The Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC) is requesting Letters of Intent (LOI) from agencies within the Greater Richmond area who are interested in continuing or joining the GRCoC’s Coordinated Entry System (CES). Requesting LOIs gives the CoC the opportunity to hear from local agencies who may regularly engage with individuals experiencing homelessness but who might not be CoC members yet. Agencies that have recently submitted an LOI during the VHSP funding process will not need to submit another LOI. 

Letters of intent will need to demonstrate: 

1. A willingness to adhere to CES Policy Standards 
2. A willingness to adhere to Program Standards 
3. The agency’s intent to participate in the GRCoC’s collaborative planning and service coordination 
4. A willingness to collaboratively work with other CoC providers for the benefit of clients 
5. A willingness to adhere to HCIS Policy and Procedure standards, and fulfill requirements to obtain access to HMIS, if necessary 

If the space provided is not sufficient, please feel free to write on a septate document. LOIs are due to the CoC by April 29th by 5pm. [BLANK Template] 

The LOIs will be reviewed by the System Policies and Process Committee chair member. Once approved, the agency will be eligible to submit a CES Memorandums of Understanding (MoU). This MoU ensures the commitment to the GRCoC’s community-developed program standards and policies that meet federal guidelines and maximize limited resources. To streamline the process, the MOU will be completed via DocuSign. Signed MoUs will be due back to the CoC by Friday, May 17th, 2024. As done in years past, two staff members from each agency must attend a yearly CES training before submitting the MOU. The training ensures that all agencies understand the expectations of being a part of a CES. Below are two training dates. If your agency plans to submit a CES MOU, agency staff must attend one of the trainings listed below. Registration is required and can be found by clicking the link next to each training date. 

• Tuesday, April 30th from 10am-11:30am via Zoom 
• Tuesday, May 7th from 10am-11:30am via Zoom 

Updates Regarding the Upcoming MoU 

Under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), HUD requires the provision of an Emergency Transfer Plan (ETP) within the CoC to protect survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.​ This means that for Permanent Supportive Housing and Rapid Rehousing programs, the upcoming MoU will have an additional responsibility listed. The ETP allows tenants who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking to request an emergency transfer from the tenant’s current unit to another unit. Homeward will vet emergency transfer referrals and requests. YWCA Richmond will provide emergency housing through hotels, moving support, food and other services as needed while the housing provider identifies another unit for the household. There will be training around provider roles and reporting, as well as a scheduled mock session in June to further examine and better the process. 

The GRCoC, acting in collaboration with YWCA Richmond, are still currently developing the exact policy and process regarding this plan. It’s crucial that we hear from providers to create an effective system for ensuring the safety of survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Please reach out with questions regarding this new CoC wide policy. Qualifying providers will be contacted directly via email to discuss an upcoming provider input session on April 26th.