King County has released a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Homelessness Prevention Services under the Youth and Family Homelessness Prevention Initiative (YFHPI), the first program that will be implemented through Best Starts for Kids. Information on the RFP is available for agencies at the County’s procurement website.
Want to learn more? The County will host five bidder’s workshops the week of August 15-19 at several locations. Interested applicants are encouraged to attend one of these workshops. Additional information is available by contacting Vicki Nakamichi at (206) 263-9299.
Best Starts for Kids includes $19 million to prevent and divert children and youth and their families from becoming homeless. The One Night Count data found that 28 percent of the homeless population is families with children (approximately 2,800 people).
The prevention approach: Our prevention initiative will utilize individualized case management and flexible funding to help prevent homelessness among youth and young adults and families with children. This approach is designed after a very successful Domestic Violence Housing First pilot program funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Providing technical assistance: King County recently awarded the first YFHPI contract to the Nonprofit Assistance Center (NAC). The NAC will provide technical assistance to small community-based organizations as they apply for this funding. King County wants to work with these smaller organizations to increase their capacity to serve their community, and is reflecting this by providing technical assistance to ensure they have the capacity to submit competitive funding applications.
We will continue to keep you informed via the blog and or website.