores under this NOFO along with the formula in Section II.C of this NOFO to select communities. The CoC's Collaborative Applicant is responsible for submitting the community selection application for this NOFO.

Separate from this NOFO, technical assistance will be available to selected communities to assist them in analyzing community strengths and needs, developing a coordinated community plan (CCP), implementing the plan, and then engaging in a process of continuous quality improvement.

HUD will share demonstration outcomes and make homeless assistance resources publicly available to accelerate efforts to prevent and end youth homelessness nationally. In addition, HUD, and to the extent possible, its Federal partners, will work to accelerate HUD and the public's learning related to youth experiencing homelessness and the concepts of:

• Housing First;

• Assessment and prioritization;

• Coordinated entry;

• Risk and protective factors for youth homelessness;

• Diversion from child welfare and criminal justice;

• Success in education and employment;

• Serving survivors of violence, including trafficking;

• Promoting equity and cultural sensitivity;

• Serving LGBTQ+ youth, youth under the age of 18, and pregnant and parenting youth;

and

• Improving performance on system performance measures

HUD recognizes that there are promising strategies concerning these concepts, but limited evidence to support replication of best practices. Given the importance of advancing our understanding in this topic area, HUD is very interested in communities that will commit to focusing attention on these issues.

After the application submission deadline, HUD will take several months to assess the applications and select communities. Available award amount information for communities is outlined in Section II.C.

Once HUD announces the selected communities, communities will have a total of 6 months to submit a first draft of the coordinated community plan, which is comprised of certain components of the overall coordinated community plan. Communities may request up to a 1-month extension of this deadline by emailing youthdemo@hud.gov. The remaining components of the coordinated community plan must be submitted as described in Appendix B. See Section III.F.b and Appendix B of this NOFO for further information.

Immediately following the announcement of selected communities, HUD will make three percent of a Community’s available award amount, outlined in Section II.C, available to the Collaborative Applicant or their designee to fund initial planning activities. Funds used for planning activities are subject to 578.39(b) and (c) as may be amended from time to time. Funds used on initial planning activities may only be used for costs of planning related to preventing and ending youth homelessness in the Community. Additionally, during plan development, Collaborative Applicants or their designee may apply for additional planning projects, totaling up to ten percent of the total community funding amount, to support the selected community's continued planning efforts. After the first draft of the CCP is approved, applicants may apply for projects up to the total amount made available to the community under the YHDP, minus amounts previously awarded for planning activities. Communities will be expected to fully participate in any evaluation activities conducted by HUD beginning no earlier than the announcement of community selection.

All awards and projects funded under this NOFO are subject to the following provisions of 24 CFR part 578, as may be amended from time to time, except where they conflict with the NOFO requirements, activities that the Recipient will implement and are authorized pursuant to I.C.1.a.

or b. of Appendix A of this NOFO, waivers issued by HUD, or with the proviso that Grant funds may only be used to serve homeless youth, age twenty-four (24) and younger: 24 CFR 578.3, 578.15, 578.23, 578.25, 578.29, 578.37, 578.43, 578.45, 578.47, 578.49, 578.51, 578.53, 578.55, 578.57, 578.59, 578.61, 578.63, 578.73, 578.75, 578.77, 578.79, 578.81, 578.83, 578.85, 578.87, 578.89, 578.89, 578.91, 578.93, except in 578.93(c)(2), recipients must provide such information to the jurisdiction in which the project is located, 578.95, 578.97, 578.99, 578.103(a)(3) - (18) and (b) – (e), 578.105, 578.107 and 578.109. The requirements of 2 CFR 200.306, as may be amended from time to time, with the exception of 200.306(b)(5) apply. Grants for planning costs are subject to 24 CFR 578.39(b) and (c), as may be amended from time to time, but Grant funds may only be used for costs of planning related to preventing and ending youth homelessness in the Community. Federal fair housing and nondiscrimination requirements cannot be waived.

mailto:youthdemo@hud.gov.

