[Federal Register Volume 82, Number 213 (Monday, November 6, 2017)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51483-51489]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2017-24118]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS


Funding Availability Under Supportive Services for Veteran 
Families Program

AGENCY: Department of Veterans Affairs.

ACTION: Notice of Fund Availability (NOFA).

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is announcing the 
availability of funds for supportive services grants under the 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Program. This Notice of 
Fund Availability (NOFA) contains information concerning the SSVF 
Program, renewal supportive services grant application processes, and 
the amount of funding available. Awards made for supportive services 
grants will fund operations beginning October 1, 2018.

DATES: Applications for supportive services grants under the SSVF 
Program must be received by the SSVF Program Office by 4:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time on January 12, 2018. In the interest of fairness to all 
competing applicants, this deadline is firm as to date and hour, and VA 
will treat as ineligible for consideration any application that is 
received after the deadline. Applicants should take this practice into 
account and make early submission of their materials to avoid any risk 
of loss of eligibility brought about by unanticipated delays, computer 
service outages, or other submission-related problems.
    For a Copy of the Application Package: Copies of the application 
can be downloaded from the SSVF Web site at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp. Questions should be referred to the SSVF Program Office via 
email at [email protected]. For detailed SSVF Program information and 
requirements, see part 62 of Title 38, Code of Federal Regulations (38 
CFR part 62).
    Submission of Application Package: Applicants must submit 
applications electronically following instructions found at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf. Applications may not be mailed or sent by facsimile 
(FAX). Applications must be received in the SSVF Program Office by 4:00 
p.m. Eastern Time on the application deadline date. Applications must 
arrive as a complete package. Materials arriving separately will not be 
included in the application package for consideration and may result in 
the application being rejected. See Section II.C. of this NOFA for 
maximum allowable grant amounts.
    Technical Assistance: Information regarding how to obtain technical 
assistance with the preparation of a renewal supportive services grant 
application is available on the SSVF Program Web site at: www.va.gov/
HOMELESS/SSVF.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Kuhn, National Director, 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families, 151 Knollcroft Road, Lyons, 
NJ 07939, [email protected], (908) 413-4259 (this is not a toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 
    Funding Opportunity Title: Supportive Services for Veteran Families 
Program.
    Announcement Type: Initial.
    Funding Opportunity Number: VA-SSVF-120517.
    Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance Number: 64.033, VA 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families Program.

I. Funding Opportunity Description

    A. Purpose: The SSVF Program's purpose is to provide supportive 
services grants to private non-profit organizations and consumer 
cooperatives, who will coordinate or provide supportive services to 
very low-income veteran families who: (i) Are residing in permanent 
housing; (ii) are homeless and scheduled to become residents of 
permanent housing within a specified time period; or (iii) after 
exiting permanent housing within a specified time period, are seeking 
other housing that is responsive to such very low-income veteran 
family's needs and preferences. SSVF prioritizes the delivery of rapid 
re-housing services to homeless veteran households. Rapid re-housing is 
an intervention designed to help individuals and families quickly exit 
homelessness, return to housing in the community, and avoid 
homelessness again in the near term. The core components of a rapid re-
housing program are housing identification, move-in and rent 
assistance, and rapid re-housing case management and services. These 
core components represent the minimum that a program must be providing 
to households to be considered a rapid re-housing program, but do not 
provide guidance for what constitutes an effective rapid re-housing 
program. Applicants should familiarize themselves with the Rapid Re-
housing Performance Benchmarks and Program Standards found on at 
www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.asp.
    B. Funding Priorities: The principle goal for this NOFA is to 
provide support to those applicants who demonstrate the greatest 
capacity to end homelessness among veterans or, in communities that 
have already met US Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) Federal 
Criteria and Benchmarks, sustain the gains made in ending homelessness 
among veterans. Priority will be given to grantees who can demonstrate 
adoption of evidence-based practices in their application. Under 
Priority 1, VA will provide funding to those grantees with 3-year 
accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation 
Facilities (CARF) in Employment and Community Services: Rapid Rehousing 
and Homeless Prevention standards, a 4-year accreditation from the 
Council on Accreditation's (COA) accreditation in Supported Community 
Living Services standards, or a 3-year accreditation in The Joint 
Commission's (JC) Behavioral Health Care: Housing Support Services 
Standards. Priority 2 includes existing grantees seeking to renew their 
grants.
    C. Definitions: Part 62 of title 38, Code of Federal Regulations 
(38 CFR part 62), contains definitions of terms used in the SSVF 
Program. In addition to the definitions and requirements described

