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The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) at the Department of Human Services (DHS) has two Requests for Proposals open for funding to support the work to prevent and end homelessness.
- The Homelessness Assistance Grants Request for Proposals (RFP) by the Office of Economic Opportunity at DHS is now published. This RFP includes the Emergency Services Program (ESP), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), Homeless Youth Act (HYA), Transitional Housing Program (THP). Applicants can apply to provide Outreach, Drop-in Center/Day Shelter, Shelter, Scattered-Site Transitional Housing & Rapid Re-Housing, Site-Based Transitional Housing, and/or Permanent Supportive Housing services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness in the state of Minnesota. View the RFP document to see the broad range of activities these funds can support. Responders can request funding for more than one activity and/or program. The term of any resulting contract is anticipated to be for two (2) years, from July 1, 2023 until June 30, 2025. Proposals are due Thursday, April 13, 2023 by 4:00 p.m. Find the full RFP at: Grants and RFPs / Minnesota Department of Human Services (mn.gov). Questions on this RFP can be sent to Andrea.simonett@state.mn.us.
- The Safe Harbor Shelter and Housing RFP administered by the Office of Economic Opportunity at DHS is now published. This request for proposals is to provide specialized outreach, emergency shelter, and supportive housing services to youth age 24 and younger experiencing sexual exploitation for the time period of July 1, 2023-June 30, 2025. The RFP can be found at the link below, on the DHS Grants and RFPs website. Proposals are due Thursday, March 30, 2023. Find the full RFP at: Grants and RFPs / Minnesota Department of Human Services (mn.gov). Questions on this RFP can be sent to chou@state.mn.us.
- Shelter-Linked Mental Health RFP – Coming soon
There are numerous proposals currently working their way through the legislative process at the state Capitol this session that could result in substantial increases to OEO managed housing and homeless grant programs. Important Note: These RFPs are the avenues to apply for all the funding sources including base funding AND any increases to OEO grant programs approved in this legislative session. Share this flyer and help spread the word about the RFPs and the message that now is the time to apply!
Given that there could be increased funding levels through the legislative session, DHS is encouraging current and potential new providers to think about submitting funding requests that can:
- Sustain Programming
- Expand Program Capacity (e.g., increase number of available units, increase number of households served, etc…)
- Enhance Program Services (e.g., add housing navigator or mental health supports, increase staffing level, etc…)
- Enhance Staff Compensation/Support (e.g., increased training, increased wage/benefits for existing staff, increasing self-care opportunities, etc…)
- Develop New Programs
Join the webinar tomorrow, February 22 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm to hear from OEO staff on these open RFPs. If you have any questions about your webinar registration, please email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us. If you cannot attend the webinar, all materials and recordings are shared here: https://mich.mn.gov/webinars.
The Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) is recruiting volunteers to review three Requests for Proposals (RFPs). The RFPS being reviewed will fund essential services for Minnesotans experiencing homelessness, human trafficking, and/or exploitation. OEO encourages prospective reviewers to consider the time commitment required, which is outlined below. If you are interested in being a reviewer, please complete the Proposal Reviewer Application by March 1, 2023. If you have any questions, please email ann.e.mccabe@state.mn.us
Reviewer can expect to:
- Be assigned to review proposals for one or more of the three RFPs based on your selection in the survey.
- Watch a PowerPoint presentation about reviewing proposals
- Read, review and score approximately five proposals (each take about 1-2 hours to review)
- Attend, participate and actively engage in a review session (2-3 hours in length
Reviewers must:
- Have access to computer, email, and ability to participate in a virtual review session
- Have ability to send completed scoresheets electronically. Scoresheets will be provided in either MS Word or MS Excel.
- CONFLICT OF INTEREST REQUIREMENT: Not be employed by or associated with any entity applying for funding.
Compensation:
OEO has limited funds available to compensate volunteer reviewers who disclose lived experience of homelessness, human trafficking and/or exploitation. Need for compensation can be indicated in the survey application. While we will strive to compensate those with lived experience, our ability to compensate is dependent on available funding.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) received a waiver from the federal government to temporarily provide extra Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits known as Emergency SNAP, or E-SNAP. The temporary increase boosted households’ monthly benefit to the maximum allotment for their household size – or, if they were already getting the maximum amount, households received an additional $95 each month. Federal officials declared that the E-SNAP allotments will end after February 2023.
E-SNAP is issued the month after eligibility is approved, most households will get their last E-SNAP payment in March and benefits will return to the standard monthly benefit in April. To learn more and read answers to frequently asked questions visit: https://mn.gov/dhs/snap-changes/end-of-e-snap/. Help spread the message and help SNAP recipients prepare for the end of Emergency SNAP.
So that all Minnesotans can live and thrive in a stable, safe home they can afford in a community of their choice, Minnesota Housing needs your input as it develops its 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. This plan will guide the Minnesota Housing’s work for the next four years. Minnesota Housing is a state agency and functions as a financial institution by financing housing through loans and grants and funding partners to support individuals and families with low to moderate incomes in achieving greater housing stability. Staff from Minnesota Housing will join the webinar tomorrow, February 22 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm to lead a discussion and hear from you. Ahead of the webinar discussion tomorrow, please consider the following discussion questions:
- What is most needed to further create housing stability for people in your community?
