The Grand Rapids Area Coalition to End Homelessness, also known as the Grand Rapids/Wyoming/Kent County Continuum of Care, seeks statements of qualifications from interested entities to coordinate and lead the local effort to end youth homelessness in collaboration with the Coalition and other stakeholders. The selected organization will be identified as the lead agency on the Coalition’s application to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program (YHDP) funding opportunity.

View the RFQ for more information.

Application and Submission

Agencies intending to apply must submit an email to cmyers-keaton@hwmuw.org by noon on Monday, June 14, 2021 to notify of intent. RFQ responses shall be sent as high importance to cmyers-keaton@hwmuw.org by noon, Wednesday, June 16, 2021 with subject line, “YHDP Lead Agency Proposal.”

Responses must include the following information:

1. Organization Name
2. Describe organizational structure and financial resource/staff capacity to support the development of a Coordinated Community Plan to prevent and end youth homelessness as outlined in the YHDP NOFO. Provide the name and title of the person that will serve as the main point of contact if selected as lead agency.
3. Describe the organization’s financial capacity to support a planning grant, including the ability to provide matching funds of 25%, as required by HUD, if the lead agency applies for planning grant dollars.
4. Describe the organization’s plan, ability, and experience to build collaboration among partners and facilitate community-wide conversations regarding youth homelessness.
5. Describe the organization’s experience with and ability to support/achieve the HUD principles outlined above that are to be incorporated in the Coordinated Community Plan. Include reference to all principles.
6. Provide the organization’s history of involvement with the CoC’s Youth Committee and Youth Action Board. If there has been little or no previous involvement, describe ability to become involved and actively engaged in those spaces
7. Describe how the organization will partner with the CoC and its Youth Action Board and Youth Committee to prepare and submit both the application to the NOFO and the Coordinated Community Plan, if selected as a YHDP recipient. Refer to the CoC’s Governance Charter for additional information.  
8. Describe the organization’s experience with and approach to conflict resolution and ability to navigate and/or facilitate potentially difficult conversations among partner agencies.
9. Describe experience with youth homelessness in the community.

Questions

Contact Courtney Myers-Keaton at cmyers-keaton@hwmuw.org. Please note questions received after 5 p.m. on Tuesday, June 15, 2021 may not receive a response prior to the submission deadline.