[[Page 51484]]

in 38 CFR 62, this NOFA provides further clarification in this 
paragraph on the use of Emergency Housing Assistance (EHA). EHA may be 
provided by the SSVF grantee under 38 CFR 62.34(f) to offer transition 
in place when a permanent housing voucher, such as is offered through 
the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) Section 8 
program, is available from any source, but access to the permanent 
housing voucher is pending completion of the housing inspection and 
administrative processes necessary for leasing. In such circumstances, 
the EHA payment cannot exceed what would otherwise be paid when the 
voucher is utilized.
    D. Approach: Respondents to this NOFA should base their proposals 
and applications on the current requirements of Part 62. Grantees will 
be expected to leverage supportive services grant funds to enhance the 
housing stability of very low-income veteran families who are occupying 
permanent housing. In doing so, grantees are required to establish 
relationships with local community resources. Therefore, agencies must 
work through coordinated partnerships built either through formal 
agreements or the informal working relationships commonly found among 
successful social service providers.
    As part of the application, all applicants are strongly encouraged 
to provide letters of support from their respective VA Network Homeless 
Coordinator (or their designee). In addition, applicants are strongly 
encouraged to provide letters of support from the Continuum of Care 
(CoC) where they plan to deliver services that reflect the applicant's 
engagement in the CoC's efforts to coordinate services. A CoC is a 
community plan to organize and deliver housing and services to meet the 
needs of people who are homeless as they move to stable housing and 
maximize self-sufficiency. It includes action steps to end homelessness 
and prevent a return to homelessness (CoC locations and contact 
information can be found at www.hudhre.info/index.cfm?do=viewCocMaps.
    The CoC's letter of support should note if the applicant is 
providing assistance to the CoC in building local capacity to build 
Coordinated Entry Systems (CES) and the value and form of that 
assistance, whether support is direct funding or staffing. CES requires 
that providers ``operating within the CoC's geographic area must also 
work together to ensure the CoC's coordinated entry process allows for 
coordinated screening, assessment and referrals'' (HUD Notice: CPD-17-
01). The CoC's letter of support should also describe the applicant's 
participation in the CoC's community planning efforts. Failure to 
provide a letter of support from the CoC as described will limit the 
maximum award to 90 percent of the award made in the previous fiscal 
year (as described in II.C.7).
    In addition, any applicant proposing to serve an Indian Tribal area 
is strongly encouraged to provide a letter of support from the relevant 
Indian Tribal Government. The aim of the provision of supportive 
services is to assist very low-income veteran families residing in 
permanent housing to remain stably housed and to rapidly transition 
those not currently in permanent housing to stable housing. SSVF 
emphasizes the placement of homeless veteran families who are described 
in VA's regulations as (i) very low-income veteran families who are 
homeless and scheduled to become residents of permanent housing within 
90 days, and (ii) very low-income veteran families who have exited 
permanent housing within the previous 90 days to seek other housing 
that is responsive to their needs and preferences. As a crisis 
intervention program, the SSVF Program is not intended to provide long-
term support for participants, nor will it be able to address all of 
