Competitive Grant for Medical Respite Facility

Wake County, North Carolina is requesting proposals for a competitive grant to fund capital investments for a medical respite facility serving individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness, with proposals due October 8, 2026 by 3:00 PM via the Wake County Bonfire Portal and questions due September 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM.

Eligible applicants are for-profit or nonprofit organizations operating individually or as joint ventures. The lead entity must be the property owner and developer, financially responsible for any debts secured by the property, and must establish partnerships with nonprofit agencies to provide comprehensive on-site or accessible supportive services. Applicants must demonstrate compliance with Bridge to Home program principles, participate in the Wake County Continuum of Care, maintain HMIS participation with licensed direct service staff, and align with National Health Care for the Homeless Council best practices.

The scope requires a minimum of 20 medical respite units offering short-term residential care including meals, personal care, wellness services, wound care, medication management, and medical appointment transportation. The facility must be operational and providing services by January 2028.

Wake County will award a one-time, non-renewable grant of $500,000 on a reimbursement basis to fund eligible capital investments including property acquisition, design, renovation, or construction. Applicants may utilize up to 50 percent of grant funding to establish an operating reserve over a 10-year compliance period. Competitive proposals must demonstrate financial feasibility through detailed source and use spreadsheets, leverage alternative funding sources for capital and operating needs, and show capacity to cover potential cost overruns.

Proposers must carry Workers' Compensation (statutory with $500,000 Employers Liability limits), Commercial General Liability ($1 million per occurrence / $2 million aggregate), Commercial Automobile Liability ($1 million per accident), and Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions ($1 million per claim / $2 million aggregate) if applicable. Proposals must remain valid for a minimum of 90 days from the due date. Addenda will be issued by September 21, 2026. Evaluation and scoring occur October through November 2026, with recommendations to the Board of Commissioners in November or December 2026.