2024 DCF State Challenge Unsheltered Contract Competition
Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA)
Release Date: December 30, 2024
Applications are open for the 2024 DCF State Challenge Unsheltered Contract Competition.
The Florida State Office on Homelessness approved the activity allocation for the Challenge Unsheltered Grant 2024-2025 in the amount of $393,192.22. The Department requires the Lead Agency to operate this program in a manner consistent with the CoC plan, while including newly proposed projects that mitigate unsheltered homelessness by providing support to homeless individuals and families through eligible Challenge Unsheltered Grant activities. The budget allocations is as follows:
- Mental Health and Substance Use Treatment: $117,957.66
- Emergency Shelter and Transitional Housing Operations: $117,957.66
- Acquisition and Renovation of Non-Congregate Shelters: $117,957.66
- Administrative Costs: $39,319.24
Any Challenge Unsheltered Grant funding and deliverables not utilized by June 30, 2025, will not be reverted or reappropriated. All funds must be spent by the end date of the amendment.
The Challenge Unsheltered Grant is designed to address the issue of unsheltered homelessness through targeted support for individuals and families experiencing this crisis. This funding initiative is established under Specific Appropriation 351 of the 2024 General Appropriations Act and aims to provide both immediate assistance and long-term solutions.
The allocation of these funds is intended to enhance the efforts of the Continuum of Care (CoC) by improving shelter operations, increasing staffing support, and delivering specialized services such as mental health and substance abuse treatment. By facilitating these vital resources, the Challenge Unsheltered Grant endeavors to significantly reduce instances of unsheltered homelessness and ensure that individuals and families have access to the comprehensive support necessary for stabilization and long-term success.
Application Due Date: January 17, 2025, at 5 P.M. CDT
Applications must be submitted by email to: grants@openingdoorsnwfl.org
The applicant is responsible for ensuring that their application(s) is submitted before the designated due date and time. Applications submitted after 5:00 p.m. CDT will be returned and will not be considered for review.
CoC Membership
As CoC membership of your organization is required for participation, please click here to learn about CoC membership, if you're not already a member.
Become a MemberQ&A
Applicants shall submit all questions concerning the scope of services, eligibility and/or programmatic requirements of this funding opportunity in writing by email only to grants@openingdoorsnwfl.org no later than 72-hours prior to the RFP Submission Date. To ensure a fair and open process, all questions submitted and answers replied will be posted below.
Question 1
New Allocation or Reallocation
Wed, May 22, 2024 at 11:26 AM by Phone
Are the current Challenge funds in the RFP a part of the new allocation from DCF for the July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025 fiscal year?
Answer
Wed, May 22, 2024 at 11:26 AM by Phone
No. These funds are reallocated from a current Challenge recipient from fiscal year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024.
Question 2
New Letter of Intent
Wed, May 22, 2024 at 11:26 AM by Phone
Do applicants need to submit a new letter of intent if they already sent one before the release of the RFP?
Answer
Wed, May 22, 2024 at 11:26 AM by Phone
Yes. Applicants should send a new letter of intent before the new deadline to comply with the standards of the RFP.
Question 3
CoC Membership
Wed, May 29, 2024 at 3:10 PM by Phone
Please provide the details about joining the CoC Membership and upcoming meetings.
Answer
Wed, May 29, 2024 at 3:10 PM by Phone
We will put a link to the CoC Membership page on the competition page.
That link has been added here and above: https://openingdoorsnwfl.org/getinvolved/membership
2023's Question 1
Printable Application for Drafts
Fri, Apr 28, 2023 at 5:51 PM by Email
I was wondering if you have an electronic printable version of the application, so we can draft our responses before we put them into the system?
Answer
Mon, May 1, 2023, 10:51 AM by Email
A PDF version of the application has been added to the competition downloads list and can be found at https://openingdoorsnwfl.org/web/assets/download/2024-FL511-RFP-Application-For-Prep-Only-NOT-FOR-SUBMISSION.pdf
2023's Question 3
Character Limits
Wed, May 24, 2023 at 4:23 PM by Phone
Is there a character limit on the long paragraph answer questions in the Google Form application? The form told us in the short answer box that there was a character limit but I didn't know if it had one for the long answers.
Answer
Wed, May 24, 2023 at 4:23 PM by Phone
The long answer boxes do not have a character limit.
2023's Question 4
Key Staff
Thu, May 25, 2023 at 3:30 PM by Email
For this item – “Attach a list of key staff and job descriptions of persons who will be performing work for the grant program(s), if awarded.” – are you looking for a list/job descriptions of staff of members who will be administering the grant (such as myself) or are you looking for staff who will be working in the shelter? What if none of our employee salaries will be paid with these funds?
Answer
Tue, May 30, 2023 at 10:50 AM by Email
Great question! We are looking for job descriptions and a list of staff who will be administering the grant and working with eligible program participants at the shelter. If a staff position is being created and the staff member has not been selected, please speak to the position that will be created and what the job duties will be for this future staff member.