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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda - 08-17-1999 - 3a ~r%~~~ DIVISION OF SOCIAL SERVICES STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) ~ ~~_~ad~ ~, 1~G I 0 1999 ~. , ,_ '~'•`ur ~~~r ~~ ~ ORTH CAROLINA TANF-HOUSING PROGRAM \,,~~,~ `V~ Mauimum Grant Amount: $500,000 -~ Workshop: August 31'~ ~~ Pro osal Deadline: en P October 14 ~( 1. BACKGROUND . ,1 ,~y Finding decent affordable housing is considered one of the major barriers Work First families U confront in moving off welfare dependency, along with jab skills, childcare and reliable ~' ~ transportation. The Governor has dedicated $3 million in TANF funding and $2 million in Small ~' Cities CDBG funding to demonstrate the value of housing assistance in helping TANF-eligible families achieve greater self-sufficienc .The ose of this RFP is to solicit r Y pm'P p oposals from North Carolina counties that put the $3 million in TANF funding to work in helping people on and recently off TANF to secure safe, decent, affordable housing as they move from welfaze to work and ultimately to lasting self-sufficiency. State agencies, led by the North Carolina Division of Social Services (DSS), the North Carolina Division of Community Assistance (DCA) and the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency (HFA), will select multiple pilot counties for this project. Counties will be selected through a competitive process based on factors such as their willingness to commit local TANF funds, other public and private commitments, and the non-profit and public partners organized in support of local Work First housing strategy. The maximum amount to be provided from TANF funds to support county proposals is $500,000. In addition, applicant counties also have the opportunity to pursue Small Cities CDBG funding for projects that are part of a coordinated self-sufficiency strategy to provide affordable housing to families moving from welfaze to work. The CDBG funding would be above and beyond the TANF funds, would not require a local match, and would be subject to the existing review process for Small Cities CDBG Housing Development funds. The primary emphasis of this program is to assist as many TANF-eligible North Carolina families as possible secure safe, decent, affordable housing. While the program is designed to be more flexible to support activities that go beyond rental assistance, applicants must be able to demonstrate a cleaz and strong link between the services to be provided and the over-riding goal of securing affordable housing for the greatest number of eligible families. The emphasis of projects is expected to be on direct support for securing affordable housing (e.g., rental assistance) and housing-related services with a direct link to accessing housing, and this emphasis should be reflected in the uses of funds outlined in the proposal. 2. DURATION OF PROGRAM All funds provided by the state for carrying out the project must be expended by June 30`t', 2001. 3. ELIGIBILITY AND ELIGIBLE USES OF FUNDS 3.1. Eligible Primary Applicants All counties in North Cazolina are eligible to submit proposals. Due to the eligibility restrictions on TANF funds the County DSS offices will serve as the fiscal agents for all proposals. The primary applicant can be the county government, the county DSS office, a local public housing agency or nonprofit organizations (provided they have a 501 C3 tax status) as long as the County DSS office acts as the fiscal agent. Subcontracting is allowable and it is anticipated that the County DSS offices will subcontract with one or more of its county partners to deliver programs and services. In all cases, the proposals must include a letter of support from the county government and from. all other organizations involved in the proposed activities. Only one proposal per county may be submitted, thus all potential applicants should contact their potential partners and notify the county manager eazly to avoid the development of competing proposals. The County DSS office must be included as one of these partners. If more than one proposal is received from any one county, the county government will be asked to designate one proposal for submission. Multi-county or regional proposals are also welcome; _but should. clearly designate the lead partner, describe how activities will be coordinated among the partnering agencies, and identify the tazget populations to be served by the project. A county participating in a regional proposal may not also submit a sepazate proposal. 3.2. Eligibility Criteria for individuals to participate in county programs Eligible families are defined consistent with North Carolina's definition for TANF-eligible families, i.e., those earning up to 200% of the poverty level and who have left, are eligible for, or have never received TANF benefits. In addition, participating families must be able to account for at least 20 hours per week of work, job training, or other related activities devoted to developing employment skills or finding work. 3.3. Eligible Uses of Funds The focus of the proposals should be on the use of TANF funds. Applicants may choose to outline CDBG-eligible projects in conjunction with their TANF housing proposal but are not required to do so. Since CDBG and TANF funds can be used to support different types of housing-related activities, the incorporation of both within a comprehensive Work First housing strategy may enhance the strength of proposals. 