Notwithstanding the previous paragraph, if an applicant organization that is responsible for paying Youth Action Board (YAB) members for work performed as YAB duties wishes to submit a project for local YHDP selection, the applicant or collaborative applicant must submit a written request for exception to the provisions of 24 CFR 578.95 and comply with the conflict of interest exception request requirements found at 24 CFR 578.95(d)(2)(i)(A) but not 24 CFR

578.95 (d)(2)(i)(B).

2. HUD and Program-Specific Goals and Objectives

HUD’s Strategic Plan sets the direction and focus of our programs and staff to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality, affordable homes for all. This NOFO supports HUD’s Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years (FY) 2022-2026 to accomplish HUD’s mission and vision. Each of the five goals in the Strategic Plan include what HUD hopes to accomplish, the strategies to accomplish those objectives, and the indicators of success.

HUD will pursue two overarching priorities focused on increasing equity and improving customer experience across all HUD programs. Five strategic goals and several objectives undergird the Plan; however the following goals are applicable to this NOFO.

You are expected to align your application to the applicable strategic goals and objectives below.

Use the information in this section to describe in your application the specific goals, objectives, and measures that your project is expected to help accomplish. If your project is selected for funding, you are also expected to establish a plan to track progress related to those goals, objectives, and measures. HUD will monitor compliance with the goals, objectives, and measures in your project.

Applicable Goals and Objectives from HUD’s Strategic Plan Strategic Goal 1: Support Underserved Communities Fortify support for underserved communities and support equitable community development for all people.

1B: Reduce Homelessness Strengthen Federal, State, Tribal, and community implementation of the Housing First approach to reducing the prevalence of homelessness, with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness.

The demonstration has seven primary objectives:

• Prevent and End Youth Homelessness. Provide funding, regulatory flexibility, and technical assistance to help communities develop housing and services for youth experiencing homelessness and make youth homelessness rare and, if it occurs, brief and non-recurring.

• Build national momentum. Motivate state and local homelessness stakeholders and youth services providers, including Runaway and Homeless Youth providers across the country to prevent and end youth homelessness by forming new partnerships, addressing system barriers, testing promising strategies, and evaluating their outcomes;

• Promote equity in the delivery and outcomes of homeless assistance. Recipients should promote equity throughout the community's youth homeless response system for youth who are disproportionally more likely to experience homelessness, such as Black, Indigenous, Hispanic, and LGBTQ+ youth. Awarded communities will promote equity throughout their youth homeless response system and all YHDP projects will measure https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas https://www.hud.gov/HUD-FY22-26-Strategic-Plan-Focus-Areas and demonstrate equitable delivery and outcomes. This includes identifying barriers that led to any disparities in subpopulations being served and taking steps to eliminate these barriers in the community's youth homeless response system.

• Highlight the importance of youth leadership: Demonstrate effective models of strong leadership and agency by youth with lived experience in the community. Create replicable best practices of youth leadership for other communities.

• Evaluate the coordinated community approach. Evaluate coordinated community approaches to preventing and ending youth homelessness, including local and state partnerships across sectors and other coordinated operational planning;

• Expand capacity. Expand community capacity to serve youth experiencing homelessness (particularly by using a Housing First approach), pilot new models of assistance, and determine what array of interventions is necessary to serve the target population in their community;

• Evaluate performance measures. Evaluate the use of performance measurement strategies designed to better measure youth outcomes and the connection between youth program outcomes and youth performance measures on overall system performance for the Continuum of Care (CoC); and

• Establish a framework for Federal program and Technical Assistance (TA) provider collaboration. Determine the most effective way for Federal resources to interact within a state or local system to support a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness.

3. Changes from Previous NOFO

This NOFO reflects requirements similar to those in the FY 2022 YHDP NOFO; however, the following changes were made:

• Communities that have received an FY2016 or FY2017 YHDP community designation are eligible to apply for and receive an additional YHDP community designation under this NOFO. Communities that are applying for additional YHDP funds for geography included in a previous YHDP award are required to answer additional rating factor questions and must respond to alternative rating factor questions regarding current YHDP project outcomes. HUD will award a community designation to no more than four eligible previously awarded YHDP communities.

• The minimum number of youth required to be on a Youth Action Board is increased from three to four members.

• Additional Special YHDP Activities are identified in Appendix A.

