Funding Administration
Under the 2009 Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act (HEARTH) Act, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development strongly encourages communities of homeless service providers, agencies, and advocates, known as regional Continuums of Care, to work more collaboratively to increase effectiveness, maximize resources, and eliminate duplication of work when possible. The creation of Partners Ending Homelessness was motivated by the desire to have one coordinated effort with one voice in Guilford County to address the issue of housing and homelessness. Therefore, Partners Ending Homelessness is responsible for fostering relationships between the Non Profit Sector, Business Community, Faith Community, Government Entities, Philanthropic Sector, Community Advocates, and those who are experiencing or have experienced homelessness.
As an organization, Partners Ending Homelessness works to:
- Consolidate efforts to increase resources for ending homelessness in Guilford County;
- Effectively leverage funds;
- Create an objective and fair process to distribute funds;
- Avoid duplication of efforts and foster interagency collaboration in the securing of grants and other resources; and
- Ensure that all areas of needs are being addressed.
To ensure that the aforementioned objectives are met, Partners Ending Homelessness:
- Oversees annually the competitive process for Federal Homeless Assistance Grants and any other funding whose guidelines request a public/private partnership or delegate this process to Partners Ending Homelessness
- Increases resources for affordable housing, permanent housing, prevention and supportive services through creating jointly funded initiatives
- Establishes policies, principles and priorities in order to stabilize and enhance homeless service delivery
- Reviews the progress and impact of the priorities and strategies of Guilford County's Ten Year Plan to End Chronic Homelessness and the Continuum of Care plan
Fund Sources
Annual Continuum of Care (CoC) Grant Administration: Partners Ending Homelessness currently secures and administers funding for the largest single source of funding for Guilford County's homeless service delivery system through HUD McKinney-Vento funds. HUD issues an annual "SuperNOFA" (Notice of Funds Availability) to solicit competitive applications from localities nationwide. In response, Partners Ending Homelessness compiles and submits a lengthy application to HUD, totaling 201 pages in 2011.
In 2010, HUD funding for Guilford County totaled more than $1.5 million and supported 14 programs across the County. Other Continuum of Care grant duties include monitoring awarded grants, conducting an annual Point in Time Count and Housing Inventory, and providing annual performance reports to HUD.
Other Fund Sources: Partners Ending Homelessness makes direct funding decisions for other funding sources whose guidelines request a public/private partnership, require the support or endorsement of the local Continuum of Care or Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness or delegate this process to Partners Ending Homelessness.