the financial and supportive services needs of participants that affect 
housing stability. Rather, when participants require long-term support, 
grantees should focus on connecting such participants to income 
supports, such as employment and mainstream Federal and community 
resources (e.g., HUD-VA Supportive Housing program, HUD Housing Choice 
Voucher programs, McKinney-Vento funded supportive housing programs, 
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), and Social Security 
Income/Social Security Disability Insurance (SSI/SSDI), etc.) that can 
provide ongoing support as required.
    Assistance in obtaining or retaining permanent housing is a 
fundamental goal of the SSVF Program. Grantees must provide case 
management services in accordance with 38 CFR 62.31. Such case 
management should include tenant counseling, mediation with landlords, 
and outreach to landlords.
    E. Authority: Funding available under this NOFA is authorized by 38 
U.S.C. 2044. VA implements the SSVF Program through regulations in 38 
CFR part 62. Funds made available under this NOFA are subject to the 
requirements of these regulations and other applicable laws and 
regulations.
    F. Requirements for the Use of Supportive Services Grant Funds: The 
applicant's request for funding must be consistent with the limitations 
and uses of supportive services grant funds set forth in 38 CFR part 62 
and this NOFA. In accordance with the regulations and this NOFA, the 
following requirements apply to supportive services grants awarded 
under this NOFA:
    1. Grantees may use a maximum of 10 percent of supportive services 
grant funds for administrative costs identified in 38 CFR 62.70.
    2. Grantees must use a minimum of 60 percent of the temporary 
financial assistance portion of their supportive services grant funds 
to serve very low-income veteran families who qualify under 38 CFR 
62.11(b). (NOTE: Grantees may request a waiver to decrease this 
minimum, as discussed in section V.B.3.a.)
    3. Grantees may use a maximum of 50 percent of supportive services 
grant funds to provide the supportive service of temporary financial 
assistance paid directly to a third party on behalf of a participant 
for child care, emergency housing assistance, transportation, rental 
assistance, utility-fee payment assistance, security deposits, utility 
deposits, moving costs, and general housing stability assistance (which 
includes emergency supplies), in accordance with 38 CFR 62.33 and 38 
CFR 62.34.
    G. Guidance for the Use of Supportive Services Grant Funds: 
Grantees are expected to demonstrate adoption of evidence-based 
practices most likely to lead to reductions in homelessness or, in 
communities that have successfully ended homelessness among veterans as 
defined by the USICH's Federal Criteria and Benchmarks or, 
alternatively, Community Solutions' Functional Zero (the latter can be 
found at https://cmtysolutions.org/sites/default/files/final_zero_2016_metrics.pdf), a capacity to sustain these gains. As 
part of their application, the applying organization's Executive 
Director must certify on behalf of the agency that they will actively 
participate in community planning efforts and operate the rapid re-
housing component of their SSVF grant in a manner consistent with the 
Rapid Re-housing Performance Benchmarks and Program Standards found at 
www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/. It is VA policy to support a ``Housing 
First'' model in addressing and ending homelessness. Housing First 
establishes housing stability as the primary intervention in working 
with homeless persons. The Housing First approach is based on research 
that shows that a homeless individual or household's first and primary 
need is to obtain stable housing, and that other issues that may

