Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Competition

FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

On July 5, 2023, the Department of Housing and Development (HUD) released the FY2023 Notice of Funding Opportunity. The Will County CoC will begin its local competition on July 26, 2023, with the posting of this notice. The Will County CoC will be accepting applications for renewal projects and new projects from eligible applicants until August 16, 2023, at 8:00PM CT. The Will County CoC’s local competition will concluded on September 8, 2023.

The Will County Continuum of Care Board approved its CoC Consolidated Application and Project Priority Listing on September 25, 2023.

Together, we can end homelessness!

Will County CoC Partnership with the State of Illinois: Home Illinois Program

Annually, the Will County Continuum of Care submits funding recommendations to the Illinois Department of Human Services for the Office to Prevent and End Homeless Program Opportunities (OPEH). The OPEH is responsible for the implementation of the Illinois State Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness, “Home Illinois”. As part of “Home Illinois”, the Illinois State FY24 budget includes increased funding for existing programs and provides funding for new programs to address homelessness in Illinois. The new programs are Scattered Site Permanent Supportive Housing, Rapid Rehousing, and Shelter Diversion. These program funds are allocated to designated providers based on the CoC’s recommendation through its local process for project selection. Funding opportunities will be announced on our website.

Emergency Solutions Grant: Partnership with the State of Illinois

The Will County Continuum of Care submits funding recommendations to the Illinois Department of Human Services for the Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG). ESG is a HUD funding source designed to be utilized in efforts to end homelessness in our community. Funding opportunities will be announced on our website.

Special Notice of Funding Opportunity (SNOFO)

Unsheltered homelessness is faced by many in the Will County Continuum of Care. These households are often invisible due to the lack of the capacity in our Homeless Response System. Unsheltered homelessness is a crisis. Our region has never seen unsheltered homelessness as extreme as it is now. The Will County Continuum of Care is committed to working in urgency because the severity of this crisis unresolved will result in the loss of lives.

The Will County Continuum of Care is dedicated to addressing homelessness among our communities most vulnerable members- those experiencing unsheltered homelessness- through Housing First and Progressive Engagement. The Will County Continuum of Care (CoC) is working to improve our Homeless Response System’s infrastructure so that our system reaches those experiencing unsheltered homelessness efficiently and effectively. It will take dedicated outreach, housing, and services, to ensure that no one experiences unsheltered homelessness in our communities. Those who are in a housing crisis should have access to rapid housing solutions that meet their needs, especially those exasperated by their homeless crisis. Unsheltered homelessness demonstrates a lack of system capacity. This Special NOFO allows the CoC to dedicate resources to ending unsheltered homelessness.

The CoC HMIS documents between 31% and 37% of those served within our Homeless Response System have experienced unsheltered homelessness. In FY20, the CoC reported less than .005% of our crisis intervention engagements were through street outreach. In FY21, that increased 12 times, now accounting for 8% of crisis intervention engagements in our CoC. Our street outreach component has a 70% success rate of housing people who are unsheltered. Our CoC permanent housing projects intake 46% of households directly from an unsheltered situation, with an average 91% housing success rate. Our regional shelter capacity plummeted 52% because of the impacts of the pandemic, the CoC expects rates of unsheltered homelessness to continue to rise significantly.

The CoC has a history of aligning resources, developing and implementing successful strategies, and scaling them up to end homelessness. Our CoC was the 50th Community to End Veteran Homelessness, recognized by the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, using many of the evidence-based practices identified in this plan. The Will County Continuum of Care made a request for funding available through the Special NOFO to help us end unsheltered homelessness on October 20, 2022.

Working together, we can end homelessness.

Will County CoC’s Special CoC Application (submitted 10/20/22)

Will County CoC’s Project Priority Listing (submitted 10/20/22)

The Pathway to End Unsheltered Homelessness: Will County Continuum of Care’s Plan for Serving Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness with Severe Service Needs (submitted 10/20/22)

FY2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)

On August 1, 2022, the Department of Housing and Development (HUD) released the FY2022 Notice of Funding Opportunity. The Will County CoC will begin its local competition on August 17, 2022, with the posting of this notice. The Will County CoC will be accepting applications for renewal projects and new projects from eligible applicants until August 31, 2022, at 8:00PM CT. The Will County CoC’s local competition concluded on September 15, 2022.

The Will County Continuum of Care officially summited its CoC Consolidated Application and Project Priority Listing on September 30,2022.

Together, we can end homelessness!