• Appendix B is updated to reflect a new process for developing and submitting the

Coordinated Community Plan (CCP) for HUD approval, including a phased approach to CCP submission and approval, as well as the addition of a requirement to complete and submit a Continuous Quality Improvement Plan (CQI) after the first year of project operation.

4. Definitions

a. Standard Definitions

Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing (AFFH) means taking meaningful actions, in addition to combating discrimination to overcome patterns of segregation and foster inclusive communities free from barriers that restrict access to opportunity based on protected characteristics. Specifically, affirmatively furthering fair housing means taking meaningful actions that, taken together, address significant disparities in housing needs and in access to opportunities, replacing segregated living patterns with truly integrated and balanced living patterns, transforming racially and ethnically concentrated areas of poverty into areas of opportunity, and fostering and maintaining compliance with civil rights and fair housing laws.

The duty to affirmatively further fair housing extends to all program participant’s activities and programs relating to housing and urban development.

Assistance Listing number refers to the unique number assigned to each Federal assistance program publicly available in the Assistance Listing, which is managed and administered by the General Services Administration. The Assistance Listing number was formerly known as the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance (CFDA) number.

Authorized Organization Representative (AOR) is a person authorized to legally bind your organization and submit applications via Grants.gov. The AOR is authorized by the E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) in the System for Award Management (see E-Biz POC definition).

An AOR may include an Expanded AOR and/or a Standard AOR.

Expanded Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to perform the functions of a Standard AOR, initiate and submit applications on behalf of your organization, and is allowed to modify organization-level settings and certifications in Grants.gov.

Standard Authorized Organization Representative is a user in Grants.gov who is authorized by the E-Biz POC to initiate and submit applications in Grants.gov. A Grants.gov user with the Standard AOR role can only submit applications when they are a Participant for that workspace.

Consolidated Plan is the document submitted to HUD that serves as the comprehensive housing affordability strategy, community development plan, and submission for funding under any of the Community Planning and Development formula grant programs (e.g., CDBG, ESG, HOME, and HOPWA). This Plan is prepared in accordance with the process described in 24 CFR part 91.

This plan is completed by engaging in a participatory process to assess affordable housing and community development needs and market conditions, and to make data-driven, place-based investment decisions with funding from formula grant programs. (See 24 CFR part 91 for HUD’s requirements regarding the Consolidated Plan and related Action Plan).

Contract means, for the purpose of Federal financial assistance, a legal instrument by which a recipient or subrecipient purchases property or services needed to carry out the project or program under a Federal award. For additional information on contractor and subrecipient determinations, see 2 CFR 200.331.

Contractor means an entity that receives a contract as defined above and in 2 CFR 200.1.

Cooperative agreement has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

Deficiency, with respect to the making of an application for funding, is information missing or omitted within a submitted application. Examples of deficiencies include missing documents, https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-91 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR031321e29ac5bbd/section-200.331 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 missing or incomplete information on a form, or some other type of unsatisfied information requirement. Depending on specific criteria, a deficiency may be either Curable or Non-Curable.

A Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete application information that may be corrected by the applicant with timely action. To be curable, the deficiency must:

• Not be a threshold requirement, except for documentation of applicant eligibility;

• Not influence how an applicant is ranked or scored versus other applicants; and

• Be remedied within the time frame specified in the notice of deficiency.

A Non-Curable Deficiency is missing or incomplete application information that cannot be corrected by an applicant after the submission deadline. A non-curable deficiency is a deficiency that is a threshold requirement, or a deficiency that, if corrected, would change an applicant’s score or rank versus other applicants. If an application includes a non-curable deficiency, the application may receive an ineligible determination, or the non-curable deficiency may otherwise adversely affect the application’s score and final funding determination.

E-Business Point of Contact (E-Biz POC) is an individual associated with the applicant organization who is responsible for the administration and management of award activities for the applicant organization. The E-Biz POC is likely to be an organization's chief financial officer or authorizing official. The E-Biz POC authorizes representatives of their organization to apply on behalf of the organization (see Authorized Organization Representative definition). There can only be one E-Biz POC per unique entity identifier (see definition of Unique Entity Identifier below).

Eligibility requirements are mandatory requirements for an application to be eligible for funding.