- What goals could Minnesota Housing set in this Strategic Plan that would be most powerful in helping people in your community achieve housing stability?
- What else is important for us to hear from you?
Additionally, you can share your ideas by completing a survey. The survey should take 15-30 minutes of your time, depending on the extent of your input. Please complete the survey by Friday, February 24. If you need an accessibility accommodation, please email mn.housing@state.mn.us.
Click below on the link based on what language you want to take the survey in:
Minnesota Housing is currently looking for 12 consultants to join their efforts to development their next strategic plan, which guide the agency’s work for the next four years. Minnesota Housing has contracted with Rainbow Research to support them with their initiative to hire consultants. They are looking for a diversified team of consultants with low-to-moderate incomes and one of the following seven lived experiences:
- First-time homebuyer (which would include homebuyer education participants)
- Existing homeowner buying their next home
- Homeowner seeking or receiving a home-improvement or rehabilitation loan
- Resident of a manufactured-home community
- Renter who lives in subsidized housing with income and/or rent restrictions
- Renters who hold a rental housing voucher
- People who have experienced homelessness, including people who currently live in permanent supportive housing
Consultants can expect to work 6-14 hours a month between March – September 2023 and will be compensated at $50 per hour. Share this flyer to help spread the word! Anyone interested can apply at: https://tinyurl.com/Housing-Consultant-Application by March 5, 2023.
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Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP): Minnesota Housing is pleased to announce the availability of up to $20.5M in funding to provide supportive services and direct financial assistance to help households who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness to retain their housing or obtain new housing. Funding availability is contingent upon legislative approval of program appropriations and may increase or decrease. Applications are due Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. For application materials and more information visit the FHPAP website. Questions can be directed to diane.elias@state.mn.us and nancy.urbanski@state.mn.us.
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Homework Starts with Home (HSWH): Minnesota Housing is accepting applications for the HSWH program. This program supports collaborative efforts between schools, housing organizations and local governments to identify, engage and stabilize students and their families who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness. Minnesota Housing anticipates allocating up to $3.5M in HSWH funds using the Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) and Housing Trust Fund (HTF) program guidelines. Funding availability is contingent upon legislative approval of program appropriations and may increase or decrease. Applications are due Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at 4:30 p.m. For application materials and more information, visit HWSH website. Questions can be directed to diane.elias@state.mn.us and nancy.urbanski@state.mn.us.
Join us for a presentation from Kate Murray, MPH, Program Manager for Long COVID & Post-COVID Conditions at the Minnesota Department of Health on Wednesday, March 15 from 1:00 – 2:00 pm. Kate will go over what we know so far about long COVID, what we’re still learning, and the impacts of long COVID on communities, disability, the workforce, and more. There will also be an opportunity for questions. You can find more information about long COVID and resources at MDH: Long COVID: A Post-COVID Condition.
The webinars are open to anyone. If you have already registered for the monthly webinars, you will use the same link to join this special webinar. If you cannot attend the webinar, all materials and recordings are shared here: https://mich.mn.gov/webinars. If you have any questions about your webinar registration, please email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us.
Cases among people experiencing homelessness and the staff who support continues to remain steady this week. The MDH team continues to monitor cases and our team continues to plan alongside local public health and emergency management on ways to be best prepared to support people experiencing homelessness through any future surges.
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The Minnesota Tribal Collaborative (MTC) and MESH are excited to announce the hiring of the new MTC coordinator, Dawn Bjoraker! Dawn Bjoraker is Sicangu Lakota, an enrolled member of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. She has worked in the fields of Victim Advocacy, and Indian Education within a public school system. Dawn's educational background is in Criminal Justice. Dawn's previous work has allowed her to present on the impact of historical trauma on American Indian families and the need for culturally relevant services. Dawn has presented on these subjects across the state of Minnesota, within tribal communities and across the country. She is excited to start her new role with the Minnesota Tribal Collaborative. In her spare time, Dawn enjoys reading and playing with her dog. Dawn started her role with the Minnesota Tribal Collaborative in mid-February. MESH is hosting her position on behalf of the Minnesota Tribal Collaborative. Her email is dawn@mesh-mn.org. Her phone number is 507-218-5449. Please join us in welcoming Dawn to our work to prevent and end homelessness!
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Minnesota’s Center of Excellence on Public Health and Homelessness is hosting a webinar on Thursday March 2 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. on harm reduction strategies and resources for homeless service providers. Opioids are the leading cause of death for people experiencing homelessness in Minnesota. Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) staff will share the latest information on the impact of the opioid epidemic for people experiencing homelessness. The webinar will also feature community partners who share information about resources and strategies for safer drug use, overdose reversals, treatment options, and low-barrier shelter and housing models. Register here to join the webinar.
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Help us spread the word about a new newsletter for engagement opportunities for people who have faced or are currently facing homelessness. The Minnesota Interagency Council on Homelessness is building a new newsletter list to share opportunities for people who have faced or are currently facing homelessness to share their input, ideas, and expertise. Interested individuals can sign up for the newsletter by filling out this form. We will share a range of opportunities in this newsletter from state agencies and partner organizations and the newsletter will be sent out as opportunities are available. Please email elizabeth.dressel@state.mn.us if you have any questions.
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