Grants to Washington, DC Nonprofits to Provide
Social Services for At-Risk and Homeless Youth

Description: Request a Grant Writer

Grants to Washington, DC nonprofit community-based organizations for outreach programs targeting homeless youth and youth at-risk for becoming homeless. Grantees will operate outreach programs, coordinate with other outreach teams, participate in a housing placement program, and use a culturally-competent approach.

The District of Columbia Youth Street Outreach Program target population is:

-Youth under 18 years of age who are living apart from a parent or guardian, excluding those who are in the physical custody of the District and;

-Youth between the ages of 18 and 24 who are economically or emotionally detached from their families and lack an adequate or fixed residence, including youth who are unstably housed, living in doubled up circumstances, in transitional housing, in shelter, or on the street.

The target population includes runaway youth, youth who are experiencing homelessness, and at-risk youth 24 years of age and younger.

In FY 2018, DHS will fund a youth street outreach program that includes, but is not limited to, the following activities:

-Engage the target population in the streets and elsewhere within the assigned geography in the District (assigned geography will be determined subsequent to award);

-Coordinate with other street outreach teams to exchange information and participate in cross- training opportunities;

-Participate in the Coordinated Assessment Housing Placement (CAHP) system;

-Utilize a culturally-competent youth development approach to facilitate rapport development with clients of various races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities, as well as language accessibility.

Proposed methods for accomplishing all of the following tasks must be included and defined in the Project Narrative:

Engagement – The grantee will actively search for homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness 24 years old and younger. Grantees will locate youth to encourage participation in services that can help them move toward and achieve family reunification and/or self- sufficiency. To better accomplish engagement, the grantee must demonstrate a youth development approach, cultural competency to facilitate developing rapport with clients of various races, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and gender identities, as well as language accessibility

Coordination with Other Street Outreach Teams – Grantees will be responsible for working collectively to identify other street outreach teams or outreach opportunities in the District; coordinating with identified youth street outreach teams to exchange information about areas of greatest need and topics of concern, when feasible; and participating in cross-training opportunities.

Data Collection – Grantees must collect data that provides measurable indicators that will inform promising practices to improve services and programs for the target population. Data collection must include: the number of unduplicated youth contacted through outreach worker efforts; if applicable, the number of coordinated entry assessments conducted on youth contacted through outreach worker efforts; the expenditure of resources administered during outreach (e.g. food, hygiene products, prophylactics, etc.); number of times transportation was provided to individuals in the target population; and, the number and percentage of unduplicated target population contacts that resulted in an individual or family entering shelter or safe and stable housing during each outreach session.

Coordinated Assessment – Grantees will work with the ICH Youth Subcommittee and relevant stakeholders to implement and execute coordinated entry for homeless youth and youth at risk of homelessness in the District. Implementation and execution of coordinated entry may include: training on coordinated entry; administering the Transition Age Youth - Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (TAY-SPDAT) to youth in the target population; referral of clients to service providers; participation in meetings to match youth to homeless services resources; and participation in the ICH Youth Subcommittee; among other activities.