Environmental Justice means investing in environmental improvements, remedying past environmental inequities, and otherwise developing, implementing, and enforcing environmental laws and policies in a manner that advances equity and provides meaningful involvement for people and communities that have been environmentally underserved or overburdened, such as Black and Brown communities, indigenous groups, and individuals with disabilities. This definition does not alter the requirements under HUD’s regulations at 24 CFR 58.5(j) and 24 CFR 50.4(l) implementing Executive Order 12898. E.O. 12898 requires a consideration of how Federally assisted projects may have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority and/or low-income populations. For additional information on environmental review compliance, refer to:

https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations.

Equity has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(a) of Executive Order 13985 and means the consistent and systematic fair, just, and impartial treatment of all individuals, including individuals who belong to underserved communities that have been denied such treatment, such as Black, Latino, and Indigenous and Native American persons, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders and other persons of color; members of religious minorities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) persons; persons with disabilities; persons who live in rural areas; and persons otherwise adversely affected by persistent poverty or inequality.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-58/subpart-A/section-58.5 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-24/subtitle-A/part-50/subpart-A/section-50.4 https://www.archives.gov/files/federal-register/executive-orders/pdf/12898.pdf https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/comm_planning/environment_energy/regulations https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

Federal award, has the meaning, depending on the context, in either paragraphs (1) or (2) of this definition:

(1)

(a) The Federal financial assistance that a recipient receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass-through entity, as described in 2 CFR 200.101; or

(b) The cost-reimbursement contract under the Federal Acquisition Regulations that a non- Federal entity receives directly from a Federal awarding agency or indirectly from a pass- through entity, as described in 2 CFR 200.101.

(2) The instrument setting forth the terms and conditions. The instrument is the grant agreement, cooperative agreement, other agreement for assistance covered in paragraph (2) of the definitions of Federal financial assistance in 2 CFR 200.1, and this NOFO, or the cost-reimbursement contract awarded under the Federal Acquisition Regulations.

(3) Federal award does not include other contracts that a Federal agency uses to buy goods or services from a contractor or a contract to operate Federal Government owned, contractor operated facilities (GOCOs).

(4) See also definitions of Federal financial assistance, grant agreement, and cooperative agreement in 2 CFR 200.1.

Federal Financial Assistance has the same meaning defined at 2 CFR 200.1.

Grants.gov is the website serving as the Federal government’s central portal for searching and applying for Federal financial assistance throughout the Federal government. Registration on Grants.gov is required for submission of applications to prospective agencies unless otherwise specified in this NOFO.

Non-Federal Entity (NFE) means a state, local government, Indian tribe, Institution of Higher Education (IHE), or non-profit organization that carries out a Federal award as a recipient or subrecipient.

Primary Point of Contact (PPOC) is the person who may be contacted with questions about the application submitted by the AOR. The PPOC is listed in item 8F on the SF-424.

Racial Equity is the elimination of racial disparities and is achieved when race can no longer predict opportunities, distribution of resources, or outcomes – particularly for Black and Brown persons.

Recipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a Federal award directly from HUD. The term recipient does not include subrecipients or individuals that are beneficiaries of the award.

Small business is defined as a privately-owned corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship that has fewer employees and less annual revenue than regular-sized business. The definition of “small”—in terms of being able to apply for government support and qualify for preferential tax policy—varies by country and industry. The U.S. Small Business Administration defines a small business according to a set of standards based on specific industries. See 13 CFR part 121.

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/subtitle-A/chapter-II/part-200 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-13/chapter-I/part-121?toc=1

Subaward means an award provided by a pass-through entity to a subrecipient for the subrecipient to carry out part of a Federal award received by the pass-through entity. It does not include payments to a contractor or payments to an individual that is a beneficiary of a Federal program. A subaward may be provided through any form of legal agreement, including an agreement that the pass-through entity considers a contract.

Subrecipient means an entity, usually but not limited to non-Federal entities, that receives a subaward from a pass-through entity to carry out part of a Federal award but does not include an individual that is a beneficiary of such award. A subrecipient may also be a recipient of other Federal awards directly from a Federal awarding agency.