[[Page 51485]]

affect the household can and should be addressed as housing is 
obtained. Research supports this approach as an effective means to 
ending homelessness. Housing is not contingent on compliance with 
mandated therapies or services; instead, participants must comply with 
a standard lease agreement and are provided with the services and 
supports that are necessary to help them do so successfully.
    Grantees must develop plans that will ensure that veteran 
participants have the level of income and economic stability needed to 
remain in permanent housing after the conclusion of the SSVF 
intervention. Both employment and benefits assistance from VA and non-
VA sources represent a significant underutilized source of income 
stability for homeless veterans. Income is not a pre-condition for 
housing. Case management should include income maximization strategies 
to ensure households have access to benefits, employment, and financial 
counseling. The complexity of program rules and the stigma some 
associate with entitlement programs contributes to their lack of use. 
For this reason, grantees are encouraged to consider strategies that 
can lead to prompt and successful access to employment and benefits 
that are essential to retaining housing.
    1. Consistent with the Housing First model supported by VA, 
grantees are expected to offer the following supportive services: 
Counseling participants about housing; assisting participants in 
understanding leases; securing utilities; making moving arrangements; 
providing representative payee services concerning rent and utilities 
when needed; and mediation and outreach to property owners related to 
locating or retaining housing. Grantees may also assist participants by 
providing rental assistance, security or utility deposits, moving 
costs, emergency housing, or general housing stability assistance; or 
using other Federal resources, such as the HUD's ESG, or supportive 
services grant funds subject to the limitations described in this NOFA 
and 38 CFR 62.34.
    2. As SSVF is a short-term crisis intervention, grantees must 
develop plans that will produce sufficient income to sustain veteran 
participants in permanent housing after the conclusion of the SSVF 
intervention. Grantees must ensure the availability of employment and 
vocational services either through the direct provision of these 
services or their availability through formal or informal service 
agreements. Agreements with Homeless Veteran Reintegration Programs 
funded by the U.S. Department of Labor are strongly encouraged. For 
participants unable to work due to disability, income must be 
established through available benefits programs.
    3. Per 38 CFR 62.33, grantees must assist participants in obtaining 
public benefits. Grantees must screen all participants for eligibility 
for a broad range of entitlements such as TANF, Social Security, the 
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Low Income Home Energy 
Assistance Program, the Earned Income Tax Credit, and local General 
Assistance programs. Grantees are expected to access the Substance 
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's SSI/SSDI Outreach, 
Access, and Recovery (SOAR) program directly by training staff and 
providing the service or subcontracting services to an organization to 
provide SOAR services. In addition, where available, grantees should 
access information technology tools to support case managers in their 
efforts to link participants to benefits.
    4. Grantees are encouraged to provide, or assist participants in 
obtaining, legal services relevant to issues that interfere with the 
participants' ability to obtain or retain permanent housing. (NOTE: 
Information regarding legal services provided may be protected from 
being released to the grantee or VA under attorney-client privilege, 
although the grantee must provide sufficient information to demonstrate 
the frequency and type of service delivered.) Support for legal 
services can include paying for court filing fees to assist a 
participant with issues that interfere with the participant's ability 
to obtain or retain permanent housing or supportive services, including 
issues that affect the participant's employability and financial 
security. Grantees (in addition to employees and members of grantees) 
may represent participants before VA with respect to a claim for VA 
benefits, but only if they are recognized for that purpose pursuant to 
38 U.S.C. Chapter 59. Further, the individual providing such 
representation must be accredited pursuant to 38 U.S.C. Chapter 59.
    5. Access to mental health and addiction services are required by 
SSVF; however, grantees cannot fund these services directly through the 
SSVF grant. Therefore, applicants must demonstrate, through either 
formal or informal agreements, their ability to promote rapid access to 
and engagement with mental health and addiction services for the 
veteran and family members.
    6. VA recognizes that extremely low-income veterans, with incomes 
below 30 percent of the area median income, face greater barriers to 
permanent housing placement. Grantees should consider how they can 
support these participants.
    7. When serving participants who are residing in permanent housing, 
the defining question to ask is: ``Would this individual or family be 
homeless but for this assistance?'' The grantee must use a VA-approved 
screening tool with criteria that target those most at-risk of 
homelessness. To qualify for SSVF services, a participant who is served 
under 38 CFR 62.11(a) (homeless prevention) must not have sufficient 
resources or support networks (e.g., family, friends, faith-based or 
other social networks) immediately available to prevent them from 
becoming homeless. To further qualify for services under 38 CFR 
62.11(a), the grantee must document that the participant meets at least 
one of the following conditions:
    (a) Has moved because of economic reasons two or more times during 
the 60 days immediately preceding the application for homelessness 
prevention assistance;
    (b) Is living in the home of another because of economic hardship;
    (c) Has been notified in writing that their right to occupy their 
current housing or living situation will be terminated within 21 days 
after the date of application for assistance;
    (d) Lives in a hotel or motel, and the cost of the hotel or motel 
stay is not paid by charitable organizations or by Federal, State, or 
local government programs for low-income individuals;
    (e) Is exiting a publicly funded institution or system of care 
(such as a health care facility, a mental health facility, or 
correctional institution) without a stable housing plan; or
    (f) Otherwise lives in housing that has characteristics associated 
with instability and an increased risk of homelessness, as identified 
in the recipient's approved screening tool.
    8. SSVF grantees are required to participate in local planning 
efforts designed to end veteran homelessness. Grantees may use grant 
funds to support SSVF involvement in such community planning by sub-
contracting with CoCs, when such funding is essential, to create or 
sustain the development of these data driven plans.
    9. When other funds from community resources are not readily 
available to assist program participants, grantees may choose to 
utilize supportive services grants, to the extent described in this 
NOFA and in 38 CFR 62.33 and 62.34, to provide temporary financial 
assistance. Such assistance may, subject to the limitations in this 
NOFA and 38

[[Page 51486]]

CFR part 62, be paid directly to a third party on behalf of a 
participant for child care, transportation, family emergency housing 
assistance, rental assistance, utility-fee payment assistance, security 
or utility deposits, moving costs and general housing stability 
assistance as necessary.

