Organizations work together in coordinated response for grant funding and homeless solutions efforts

Boulder, Colo. – Multiple jurisdictions within Homeless Solutions for Boulder County (HSBC), along with nonprofit partners, were awarded a total of $6.5M from the state’s Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program to provide responses to homelessness. In a coordinated approach in applying for funding, Boulder County Community Services, Boulder County Housing and Human Services, City of Boulder Housing and Human Services, Boulder Shelter for the Homeless, and Mental Health Partners worked together in partnership to apply for grant funding for different priority areas and programs to address homelessness in the county.

The grant funding is from House Bill 22-1377 from the 2022 Colorado legislative session that allocated American Rescue Plan Act federal dollars to homelessness response. The bill intends to connect Coloradans experiencing homelessness with services, recovery care, and housing supports administered by the division of housing in the department of local affairs. The state’s grant program provides funds to local governments and nonprofit organizations to enable entities to make investments and improvements in communities of Colorado to address and respond to the needs of people experiencing homelessness.

In the state’s $33M of grant funding allocated towards homelessness in this funding cycle, Homeless Solutions for Boulder County and nonprofit organizations in Boulder County received 20% of the state’s grant program in the first round of available funds. Partner organizations worked diligently to ensure applications (although individually submitted) were coordinated, which eliminated duplication of the highly competitive grant funds. On average, organizations were awarded more than 50% of the funding amount requested in grant money. Out of 31 total applications from around the state, six Boulder County agencies received the following amounts:

“Homeless Solutions for Boulder County is a system made up of Boulder County, municipal governments, and nonprofit organizations that support ending homelessness. In a concentrated effort and partnership between the county’s nonprofit organizations and Boulder County Community Services, we are extremely proud to have organized a coordinated effort in applying for not only grant funding, but of our plan in implementing additional service supports where they are needed,” said Robin Bohannan, HSBC Executive Board Chair and Director of Boulder County Community Services.

Homeless Solutions for Boulder County and partners has prioritized below the following homelessness services and response with the awarded funds for each government agency or organization.

Boulder County Community Services: Hiring of full-time staff members for HSBC systems work to increase capacity, Bridge Housing and outreach staff support in mountain communities.

Boulder County Housing and Human Services: Creation of two new programs to address family homelessness and housing instability, including utilizing funds towards the Family Bridge Housing program (a county-wide collaboration with community partners who also provide homeless resources and will focus on emergency housing, food, and transportation resources while families experiencing homelessness secure housing through permanent solutions) and the Housing Helpline that provides tenant and landlord information, outreach, and housing navigation.

Boulder Shelter for Homeless: Hiring of full-time and part-time staff members to support innovative housing-focused case management, volunteer program and shelter operations, meal service and kitchen operations, IT/data in systems improvements, landlord relations and housing retention, and a dedicated vehicle for outreach.

City of Boulder Housing and Human Services: Creation of a respite center, a 24/7 facility for individuals experiencing homelessness to recuperate from medical challenges.

Mental Health Partners: Supportive services to unhoused adults experiencing mental health and/or substance use challenges, case management, street outreach, eviction and homelessness prevention, and a targeted systems improvement and evaluation.

HSBC partners Focus Reentry and HOPE for Longmont also submitted grant applications in response to the Notice of Funding Opportunity – Transformational Homelessness Response Grant Program. Both organizations worked in partnership with HSBC and are awaiting to hear about award funding in the second round of the grant program. If awarded, these funds will be in addition to the $6.5M awarded to Boulder County agencies. To learn more about Homeless Solutions for Boulder County services, visit www.bouldercounty.gov/departments/community-services/homeless/homeless-services/. For information about awarded funding, please email Homeless-Solutions@bouldercounty.org.