2 There is considerable flexibility in how the TANF funds and the local matching funds can be used to help Work First-eligible families secure safe, decent, affordable housing as they move from welfare to work. The over-riding goal, however, is to assist as many TANF- eligible North Carolina families as possible secure safe, decent, affordable housing. While the program is designed to accommodate housing-related services, applicants must be able to demonstrate a cleaz and strong link between the. services to be provided and the primary goal of securing affordable housing for the greatest number of eligible families. TANF funds and local matching funds may be used for rental assistance, housing search assistance, landlord outreach, employing or contracting with housing specialists, coordination of local housing. partnership efforts, and other activities as part of a Work Fust housing strategy. Administrative costs aze allowable up to 15% of the total budget. The emphasis of projects is expected to be on direct support for securing affordable housing (e.g., rental assistance) and housing-related services with a direct link to accessing housing, and this emphasis should be reflected in the uses of funds outlined in the proposal. CDBG projects may include for activities such aspre-development costs leading to construction of new rental units, site acquisition by an eligible non-profit sponsor, on-site infrastructure, project-specific support services for tenants, and other CDBG-eligible activities if part of a Work First housing strategy. Two million dollazs in Small Cities CDBG funds have been earmarked for projects that support the T,ANF-Housing Pilot Program, however applicants will need to follow the existing CDBG application procedures to apply for these funds. t 4. AMOUNTS AND TYPES OF MATCHING FUNDS Applicants are expected to provide a minimum cash match of 50% (one local dollaz for every two state dollars), although the larger the match the more likely the proposal will be selected. In- kind matches of personnel time, facilities and equipment can also be included but should be listed sepazately from the cash match. The types and amounts of in-kind matches will be considered when assessing the local commitment and feasibility of projects, however, in-kind costs will not be counted against the minimum 50% cash match requirement. If used on eligible families the local match may also be counted as "Maintenance of Effort" for Work First. 5. SELECTION CRITERIA Each of the following selection factors will be weighted equally in evaluating the proposals and.. selecting the pilot projects to be funded. t Except for entitlement communities, which receive funds directly from HUD, all municipalities are eligible to receive Small Cities CDBG. North Carolina's 22 entitlement municipalities are Asheville, Burlingon, Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Concord, Durham, Fayetteville, Gastonia, Goldsboro, Greensboro, Greenville, Hickory, High Point, Jacksonville, Kannapolis, Lenoir, Morganton, Raleigh, Rocky Mount, Salisbury, Wilmington, and Winston-Salem. 3 Factor 1: Need for NC TANF Pilot Program (20 points). This factor examines the extent to which applicants identify the community need that their proposed activities will target and the urgency of meeting this need. To satisfy this requirement, applicants must show that the requested assistance is necessary to assist TANF-eligible families to obtain or retain employment. Among the factors that applicants may wish to consider in preparing to meet this. proposal requirement aze: • whether potentially eligible families in their area face a shortage of decent, affordable housing. • the extent to which there is a mismatch in their azea between the affordable housing stock and the location of jobs or transportation to jobs.2 • how housing assistance would best be used in their azea to promote employment among participating Work First families. Factor 2: Soundness of Approach (20 points). This factor examines the overall quality and feasibility of the proposed plan to help families move to work. It also addresses the need for proposals to be comprehensive and coordinated in their approach. In preparing to meet these proposal requirements, applicants should consider how their proposal would: • further the program goals of helping eligible families obtain or retain employment. • meet the housing needs identified in factor 1. • incorporate performance measures that enable_ one to measure the effectiveness of the proposed program. - • provide consistency between the proposal and the goal to assist TANF-eligible families secure safe, decent, affordable housing. • establish linkages between the proposal and an overall self-sufficiency strategy that helps people to move from welfaze to work. • ensure participation and support within the county from public, private, and non- profit sector groups and the roles to be played by each of these in carrying out the project. • develop and implement a strategy for tenant counseling, housing search assistance. and landlord outreach activities (if pertinent). Z Among other potential sources of useful data on this subject are applicants for the Job Access and Reverse Commute Program; they are