II. Award Information

    A. Overview: This NOFA announces the availability of funds for 
supportive services grants under the SSVF Program and pertains to 
proposals for renewal of existing supportive services grant programs.
    B. Funding: The following funding priorities for this NOFA are as 
follows.
    1. Priority 1. Under Priority 1, VA will provide funding to those 
grantees with 3-year CARF, 4-year COA accreditations, or 3-year JC 
accreditations. Proof of accreditation must be submitted with the 
application no later than the application due date. Grantees previously 
awarded a 3-year grant that is not scheduled to end by October 1, 2018, 
cannot apply under this NOFA but are required to submit a letter of 
intent (LOI) by the NOFA deadline indicating their intention of 
continuing SSVF services in FY 2019. Grantees submitting a LOI must 
include proof of continued accreditation, a letter of support from the 
CoC (see Section II.C.7.) and a proposed budget for FY 2019.
    2. Priority 2. Priority 2 includes all other existing grantees 
seeking to renew their grants. Eligible applicants include those 
grantees who did not receive an award in FY 2018, but had been granted 
funding extensions on a previous SSVF award that extended program 
operations through the end of FY 2018 [NOTE: only extensions that 
lasted through September 30, 2018, will be considered as being eligible 
to apply as renewal applicants].
    Both Priority 1 and 2 applicants must apply using the renewal 
application. To be eligible for renewal of a supportive services grant, 
the Priority 1 and 2 applicants' program concept must be substantially 
the same as the program concept of the grantees' current grant award. 
Renewal applications can request funding that is equal to or less than 
their current annualized award. Depending on funding availability, VA 
may reduce awards by an amount from 1 to 10 percent. Should such a 
decrease take place, it will be applied uniformly to all grant 
recipients regardless of their grant award. This decrease would be made 
after any reductions to awards based on Sections II.C.4 and II.C.7. If 
sufficient funding is available, VA may provide an increase of up to 2 
percent from the previous year's award. Any percentage increase, if 
provided, will be awarded uniformly to all grant recipients regardless 
of their grant award.
    C. Allocation of Funds: Funding will be awarded under this NOFA to 
existing grantees for a 1-year to 3-year period beginning October 1, 
2018. The following requirements apply to supportive services grants 
awarded under this NOFA:
    1. In response to this NOFA, only existing grantees can apply as 
Priority 1 or 2 grantees.
    2. Each renewal grant request cannot exceed the current annualized 
award.
    3. Applicants may request an amount less than their current award 
(this will not be considered a substantial change to the program 
concept).
    4. If a grantee failed to use all of awarded funds in the previous 
fiscal year (FY 2017) or had unspent funds returned to VA in FY 2018, 
VA may elect to limit renewal award to the amount of funds used in the 
previous fiscal year or in the current fiscal year less the money 
swept.
    5. If, during the course of the grant year, VA determines that 
grantee spending is not meeting the minimum percentage milestones 
below, VA may elect to recoup projected unused funds and reprogram such 
funds to provide supportive services in areas with higher need. Should 
VA elect to recoup unspent funds, reductions in available grant funds 
would take place the first business day following the end of the 
quarter.
    (a) By the end of the first quarter (December 31, 2018) of the 
grantee's supportive services annualized grant award period, the 
grantee's cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds is 
fewer than 15 percent of total supportive services grant award. (During 
this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for supportive 
services grant funds may not exceed 35 percent of the total supportive 
services grant award.)
    (b) By the end of the second quarter (March 31, 2019) of the 
grantee's supportive services annualized grant award period, the 
grantee's cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds is 
fewer than 40 percent of total supportive services grant award. (During 
this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for supportive 
services grant funds may not exceed 60 percent of the total supportive 
services grant award.)
    (c) By the end of the third quarter (June 30, 2019) of the 
grantee's supportive services annualized grant award period, the 
grantee's cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds is 
fewer than 65 percent of total supportive services grant award. (During 
this same period, the grantee's cumulative requests for supportive 
services grant funds may not exceed 80 percent of the total supportive 
services grant award).
    6. Applicants should fill out separate applications for each 
supportive services funding request.
    7. Applicants who fail to provide a letter of support from at least 
one of the CoCs they plan to serve will be eligible for renewal funding 
at a level no greater than 90 percent of their previous award. 
Applicants are responsible for determining who in each serviced CoC is 
authorized to provide such letters of support. This requirement applies 
to all applicants, including existing multi-year grantees that are only 
required to submit a LOI in response to this NOFA. In order to meet 
this requirement and allow the applicant to be eligible for full 
funding, letters must include:
    (a) A detailed description of the applicant's participation in the 
CoC's Coordinated Entry process or planning activities and overall 
community planning efforts (for instance, confirmation of applicant's 
active participation in planning coordinated entry, commitment to 
participating in coordinated entry, hours spent on CoC-sponsored 
committee or workgroup assignments and names of said committees or 
workgroups).
    (b) The applicant's contribution to the CoC's coordinated entry 
process capacity building efforts, detailing the specific nature of 
this contribution (for instance, the hours of staff time and/or the 
amount of funding provided), if such SSVF capacity has been requested 
by the CoC or otherwise has shown to be of value to the CoC.
    D. Supportive Services Grant Award Period: Grant awards are 
generally made for a 1-year period, although selected grants may be 
eligible for a 3-year award (see VI.C.6). All grants are eligible to be 
renewed subject to the availability of funding.

