2025 DCF State Unified Contract Competition
FY 2025 Allocation of DCF Funds
Challenge Grant / Emergency Solutions Grant
Date: August 29, 2025
The Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties Continuum of Care (CoC FL-511) has been awarded funding through the FY2025-2026 State Unified Contract. This contract includes two grants that are available to be distributed through a competitive process to eligible non-profit organizations. An informational session for interested organizations will be held at Opening Doors NWFL, 1020 N. New Warrington Road, Pensacola, FL 32506, on September 3, 2025, at 2:00 PM. Attendance at the informational session is strongly encouraged but not required.
Please note: The request for applications opens today (August 29, 2025). The deadline to submit applications for FY 2025 funds is September 30, 2025, at 5 PM CDT. Late proposals will not be accepted.
Available Grant Applications
Challenge Grant
Flexible funds for innovative solutions aligned with CoC Strategic Priorities
- Amount: $ 623,527.59
- Use: Housing Development or Prevention, Shelter Operations and Supportive Services, and Program Operations
The total amount available includes HMIS and administrative funds. Admin and HMIS are capped at 1.5% of the total amount awarded per subcontract.
Emergency Solutions Grant
Rapid response funds to quickly assist people with regaining stability in permanent housing, temporary lodging, and essential services.
- Amount: $ 188,724.75
- Use: Street Outreach, Emergency Shelter, Homelessness Prevention, Rapid Rehousing, and HMIS
The total amount available includes HMIS and administrative funds. Admin and HMIS are capped at 1.5% of the total amount awarded per subcontract.
Deadline: September 30, 2025, at 5 PM CDT
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.
2024's 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.
2024's 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.
2024's 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.