System for Award Management (SAM) is the Federal Repository into which an entity must provide information required for the conduct of business as a recipient. Registration with SAM is required for submission of applications via Grants.gov. You can access the website at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/. There is no cost to use SAM.

Threshold Requirements are eligibility requirements that must be met for an application to be reviewed, rated, and ranked. Threshold requirements are not curable, except for documentation of applicant eligibility, which are listed in Section III.D., Threshold Eligibility Requirements.

Similarly, there are eligibility requirements under Section III.E., Statutory and Regulatory Requirements Affecting Eligibility.

Underserved Communities has the meaning given to that term in Section 2(b) of Executive Order 13985 and refers to populations sharing a particular characteristic, as well as geographic communities, that have been systematically denied a full opportunity to participate in aspects of economic, social, and civic life, as exemplified by the list in the definition of “equity” above.

Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) means the identifier assigned by SAM to uniquely identify entities. As of April 4, 2022, the Federal government has transitioned from the use of the DUNS Number to the use of UEI, as the primary means of entity identification for Federal awards government-wide.

b. Program Definitions.

Collaborative Applicant - The eligible entity that has been designated by the CoC during the most recent CoC Program Registration Process to apply for a grant on behalf of the CoC, including those formed by Tribes and TDHEs. The Collaborative Applicant must be the "Applicant" for each community applying for participation in the demonstration. In cases where the CoC needed to change the Collaborative Applicant and that change was approved after this NOFO was published but before the deadline for submissions, that approved replacement Collaborative Applicant is the eligible applicant for community selection applications under this

NOFO.

Community - Self-organized network of people with common agenda, cause, or interest in Youth Homelessness, who collaborate by sharing ideas, information, and other resources and that is located within a geographic boundary of a single CoC. A community can include Tribal "formula areas,” as defined in the Indian Housing Block Grant program at 24 CFR 1000.302, which includes trust lands and reservations, as part of or the entirety of the community.

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2021/01/25/2021-01753/advancing-racial-equity-and-support-for-underserved-communities-through-the-federal-government

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)- An analytical process that involves routine measurement of project and system outcomes to promote evidence-based decision making and improvements.

Continuum of Care (CoC) - The group organized to carry out the responsibilities required under 24 CFR Part 578 and that is composed of representatives of organizations, including non-profit homeless providers, victim service providers, faith-based organizations, governments, businesses, advocacy organizations, public housing agencies, school districts, social service providers, mental health agencies, hospitals, universities, affordable housing providers, law enforcement, organizations that serve veterans who are currently or have previously experienced homelessness, and organizations that serve persons who are currently or have previously experienced homelessness; to the extent these groups are represented within the geographic area and are available to participate.

Coordinated Entry- A centralized or coordinated process designed to coordinate program participant intake assessment and provision of referrals. A centralized or coordinated assessment system covers the geographic area, is easily accessed by individuals and families seeking housing or services, is well advertised, and includes a comprehensive and standardized assessment tool. Also referred to as centralized or coordinated assessment system.

Eligible previously awarded YHDP community: A community that includes geographic area that was included in an application that received a YHDP community designation in the FY2016 or FY2017 YHDP competition.

Formula Area- This term has the same meaning as in the IHBG Program at 24 CFR 1000.302, as may be amended from time to time.

Funding utilization- The amount of funding drawn by an organization over the life of a grant that has expired, and for which the recipient can no longer draw funds, divided by the amount of funding awarded to the project.

Housing First - A model of housing assistance that prioritizes rapid placement and stability in permanent housing in which admission does not have preconditions (such as sobriety or a minimum income threshold) and in which housing assistance is not conditioned upon participation in services.

Project Applicant - An eligible applicant, as outlined in Section III.A of this NOFO, that is designated by the Collaborative Applicant or its designee to apply for assistance under the

YHDP.

Public Child Welfare Agency - The governmental entity that has care, custody and responsibility for children in foster care and is responsible for the provision of services and support to youth who have left foster care after age 18 to age 21.

Reservation- For purposes of this NOFO, reservations are a type of formula area as specifically delineated under HUD’s IHBG program at 24 CFR 1000.302.