III. Eligibility Information

    A. Eligible Applicants: For Priority 1 and 2, only eligible 
entities that are existing grantees with grants scheduled to end by 
September 30, 2018, can apply in response to this NOFA.
    B. Cost Sharing or Matching: None.

IV. Application and Submission Information

    A. Obtaining an Application Package: Applications can be at 
www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp. Any questions regarding this process 
should be

[[Page 51487]]

referred to the SSVF Program Office via email at [email protected]. For 
detailed SSVF Program information and requirements, see 38 CFR part 62.
    B. Content and Form of Application: Applicants must submit 
applications electronically following instructions found at www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf.asp.
    C. Submission Dates and Times: Applications for supportive services 
grants under the SSVF Program must be received by the SSVF Program 
Office by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time on January 12, 2018. Awards made for 
supportive services grants will fund operations beginning October 1, 
2018. Applications must arrive as a complete package. Materials 
arriving separately will not be included in the application package for 
consideration and may result in the application being rejected. 
Additionally, in the interest of fairness to all competing applicants, 
this deadline is firm as to date and hour, and VA will treat as 
ineligible for consideration any application that is received after the 
deadline. Applicants should take this practice into account and make 
early submission of their materials to avoid any risk of loss of 
eligibility brought about by unanticipated delays, computer service 
outages, or other delivery-related problems.
    D. Intergovernmental Review: This section is not applicable to the 
SSVF Program.
    E. Funding Restrictions: Funding will be awarded for supportive 
services grants under this NOFA depending on funding availability 
(currently funding is only authorized to be appropriated for the SSVF 
program through FY 2019). Applicants should fill out separate 
applications for each supportive services funding request. Funding will 
be awarded under this NOFA to existing grantees for a 1-year to 3-year 
period beginning October 1, 2018.
    1. Funding used for staff education and training cannot exceed 1 
percent of the overall program grant award. This limitation does not 
include the cost to attend VA mandated training. All training costs 
must be directly related to the provision of services to homeless 
veterans and their families.
    2. Expenses related to maintaining accreditation are allowable. 
Grantees are allowed to include expenses for seeking initial 
accreditation only once in a 5-year period. The expenses to renew full 
accreditation is allowed and is based on the schedule of the 
accrediting agency, for instance every 3 years for CARF and every 4 
years for COA. Expenses related to the renewal of less than full 
accreditation are not allowed.
    F. Other Submission Requirements:
    1. Existing applicants applying for Priority 1 or 2 grants may 
apply only as renewal applicants using the application designed for 
renewal grants.
    2. At the discretion of VA, multiple grant proposals submitted by 
the same lead agency may be combined into a single grant award if the 
proposals provide services to contiguous areas.
    3. Additional supportive services grant application requirements 
are specified in the application package. Submission of an incorrect or 
incomplete application package will result in the application being 
rejected during threshold review. The application packages must contain 
all required forms and certifications. Selections will be made based on 
criteria described in 38 CFR part 62 and this NOFA. Applicants and 
grantees will be notified of any additional information needed to 
confirm or clarify information provided in the application and the 
deadline by which to submit such information. Applicants must submit 
applications electronically. Applications may not be mailed or sent by 
facsimile.

