The Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County (CFTH), lead agency of The Way Home, is proud to invite community and partner members to engage in two vital committees for The Way Home Continuum of Care/Homeless Response System.
- NOFO Competition Review Committee
- Continuum of Care (CoC) Provider Input Workgroup (Competition Focus)
Purpose and Background:
Each year, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) mandates every Continuum of Care (CoC) to assess and rank its CoC-funded projects. This crucial evaluation helps prioritize funding allocations for both ongoing and new projects under the annual Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) Competition, ensuring alignment with HUD's strategic priorities.
Committee Missions:
Members will engage in a process grounded in fairness, transparency, and objectivity, using performance-based scoring and selection priorities endorsed by The Way Home Steering Committee. This procedure aims to ensure that our submissions are not only competitive but also closely aligned with system priorities and HUD's policy objectives. Recommendations finalized by the committees will undergo a review and approval process by the Steering Committee before submission to HUD.
Participation Criteria:
We seek participants who reflect the diversity of our community, with a keen understanding of homelessness and housing challenges in the region. This includes representation from various sectors, subpopulations, and geographic areas covered by The Way Home, including Houston and Harris, Fort Bend, and Montgomery counties. We are committed to fostering an environment where every voice is heard and valued, aligning with HUD's commitment to inclusivity and equitable access to housing.
Member Participation Requirements for the NOFO Competition Review:
To ensure a thorough and impactful review process, all NOFO Competition committee members are expected to dedicate approximately 20 hours to application assessments, presentations, and meetings. Recognizing the valuable insights brought by individuals with direct experience of homelessness, we offer compensation for their participation in line with our CFTH Lived Experience Compensation Policy. This approach underlines our commitment to equitable participation and acknowledges the expertise of those with lived experiences.
Members are required to affirm that they do not have any conflicts of interest with the applicants under review. This declaration is essential to maintain the integrity and impartiality of the evaluation process.
For the accurate and unbiased recording of overall scores, CFTHstaff will typically undertake this responsibility. However, in instances where the lead agency itself is an applicant, a designated lead member from the review committee will assume the role of recording scores. This procedure ensures transparency and fairness in the evaluation process, aligning with our commitment to an equitable review mechanism.
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2024 NOFO Competition Review Committee Seats (13 Seats Total):
3 Seats: Individuals with Personal Experience of Homelessness (Consumers or Persons with Lived Experience)
1 Seat Each for Geographic and Sector Representation:
- City of Houston (City employees or city appointees)
- Harris County (County employees or appointees)
- Fort Bend County (County employees or appointees)
- Montgomery County (County employees or appointees)
- City of Pasadena (City employees or appointees)
- Healthcare Sector (Professionals working in or appointed by a healthcare organization)
- Victim Service Providers (Professionals working in or appointed by a Victim Service Provider)
2 Seats: Youth System (Members or representatives of the Youth Advisory Board)
1 Seat: Veteran System (Professionals working in or appointed by a Veteran Partners
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2024 Provider Input Workgroup (Competition Focus):
To participate, providers must be in good standing with the CoC, as determined at the discretion of the lead agency, and actively involved in the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS).
Seats Available:
- Minimum 3: NOFO-funded agency representatives
- At least 1: YHDP-funded agency representative
- Minimum 2: Representatives from agencies currently not receiving NOFO funding
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How to Apply to Each Committee:
If you're interested in contributing to our mission and meet the eligibility criteria, please email Renee Cavazos at rcavazos@homelesshouston.org
by April 15, 2024. The Provider Input Workgroup meetings are scheduled to commence towards the end of April, and the Review Committee meetings will begin in May.
We are dedicated to submitting the most impactful and strategically aligned applications to HUD, to better serve our community's individuals and families experiencing homelessness. Together, we can make a significant difference.