Rural - A geographic area consisting of a county or group of counties, trust land(s), or reservation(s) designated by the applicant in which:

• more people reside in rural areas than either suburban or urban areas, based on data from the Census Bureau. Applicants qualifying under this element of the rural definition must designate the entire CoC's geographic area as the geographic area of the community in IV.B.1 of this NOFO; or

• the population across the designated counties included in the geographic area, which does not encompass the entire CoC, has more people residing in rural areas than either suburban or urban areas, based on data from the Census Bureau; or

• the designated geographical area is located in a state that has a population density of less than 30 persons per square mile (as reported in the most recent decennial census), and at least 1.25 percent of the total acreage of such State is under Federal jurisdiction, provided that no metropolitan city in such State is the sole beneficiary of the grant amounts awarded under this NOFO.

Tribal Resolution – For purposes of this Notice, this term has the same meaning as in 24 CFR 1003.4: “…the formal manner in which the tribal government expresses its legislative will in accordance with its organic documents. In the absence of such organic documents, a written expression adopted pursuant to tribal practices will be acceptable.

Trust Land - For purposes of this NOFO, trust lands are a type of formula area as delineated under HUD’s IHBG program at 24 CFR 1000.302

Unified Funding Agency (UFA) - an eligible applicant selected by the CoC to apply for a grant for the entire Continuum, which has the capacity to carry out the duties in 24 CFR 578.11(b), which is approved by HUD and to which HUD awards a grant.

Youth - a person who is age 24 or younger

• Unaccompanied Youth - persons who are age 24 or younger, who is the only member of the household.

• Pregnant or Parenting Youth – Individual heads of households who are age 24 or younger who are pregnant or who are the parents or legal guardians of one or more children who are present with or sleeping in the same place as that youth parent.

• Transition Age Youth- persons between age 18 and 24.

Youth Action Board (YAB)- A group of at least 4 youth with voting power on policy decisions of the CoC, particularly on policies that relate to preventing and ending youth homelessness. At least two-thirds of the YAB members must be age 24 or younger and have lived experience of homelessness and should be representative of the youth population experiencing homelessness in the community. The YAB must be a formal committee within the CoC. Youth who are members of the YAB may also be members of a Youth Tribal Council, if one exists. Additionally, a tribe may create a subset of its Youth Tribal Council that specifically addresses the needs of youth experiencing and at-risk of homelessness to serve as the YAB or part of the YAB.

B. Authority The funds announced in this NOFO were provided and authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (Public Law 117-328, approved December 29, 2022).

II. AWARD INFORMATION

A. Available Funds Funding of approximately $72,000,000 is available through this NOFO.

Additional funds may become available for award under this NOFO consistent with VI.A.2.e., Adjustments to Funding. Use of these funds is subject to statutory constraints. All awards are subject to the funding restrictions contained in this NOFO.

B. Number of Awards HUD expects to make approximately 20 awards from the funds available under this NOFO.

A Collaborative Applicant may apply on behalf of more than one community; however, HUD will not select more than one community within a CoC's geographic area.

C. Minimum/Maximum Award Information For each community selected under this competition, HUD will make a minimum of $600,000 available for projects in the community. This total funding may be split among any number of projects in the community. For example, YHDP funding within a selected community may be used for one project or split among 10 projects.

HUD will use the following process to select communities and determine the total funding to be made available in each community under this NOFO.

HUD will rank community applications in order of responses to the rating factors outlined in Section V.A.1 of this NOFO. If two or more communities receive the same score, HUD will rank the applications according to the score on Youth Collaboration Rating Factor.

HUD will use a formula, outlined below, to determine each selected community's maximum total funding in order to scale awards to estimated community need. The formula uses the following factors:

• Youth in Poverty: Number of people age 12-24 who are in poverty in the geographic area (# of youth in poverty, using data from the American Community Survey);

• FMR: The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent (FMR) in the geographic area, and if there is more than one FMR for the geographic area, HUD will calculate a population weighted average (FMR).

HUD will select 14 community applications, up to four of which may be from an eligible previously awarded YHDP community. These applications will be the highest scoring community applications unless 1)HUD has already selected 4 higher scoring applications from an eligible previously awarded YHDP community and will not select any additional applications from eligible previously awarded YHDP community or 2) HUD exercises its right to select lower scoring community selection applications as provided in Section III.F.a and V.B. HUD will then apply the formula with these first 14 communities and then select further communities, none of which may be from an eligible previously awarded YHDP community, and rerun the formula for all selected communities as explained below.