required to compile data on the location of welfare recipients, jobs and transportation networks. Job Access applicants also could contribute transportation services for welfare-to-work voucher programs. Information on the program maybe found on the Internet at: http:/lwww.fta.dot.gov/wtw. 4 • demonstrate that the project is likely to be well underway within one year of receiving an award. Factor 3: Capacity and Organizational Experience of the Applicant and its Partners (20 points). This factor examines the administrative capacity of the- applicant and its partners for carrying out the proposed project. In preparing to meet this criterion, applicants should also consider the extent to which they can demonstrate prior experience relevant to the proposed program and success in meeting the goals of other self-sufficiency efforts. Factor 4: Leveraging Resources (20 points). This factor addresses the commitment of public and private resources that will support an applicant's project. Both cash funding and in-kind contributions of services or personnel will be considered, however there is a minimum cash match requirement of 50% (one local dollar for every two state dollars). In preparing to meet this criterion, applicants should also consider the efficient use of funds, such as the ratio of families served to funds committed. (Note that all proposals should estimate the number of persons to be served by the program). The applicant should identify support within the county from public, private, and non-profit sector groups including the dedication of staff, funding, equipment, facilities and other resources _ required for successful execution of the project. Factor 5: Sustainability of the Project (20 points). This factor addresses the applicant's strategy or transition plan to continue to move participants towazd self-sufficiency beyond the conclusion of this project (e.g., homeownership or giving participants of this project priority for Section 8 housing). Applicants should also address the potential for continuing the project beyond the initial grant period. 6. IMPORTANT DATES The following is a list of key dates for the preparation, submittal, review and selection of proposals for funding. Workshop (times, program & location to be announced) August 31 ~ Final Proposals Due October 14th Pilot Counties Selected October 23Ta State-County Agreements Completed November 19th 7. AUGUST 31sT WORKSHOP In order to answer questions that applicants might have in developing their proposals a workshop will be held on August 31St (times, program and location to be announced). The workshop will bring together applicants, representatives of North Cazolina State agencies, 5 and invited speakers to discuss the details of funding, strategies, programs, and projects aimed at providing affordable housing for TANF-eligible families. Given the eligibility issues involving the use of TANF funds attendance at this workshop is strongly advised. If you plan on attending the workshop please RSVP by calling Chuck Bohl at (919) 962-7045 or E-Mail him at cbohl(c~email.unc.edu. 8. FORMATTING OF PROPOSALS The proposal should be on the petitioning organization's letterhead and should be signed by an authorized official of the petitioning organization. The proposal should be limited to a cover page, one page for the project abstract, up to ten single-spaced pages providing a detailed project description, one page for a list of work tasks and schedule, one page for a line-item budget, and additional pages as necessary for supporting documents (see the following section for additional details under "Content of Proposals"). The proposal should have alert-hand margin of no less than one inch, should use fonts no smaller than 11-pt, and should be on paper which will photocopy. Applicants should submit the original proposal plus six (b) copies. The first pazagraph of the body of the proposal should state clearly the specific amount being requested and the purpose of the request. 9. CONTENT OF PROPOSALS All proposals should include the following elements. 9.1. Cover Page (1 Page -Please Use the Attached Form) 9.1.1. Title o, f Project The title of the project to be funded as a result of this proposal. 9.I.Z. Name and Contact information for Primary Applicant Organization Include the name of the primary applicant organization, and the name, address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of the individual who will act as the primary point of contact for this proposal. The primary applicant organization may be the county DSS agency or some other public or non-profit agency or organization associated with the county. 9.1.3. Names of Partnership Organizations Include only the name(s) of any agencies and organizations that will act as partners in funding or carrying out any aspect of the proposal. Additional background can be provided in the body of the proposal. 6 9.1.4. Project Budget and Resources • List the total amount of TANF funds requested by this proposal. • List the amount of matching funds to be provided by the applicant and partners. • List the total amount of combined funds (state and local match) for the project. • List the total amount of in-kind resources committed to the project. 9.1.5. Project Abstract (300 word limit) Provide a concise description of the project summarizing the major points from the body of the proposal. 