Today, the Human Services Department released a funding process which invests $6.2 million in neighborhood and population-specific outreach services. Using a team-based model, successful applicants will support individuals living unsheltered with navigating and accessing shelter, stable housing and other needed assistance to meet each individual’s unique needs.
HSD is seeking applications from qualified agencies to serve unsheltered individuals in seven neighborhoods throughout the City of Seattle. Qualified agencies will work together and with the City’s Unified Care Team (UCT) to ensure a collaborative approach to outreach is employed.
The four outreach service areas that agencies may apply for include:
- Street-Based Care Coordination services to facilitate shelter or permanent housing access to those living alone or together in tents, encampments and other places not meant for human habitation
- Vehicle Residency Outreach to connect people living in vehicles to shelter, safe lots and permanent housing
- Behavioral/Mental Health Outreach to support those with severe mental health, behavioral health, and co-occurring disorders
- Population-Specific Outreach to assist individuals in a culturally- or population-specific manner
HSD is excited to announce a citywide, team-based outreach model will be implemented in 2025 with the goal of bringing unsheltered individuals indoors and supporting them on a path to permanent housing. This RFQ will build intentional collaboration with HSD’s UCT Regional Outreach Coordinators and between selected agencies. Agencies may apply to serve a specific neighborhood or serve population-specific groups citywide.
“The Human Services Department has played an integral outreach coordination role over the years supporting individuals living unsheltered on their pathway to housing,” said HSD Director Tanya Kim. “Addressing unsheltered homelessness is multifaceted and having a diverse set of outreach partners working together as neighborhood specific teams shows promise towards increased care-coordination, relationship building, and service connection citywide.”
This is an open and competitive process, and agencies may apply to serve one or more specific neighborhoods or provide population-specific services citywide. Regardless of assignment, all selected agencies will work together to collectively address the unmet needs of our unsheltered neighbors.
“This funding opportunity will move us closer to providing comprehensive and consistent unsheltered outreach services in all Seattle neighborhoods,” said Chris Klaeysen, HSD’s Homelessness Division Director. “These neighborhood outreach teams will holistically support our unsheltered neighbors in coming inside and building a path to permanent housing.”
Initial awards for each of these funding opportunities will be made for the period of January 1, 2025 – December 31, 2025. While it is the City’s intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2028 program year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability.
For more information, and all RFQ materials, please visit HSD’s Funding Opportunities web page: https://www.seattle.gov/human-services/for-providers/funding-opportunities/2024-street-based-outreach-rfq.
Completed application packets are due by 12:00 p.m. PDT on Friday, July 19, 2024. If you have any questions or require assistance, please don’t hesitate to reach out to Nicole Donovan, Funding Process Coordinator, at nicole.donovan@seattle.gov