1. For each selected community HUD will establish a formula factor:

a. For all eligible previously selected communities, the formula factor is Youth in

Poverty multiplied by the FMR for the geographic area listed in the community application and divided by two.

b. For all other communities, the formula factor is Youth in Poverty multiplied by the FMR for the geographic area listed in the community application.

2. For each selected community, HUD will divide the community’s formula factor by the sum of the formula factors for all communities selected. This is called the community ratio.

3. HUD will allocate an initial formula amount of $600,000 to each selected community.

4. For each selected community, HUD will multiply its community ratio by the total YHDP funding remaining after step 3, then add the resulting amount to the community’s initial formula amount in step 3 to come up with the community’s new formula amount.

5. HUD will calculate the ratio of the formula amount for each selected community to the sum of formula factor (see step 1) for all selected communities.

If, after the formula is applied to the initial 14 community applications, no ratio calculated in step 5 is less than 0.12, then HUD will select the next highest-scoring community from the eligible applicant pool ((unless HUD exercises its right to select a lower scoring community selection application as provided in Sections III.F.a and V.B) and repeat steps 1 through 5 for all selected communities. HUD will repeat this process (selecting the next highest-scoring community or lower scoring community as provided in Sections III.F.a and V.B., and redoing steps 1 through 5 for all selected communities), until any ratio calculated in step 5 is less than 0.12 or 25 communities are selected and receive formula amounts. Once a selected community falls below a ratio of .12 or 25 communities are selected and receive formula amounts, HUD will stop selecting communities. The purpose of this step is to ensure that each selected community receives enough funding to have a substantial impact. It does this by setting a minimum level of funding, adjusted for the size of selected communities and level of need.

Estimated Total Funding:

$72,000,000 Minimum Award Amount:

$600,000 Per Project Period

Maximum Award Amount:

$15,000,000 Per Project Period

D. Period of Performance Immediately following the community selection announcement, HUD will make three percent of the total available funding for projects in each community available to the Collaborative Applicant or its designee for planning activities. Collaborative Applicants in communities selected under this NOFO can enter into a grant agreement with HUD immediately and may use the funding for eligible activities under 24 CFR 578.39(b) and (c ) as may be amended from time to time, but Grant funds may only be used for costs of planning related to preventing and ending youth homelessness in the Community ("the initial planning grant"). If the initial planning grant is accepted, Collaborative Applicants or their designee may apply for up to an additional seven percent of their community's total available funding for planning activities as outlined in Appendix A.

Project Applicants within selected communities may apply for projects designed to implement the CCP to prevent and end youth homelessness immediately following the approval of the first draft of the CCP and up until 11:59:59 PM EDT, July 1, 2025, or until the community ceases to participate or the available funds have been depleted (whichever is earlier). The FY 2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act requires HUD to obligate YHDP funds by September 30, 2025.

The period of performance and budget period for each award will be determined as provided below. HUD may amend the grant agreement to extend this period of performance and/or budget period. However, in no case will HUD authorize expenditures or drawdown of funds beyond the date HUD's FY 2023 YHDP account must be closed under applicable law or for administrative purposes (approximately September 20, 2030). Project Applicants must plan accordingly and only submit applications that can start operations in a timely manner with sufficient time to complete the post award process and the awarded grant term.

Projects will be for an initial 2-year grant term; however, HUD will allow projects to request a longer initial grant term not to exceed 30 months. HUD has determined that most projects normally take approximately 3 to 6 months to begin fully operating a project (e.g., hiring staff, developing partnerships with landowners if leasing or renting). Therefore, a project may request up to a 30-month grant term that will allow for the additional start-up process. HUD may extend the grant term of a YHDP project consistent with 2 CFR 200.308 and 2 CFR 200.309.

