Grant applications are submitted through a community-based process to address the needs of those experiencing homelessness. This process facilitates grants designed to address the problems of homelessness in a comprehensive manner with other federal agencies.

Importantly, the Continuum of Care Program is a highly competitive process. Our region must differentiate our work from other communities across the country and demonstrate the effectiveness of our programs.

Each year, dedicated members of the Greater Richmond Continuum of Care (GRCoC) come together to develop a robust and competitive community application. This application highlights our region’s transparency, accountability, and results.

The GRCoC Ranking Committee takes the lead on developing and reviewing the application before it’s submitted. That committee includes representatives from the City of Richmond, Chesterfield, and Henrico as well as private funders, subject matter experts, and people with lived experience of homelessness.

The committee’s membership reflects the cross-section of public and private sector partners that come together through the GRCoC to deliver homeless services in our region. That deep collaboration and broad representation are key factors that make the GRCoC’s funding work so robust and effective. That coordination helps our region stand out in the highly competitive funding application process.

HUD defines ideal applications to the Continuum of Care Program as the following: “Promotes community-wide commitment to the goal of ending homelessness; provides funding for efforts to quickly re-house homeless individuals and families, while minimizing trauma and dislocation; promotes access to and effective utilization of mainstream programs; and optimizes self-sufficiency among individuals and families experiencing homelessness.”

Fortunately, our region has many established programs with proven track records of success that meet these criteria.

Read more about the GRCoC’s funding guidelines and priorities on our website. Learn more about federal funding for homeless services here.

A key component of successful applications is highlighting how a community addresses homelessness. The GRCoC shares a variety of data points and resources detailing our region’s compassionate and coordinated response to homelessness. The latest GRCoC Annual Report aptly captures the immense breadth of local efforts and their impact.