CoC Program Special NOFO Digest: Addressing Equity
On June 22, 2022, the Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Supplemental Funding Opportunity to Address Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness (Special Notification of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)) was announced. This is a first-of-its-kind opportunity to address unsheltered homelessness and homeless encampments, and it includes funds set aside to address homelessness in rural communities.
Applications for the Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness NOFO must be submitted no later than October 20, 2022, at 8:00 PM EDT.
To support communities in developing their plans to address rural and unsheltered homelessness; existing Technical Assistance (TA) and other resources through a series of listserv messages.
View all CoC Program Special NOFO Digests
Addressing Equity
Two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, the focus on promoting equity and inclusion through programs to prevent and end homelessness remains the same. Black, Indigenous, and all people of color as well as individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+ and individuals with disabilities are substantially overrepresented in the homeless population across the country. These efforts are aligned with the Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities through the Federal Government. As stated in the Executive Order, “because advancing equity requires a systematic approach to embedding fairness in decision-making processes, executive departments and agencies (agencies) must recognize and work to redress inequities in their policies and programs that serve as barriers to equal opportunity.”
CoCs are encouraged to pursue a vision and mission that explicitly embeds equity in the operation of the homelessness system. Understanding the disparities in outcomes of individuals and families that go through the homelessness system should inform changes in policies, assessment tools and process, and prioritization practices to create more equitable outcomes.
Resource List
The following resources provide further guidance for addressing racism and disparities in the homelessness response system with the goal of ending homelessness:
- Disease Risks and Homelessness
- Racial Equity
- Rehousing Activation and Racial Equity (Part 1): Equity as a Foundation
- Data and Equity: Using the Data You Have
- Advancing Racial Equity through Coordinated Entry (CE) Assessment and Prioritization
- Equity Driven Changes to Coordinated Entry Prioritization
- Prevention to Promote Equity
- Increasing Equity through Procurement
- Racial Equity Tool
- Stella P
For additional resources, visit the CoC Program Unsheltered and Rural Homelessness NOFO page on the HUD Exchange.
Questions?
For questions about the Special NOFO, please email SpecialCoCNOFO@hud.gov.
SNAPS Mailing List Subscription
Stay up to date on HUD’s SNAPS news and updates for grantees and interested stakeholders:
- Sign up for SNAPS Competition Information through HUD.gov
- Sign up for SNAPS Program Information through HUD.gov
- Sign up for SNAPS Technical Assistance Information through the HUD Exchange