Youth & Shelter Services Inc.

Youth & Shelter Services Inc., a tax-exempt nonprofit organization based in Ames, Iowa, operates as a federal grant recipient delivering emergency shelter, transitional housing, supportive services, and crisis intervention to runaway and homeless youth under 22 across Iowa. The organization does not hold federal contracts; all 79% of its prime federal award footprint (55 of 70 total awards) derives from federal grants under homelessness and youth services programs.

The organization's customer base is concentrated among two federal grant-making agencies that account for 94% of awards. The Department of Housing and Urban Development's Assistant Secretary for Community Planning and Development funds 42 awards across the Continuum of Care (CFDA 14.267) and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (CFDA 14.276), representing the bulk of HUD's partnership with the organization. The Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families funds 22 awards combined across the Basic Center Program (CFDA 93.623), Transitional Living for Homeless Youth (CFDA 93.550), and Street Outreach Program (CFDA 93.740), with the remaining small allocation split between the Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Department of Justice's Office of Justice Programs Victims of Crime.

Recent prime grant activity includes a $1.79 million Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program award from HUD effective April 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028, funding a coordinated community approach to preventing and ending youth homelessness in the Ames area and including acquisition and rehabilitation of housing facilities, rental assistance, supportive services, and HMIS implementation. The organization also received a $215,408 Continuum of Care Program award from HUD effective January 1, 2026, for permanent supportive housing, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, and supportive services; a $350,000 Basic Center Program award from HHS/ACYF effective September 30, 2025, providing up to 21 days of emergency shelter and counseling to runaway and homeless youth under 18; and a $350,000 Transitional Living award from HHS/ACYF effective September 30, 2025, for its Maternity Group Home serving pregnant and parenting youth ages 16 to under 22 for up to 18 months. The organization also holds a continuing Transitional Living for Homeless Youth grant running through September 29, 2029, supporting the Mid-Iowa Homeless Youth Transitional Living Network.

Activity grew from two awards in 2022 to ten awards in 2025, with only three awards completing in the next twenty-four months. Youth & Shelter Services Inc. also operates as a sub-recipient under the City of Des Moines (prime grantee) across multiple grant awards, delivering rapid rehousing units, mental health services, and transitional housing for homeless youth ages 16–24, with recent sub-awards spanning January 2025 through January 2026. The organization's portfolio emphasizes direct service delivery: emergency and transitional shelter, case management, substance abuse counseling, mental health treatment, job training, parenting skills education for pregnant and parenting youth, and crisis intervention to prevent youth entry into law enforcement, child welfare, or juvenile justice systems.