V. Application Review Information

    A. Criteria:
    1. VA will only score applicants that meet the threshold 
requirements described in 38 CFR 62.21.
    2. VA will use the criteria described in 38 CFR 62.24 to score 
grantees applying for renewal (Priority 1 and 2) of a supportive 
services grant.
    B. Review and Selection Process: VA will review all supportive 
services renewal grant applications in response to this NOFA according 
to the following steps:
    1. Score all applications that meet the threshold requirements 
described in 38 CFR 62.21.
    2. Rank those applications who score at least 75 cumulative points 
and receive at least one point under each of the categories identified 
for renewal applicants in 38 CFR 62.24. The applications will be ranked 
in order from highest to lowest scores in accordance with 38 CFR 62.25 
for renewal applicants.
    3. Utilize the ranked scores of applications as the primary basis 
for selection. However, VA will also utilize the following 
considerations in 38 CFR 62.23(d) to select applicants for funding:
    (a) Give preference to applications that provide or coordinate the 
provision of supportive services for very low-income veteran families 
transitioning from homelessness to permanent housing. Consistent with 
this preference, where other funds from community resources are not 
readily available for temporary financial assistance, applicants are 
required to spend no less than 60 percent of all budgeted temporary 
financial assistance on participants occupying permanent housing as 
defined in 38 CFR 62.11(b). Waivers to this 60 percent requirement may 
be requested when grantees can demonstrate significant local progress 
towards eliminating homelessness in the target service area. Waiver 
requests must include data from authoritative sources such as USICH 
certification, that a community has ended homelessness as defined by 
Federal Benchmarks and Criteria or has reached Community Solution's 
Functional Zero. Waivers for the 60 percent requirement may also be 
requested for services provided to rural Indian tribal areas and other 
rural areas where shelter capacity is insufficient to meet local need. 
Waiver requests must include an endorsement by the impacted CoC 
explicitly stating that a shift in resources from rapid re-housing to 
prevention will not result in an increase in homelessness.
    (b) To the extent practicable, ensure that supportive services 
grants are equitably distributed across geographic regions, including 
rural communities and tribal lands. This equitable distribution 
criteria will be used to ensure that SSVF resources are provided to 
those communities with the highest need as identified by VA's 
assessment of expected demand and available resources to meet that 
demand.
    4. Subject to the considerations noted in paragraph B.3 above, VA 
will fund the highest-ranked applicants for which funding is available.

VI. Award Administration Information

    A. Award Notices: Although subject to change, the SSVF Program 
Office expects to announce grant recipients for all applicants in the 
fourth quarter of FY 2018 with grants beginning October 1, 2018. Prior 
to executing a funding agreement, VA will contact the applicants, make 
known the amount of proposed funding and verify that the applicant 
would still like the funding. Once VA verifies that the applicant is 
still seeking funding, VA will execute an agreement and make payments 
to the grant recipient in accordance with 38 CFR part 62 and this NOFA.
    B. Administrative and National Policy Requirements: It is VA policy 
to support a ``Housing First'' model in addressing and ending 
homelessness. Housing First establishes housing stability as the 
primary intervention in working with homeless persons. The Housing 
First approach is based on research that shows that a homeless 
individual or