9.2. Body of Proposal (10 page limit) 9.2.1. Target Population • What will be the target population for this program? • How will the potential participants be identified? • How many people will be served by the program? 9.Z.2. ProjectlProgram Description Provide a full description of the project to be funded that addresses: • The need for the project • The objectives of the project • The logistics for carrying it out • How many and what type of housing units will be involved in the program? 9.2.3. Overall Self Sufficiency Strategy Describe the overall self-sufficiency strategy of the county to help people move from welfare to work, and how this proposal fits within this overall strategy. 9.2.4. Sustainability of the Project Describe plans for extending the project into the future. What is the partners' strategy or transition plan to continue to move participants toward self-sufficiency beyond the conclusion of this project (e.g., giving participants of this project priority for Section 8 housing)? How might the program be expanded or maintained to help other TANF-eligible families beyond the term of this program? How might the project produce results (e.g., the construction of affordable housing units) that could address the housing needs of other families in the future? 9.2.5. Public Sector, Private Sector and Non Profit Partners Identify any organizations that will act as partners in funding, managing, or providing services for this program and the specific roles that each of them will play in executing the program of work. Clarify which organization and individuals will act as the primary administrators and coordinators of the program, past and current working relationships between these organizations. Include the name(s) and contact persons for these agencies and organizations including address, telephone number, fax number, and email address. 7 9.2.6. 11~onitoring and Evaluation Plan Counties that aze awazded TANF funds as part of this pilot program will be asked to provide periodic progress reports on their project. Identify plans for monitoring and evaluating the progress and success of the project by the primary applicant organization or partners. Who within the county will be responsible for tracking and evaluating progress? The State of North Carolina will be evaluating all of the programs and projects funded through this initiative. All successful applicants aze expected to cooperate with an assessment of the program's impacts and outcomes, including providing information on characteristics of beneficiaries and interviews concerning program performance. 9.3. Program of Work and Schedule Provide aone-page chronological program of work tasks to be completed in the course of this program and the anticipated completion dates for each task. Assume a January 2000 start date far the purpose of developing the work schedule. 9.4. Budget Provide aone-page, line-item budget outlining the proposed use of funds and matching funds. The budget should be clearly divided into sections specifying wages and fringe benefits, equipment, travel, rent subsidies, construction, materials and supplies, and other costs associated with the proposal. Administrative costs aze allowable up to 15% of the total amount of state and local funding budgeted (excluding local in-kind matching resources). Identify the sources, the amounts and types (e.g., monetary, in-kind) of matching funds that have been committed in support of this project. All matching funds must be supported by a letter of commitment to be included in Section 9.5 of this proposal. Indicate whether these amounts represent current or pending sources. 9.5. Letters of Commitment and Support Applications must include a letter of support from the county governing body. Letters of commitment are also required from the County DSS office, and agencies and organizations providing cash or in-kind matching funds. Letters of support may also be included for other organizations and agencies that are not committing resources but otherwise support this application. 9.6. Appendices Applicants may elect to include selected documents in support of the application, for example, a description or annual report of the primary applicant organization. Appendices should not exceed 10 pages. 10. SUBMITTING PROPOSALS Please send the original plus six (6) copies of the completed proposal to the following address (proposals must be received no later than October 14~', 1999}: Ms. Sandy Smith N.C. Division of Social Services Economic Independence Section 325 N. Salisbury St., 2420 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699-2420 Electronic and fax submissions of proposals will not be accepted. For additional information regarding this RFP or the August Workshop please contact Chuck Bohl at (919) 962-7045 or E-Mail him at cbohl(t~email.unc.edu. 9 NORTH CAROLINA TANF-HOUSING PILOT PROGRAM COVER PAGE Title Of Project: Name and Contact Information for Primary Applicant Organization Primary Applicant Organization: Name of Primary Contact Person: Address• City: State: Zip: Telephone Number: Fax: Email Address: Names Of Partnership Organizations Project Budget and Resources 1. TANF Funding Requested: ($500,000 mazimum) 2. Total Cash Matching Funds: (SO% of Total from Line 1) 3. Total Cash Budget: (Line 1 plus Line 2) 4. In-Kind Contributions: S. State CDBG Funding: Project Abstract 1300 word maximum 10