Western CoC: Important Information and Timelines Related to HUD CoC NOFO
Attention CoC Partners:
Important information and timelines related to HUD CoC NOFOs – Annual CoC Competition and Special NOFO to address unsheltered and rural homelessness
HUD has recently released two funding opportunities for CoCs: 1) Annual CoC Competition NOFO (Consolidated CoC application due 9/30/22); 2) Special NOFO to address unsheltered and rural homelessness (Consolidated CoC application due 10/20/22).
Regarding the Special NOFO to address unsheltered and rural homelessness: The Western PA CoC Governing Board has met several times over the past weeks to review and discuss HUD's Special NOFO. The Special NOFO entails more than just an application for funding - as part of applying for the Special NOFO, CoCs must conduct a robust planning process to identify strategies to address homelessness for those with the most severe service needs. This planning process must involve engagement from community stakeholders and persons with lived experience of homelessness. The CoC Governing Board does not believe the CoC is well-positioned to engage in this process at this time. As such, the CoC will not be applying for the Special NOFO funds. However, it is a priority of the CoC Board to build capacity to engage in this planning process, including engaging persons with lived experience in decision-making.
Regarding the Annual CoC Competition NOFO:
CoCs are required to set local timelines for soliciting and selecting new projects, and for obtaining necessary information from CoC projects eligible for renewal. Timelines will be tight for the CoC to complete HUD’s requirements, as HUD has shortened the timeline to submit the CoC's application. As such, the CoC is releasing a proposed timeline for the Annual CoC Competition so that CoC partners are aware of upcoming important dates:
Annual CoC Competition – New Projects (including Domestic Violence Bonus)
- Funding Committee Meeting to finalize new project RFP week of 8/8
- CoC release new project RFP on 8/12
- RFP responses (preliminary applications) due by 8/30
- New projects selected by the CoC notified by 9/9
- New projects selected must submit esnaps draft application by 9/15
- New projects selected will receive feedback from DMA (CoC consultant) on esnaps draft application, and must submit final esnaps application in esnaps by 9/23
Annual CoC Competition – Renewal Projects
- The CoC is currently waiting for HUD to open esnaps application for CoC renewal projects. Once this happens, DMA will send out instructions to renewal grantees and timelines. Grantees will likely have a 2-week turnaround to submit PDF of completed renewal project application exported from esnaps to DMA for review.
- DMA will review esnaps applications and provide feedback.
- Final esnaps applications will be due within 5 days of receiving DMA feedback.
Please be on the lookout for additional information from the CoC in the upcoming weeks related to the Annual CoC Competition. New Project RFPs will be released via the CoC mailing list. Renewal project instructions will be sent directly to CoC grantees from the CoC email address.