Cedars Youth Services, Inc.

Cedars Youth Services, Inc., a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Lincoln, Nebraska, operates as a federal grant recipient focused on youth homelessness prevention and supportive services, with 72% of recent awards as prime recipient and 28% as sub-recipient of federal grants. The organization does not hold federal contracts or government-wide contract vehicles; its footprint is entirely grant-funded through HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Cedars Youth Services' capability portfolio centers on emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, street outreach, and case management services targeted at runaway and homeless youth under age 24. The organization operates multiple federal grant programs concurrently. As a prime recipient under HUD's Continuum of Care (CoC) Program (CFDA 14.267), Cedars received awards of $128,173 (obligated February 1, 2026, completing January 31, 2027) and $120,477 (obligated October 1, 2025, completing September 30, 2026) to establish and operate housing and supportive services projects including permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, supportive services only, and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS). Under the Administration on Children Youth and Families (ACF), Cedars holds three active project grants: a Basic Center Program award (obligated September 30, 2023, completing September 29, 2026) providing emergency shelter and counseling for youth under 18; a Street Outreach Program award (obligated September 30, 2023, completing September 29, 2026) targeting street-based crisis intervention and basic needs for youth under 22 at risk of sexual exploitation and human trafficking; and a Transitional Living Program award (obligated September 30, 2022, completing September 29, 2025). Cedars also holds a three-year cooperative agreement from ACF for the Primary Prevention Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (PPYHDP) (obligated September 30, 2024, completing September 29, 2027) and a Maternity Group Home Program award (obligated September 30, 2022, completing September 29, 2025) supporting pregnant and parenting youth under 20.

Customer concentration is heavily weighted to HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, which accounts for 33 of the 69 total awards in the source data. The Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families provides 24 awards across multiple sub-programs. The Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service rounds out the top customers with 9 awards. In its sub-recipient role, Cedars receives pass-through grants from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, the Nebraska Department of Education, and the Family Service Association of Lincoln. Recent sub-awards include collaborative agreements with the Family Service Association of Lincoln for the Lincoln Continuum of Care Youth Homeless Demonstration Project (YHDP), delivering rental assistance, transitional housing, and coaching support services for youth ages 18 to 24 (awarded October 1, 2025), and with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services supporting pregnant and parenting teens (most recent sub-award June 9, 2026).

Activity has been episodic in recent years — seven awards in 2022, four in 2023, nine in 2024, and twelve in 2025 — reflecting the rolling nature of federal grant cycles. Five awards reach ultimate completion inside the next twenty-four months, representing recompete opportunity. The organization has maintained federal grant relationships continuously since at least 2003, with the combined dollars obligated across all federal awards totaling $19.2 million across the visible award footprint.