2018 CoC Progam Competition

Each year the Cambridge Continuum of Care (CoC) applies for funds for homeless services from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). This annual grant competition brings about $4 million to the City’s continuum of housing and services. HUD has posted the 2018 CoC Program Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), and the CoC is preparing to submit applications for the annual competition, which closes on September 18, 2018.

Details, timeline and project review & ranking procedures for the local competition will be posted next week, and we anticipate that local renewal applications and bonus project proposals will be due in early August. We will send notification by email and post on the CoC’s website when the local competition details are available.

Please review the NOFA and think about ideas for new project proposals, as there is funding available for Bonus projects, Domestic Violence Bonus projects, and expansion projects. The CoC welcomes and encourages proposals from all interested organizations, including those that have not previously received CoC Program funding.

Bonus Funds:
We are awaiting final numbers from HUD, but the Cambridge CoC anticipates that about $250,000 will be available for new projects through the bonus and reallocation process. New projects created through the bonus or reallocation process may be for any of the following components: Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH), Rapid Rehousing (RRH), Joint Transitional Housing (TH) and RRH, HMIS and Coordinated Entry.

Domestic Violence Bonus Funds:
New in 2018, HUD is making up to $50 million available for DV Bonus projects, which will provide housing and services to survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. The Cambridge CoC estimates that we will be eligible to apply for about $185,000 through the DV Bonus. The CoC may apply for one of each of the following types of projects: RRH, Joint TH-RRH, and Coordinated Entry.

You can access the full NOFA document and HUD’s resources for the competition here, and read a summary of “What’s New, Changes and Highlights.”

UPCOMING MEETING
The next CoC meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, July 17 from 10:30-12:00, and will be focused on the 2018 CoC Program competition.