Housing Forward

Housing Forward, a Dallas-based tax-exempt nonprofit established in 2008, receives federal grant funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide comprehensive homeless assistance and housing services in the Dallas metropolitan area, operating as a prime recipient under two primary HUD grant programs.

Housing Forward's federal footprint is entirely concentrated with HUD's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development, which accounts for 95 percent of recent awards (55 of 58 total grants). The organization acts as a prime recipient on all major awards and does not pursue federal contracts or contract vehicles; its federal work is grant-funded only. HUD has supported Housing Forward continuously since at least 2021, with recent annual award counts rising from three in 2022 to ten in 2025, indicating sustained and growing demand for the organization's services in the Dallas Continuum of Care (CoC).

Housing Forward delivers services under two primary federal grant programs. The Continuum of Care (CoC) Program (CFDA 14.267) funds permanent supportive housing for persons with disabilities, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, supportive services, and Homeless Management Information Systems (HMIS) operations. Recent CoC awards include a $7.74 million grant (award date October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026) supporting comprehensive homeless assistance operations; a $1.393 million award (October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026); and multiple smaller project grants ranging from $351 thousand to $838 thousand covering fiscal year 2025 and 2026 periods. The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) (CFDA 14.276) targets youth experiencing homelessness, including unaccompanied and pregnant or parenting youth ages 24 and younger, funding acquisition and rehabilitation of real property, rental assistance, supportive services, HMIS implementation, and operating costs of supportive housing. Housing Forward holds multiple active YHDP awards including a $4.405 million grant (January 1, 2025, through April 30, 2027), a $2.307 million award (February 1, 2025, through May 31, 2027), and a $1.243 million grant (March 1, 2025, through June 30, 2027).

Over the past five years, Housing Forward has received $64.1 million in combined federal grant funding across 58 awards. Twelve awards carry ultimate completion dates within the next twenty-four months and therefore face annual recompete cycles typical of HUD grant programs. The organization's capability portfolio centers on rapid rehousing, case management, property acquisition and rehabilitation, rental assistance, HMIS coordination, and supportive services delivery to homeless and housing-insecure populations in the Dallas region. As an established community-based provider with demonstrated capacity to implement HUD-funded initiatives, Housing Forward competes for and receives recurring funding under competitive HUD grant mechanisms rather than through federal contracts or standing vehicles such as GWACs or BPAs.