Collaborative applicants within selected communities may apply for more than one planning project over the course of the YHDP. All projects except planning projects may be eligible for 1-year renewal terms after the initial grant term expires beginning with the next CoC Program Competition as further explained in Section I.C.1 of Appendix A. If a community cannot successfully complete the development of a CCP or must otherwise withdraw from the demonstration, the funding HUD has made available but did not obligate to projects in that community will be made available to the other selected communities or other communities HUD selects as provided in Section II.C subject to HUD's right to select lower scoring community selection applications under Section III.F.a, provided that sufficient funds are available.

Estimated Project Start Date:

10/01/2024 Estimated Project End Date:

09/30/2027 Length of Project Periods:

24-month project period and budget period

Other

Length of Periods Explanation of Other:

HUD will award projects for an initial term of 24-30 months. All grants besides planning grants may be renewed for 1-year grant terms under the CoC Program as explained in Section I.C.1 of Appendix A.

E. Type of Funding Instrument

Funding Instrument Type:

G (Grant)

III. ELIGIBILITY INFORMATION

A. Eligible Applicants 00 (State governments)

01 (County governments)

02 (City or township governments)

04 (Special district governments)

25 (Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification))

Additional Information on Eligibility

(25) Other

Indian Tribes and tribally designated housing entities as defined in Section 4 of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (25 U.S.C. 4103)

Nonprofits, as demonstrated by criteria at 24 CFR 5.109(l)(1) through 24 CFR 5.109(l)(5).

Community Selection application:

Available to Collaborative Applicants designated by CoCs registered through the most recent CoC Program Registration process. The Collaborative Applicant can apply for any community located within its CoC’s geographic area. The Collaborative Applicant can also apply for multiple communities located within its CoC’s geographic area; however, HUD will not select more than one community within a CoC's geographic area.

Project application:

Project Applicants that are designated during the application process by the Collaborative Applicant or its designee are eligible to apply for grant funds. The Collaborative Applicant may apply for projects under this Demonstration as well. The Collaborative Applicants that are not Unified Funding Agencies (UFAs) may also designate an eligible applicant to be the recipient of the planning grant. UFAs must apply for and be recipient of all grants for their community. For-profit entities are not eligible to apply for grants or to be subrecipients of grant funds.

For a dedicated HMIS grant, the project application must either be from the UFA (when there is a UFA for the community) or the HMIS Lead (when there is no UFA for the community) that will be the grant recipient.

To be considered for funding, Project Applicants must provide completed information required by HUD, outlined in Appendix A of this NOFO

Eligible Program Participants.

Funds awarded under the YHDP must only be used to serve:

a. Youth, as defined in I.A.4, who initially qualify as homeless under paragraph (1) or (2) of the homeless definition in 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, or;

b. Youth who initially qualify to be served as stated in I.C.5 of Appendix A.

Notwithstanding the above, youth-serving providers (defined in I.C.6 of Appendix A) funded under this NOFO may serve unaccompanied youth (defined in I.A.4) who are living in unsafe situations or families headed by youth who are living in unsafe situations (defined in I.C.6 of Appendix A).

As explained in I.C.6 of Appendix A, youth aged 24 and under must not be required to provide third-party documentation that they meet the homeless definition in 24 CFR 578.3 or section 103(b) of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act as a condition for receiving services funded under the YHDP NOFO.

This part of the NOFO is for community selection only. Applications for funding individual projects will occur after communities have been selected. Requirements for applying for projects are detailed in Appendix A.

See Section IV of this NOFO for community selection application submission requirements.

Faith-based organizations

(1) Faith-based organizations may apply for this award on the same basis as any other organization, as set forth at 24 CFR part 5.109, and subject to the protections and requirements of 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., HUD will not, in the selection of recipients, discriminate against an organization based on the organization’s religious character, affiliation, or exercise.

(2) A faith-based organization that participates in this program will retain its independence and may continue to carry out its mission consistent with religious freedom and conscience protections in Federal law, including the Free Speech and Free Exercise Clauses of the Constitution, 42 U.S.C. § 2000bb et seq., 42 U.S.C. § 238n, 42 U.S.C. § 18113, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000e-1(a) and 2000e-2€, 42 U.S.C. § 12113(d), and the Weldon Amendment, among others.

Religious accommodations may also be sought under many of these religious freedom and conscience protection laws,…