[[Page 51488]]

household's first and primary need is to obtain stable housing, and 
that other issues that may affect the household can and should be 
addressed as housing is obtained. Housing is not contingent on 
compliance with services; instead, participants must comply with a 
standard lease agreement and are provided with the services and 
supports that are necessary to help them do so successfully. Research 
supports this approach as an effective means to ending homelessness.
    Consistent with the Housing First model supported by VA, grantees 
are expected to offer the following supportive services: housing 
counseling; assisting participants in understanding leases; securing 
utilities; making moving arrangements; providing representative payee 
services concerning rent and utilities when needed; and mediation and 
outreach to property owners related to locating or retaining housing. 
Grantees may also assist participants by providing rental assistance, 
security or utility deposits, moving costs or general housing stability 
assistance, using other Federal resources, such as the ESG, or 
supportive services grant funds to the extent described in this NOFA 
and 38 CFR 62.34.
    As SSVF grants cannot be used to fund treatment for mental health 
or substance use disorders, applicants must provide evidence that they 
can provide access to such services to all program participants through 
formal and informal agreements with community providers.
    C. Reporting: VA places great emphasis on the responsibility and 
accountability of grantees. As described in 38 CFR 62.63 and 62.71, VA 
has procedures in place to monitor supportive services provided to 
participants and outcomes associated with the supportive services 
provided under the SSVF Program. Applicants should be aware of the 
following:
    1. Upon execution of a supportive services grant agreement with VA, 
grantees will have a VA regional coordinator assigned by the SSVF 
Program Office who will provide oversight and monitor supportive 
services provided to participants.
    2. Grantees will be required to enter data into a Homeless 
Management Information System (HMIS) Web-based software application. 
This data will consist of information on the participants served and 
types of supportive services provided by grantees. Grantees must treat 
the data for activities funded by the SSVF Program separate from that 
of activities funded by other programs. Grantees will be required to 
work with their HMIS Administrators to export client-level data for 
activities funded by the SSVF Program to VA on at least a monthly 
basis.
    3. VA shall complete annual monitoring evaluations of each grantee. 
Monitoring will also include the submittal of quarterly and annual 
financial and performance reports by the grantee. The grantee will be 
expected to demonstrate adherence to the grantee's proposed program 
concept, as described in the grantee's application. All grantees are 
subject to audits conducted by the VA or its representative.
    4. Grantees will be assessed based on their ability to meet 
critical performance measures. In addition to meeting program 
requirements defined by the regulations and applicable NOFA(s), 
grantees will be assessed on their ability to place participants into 
housing and the housing retention rates of participants served. Higher 
placement for homeless participants and higher housing retention rates 
for at-risk participants are expected for very-low income veteran 
families when compared to extremely low-income veteran families with 
incomes below 30 percent of the area median income.
    5. Organizations receiving renewal awards and that have had ongoing 
SSVF program operation for at least 1 year (as measured from the start 
of initial SSVF services until November 6, 2017) may be eligible for a 
3-year award. Grantees meeting outcome goals defined by VA and in 
substantial compliance with their grant agreements (defined by meeting 
targets and having no outstanding corrective action plans) and who, in 
addition, receive 3-year accreditation from CARF in Employment and 
Community Services: Rapid Rehousing and Homeless Prevention standards, 
a 4-year accreditation from COA accreditation in Supported Community 
Living Services standards, or a 3 year accreditation in The Joint 
Commission's Behavioral Health Care: Housing Support Services Standards 
are eligible for a 3-year grant renewal subject to funding 
availability. (NOTE: Multi-year awards are contingent on funding 
availability). If awarded a multiple year renewal, grantees may be 
eligible for funding increases as defined in NOFAs that correspond to 
years 2 and 3 of their renewal funding.

VII. Agency Contact

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. John Kuhn, National Director, 
Supportive Services for Veteran Families, 151 Knollcroft Road, Lyons, 
NJ 07939, [email protected], (908) 413-4259 (this is not a toll-free number).

VIII. Other Information

    A. VA Goals and Objectives for Funds Awarded Under This NOFA: In 
accordance with 38 CFR 62.24(c), VA will evaluate an applicant's 
compliance with VA goals and requirements for the SSVF Program. VA 
goals and requirements include the provision of supportive services 
designed to enhance the housing stability and independent living skills 
of very low-income veteran families occupying permanent housing across 
geographic regions and program administration in accordance with all 
applicable laws, regulations, and guidelines. For purposes of this 
NOFA, VA goals and requirements also include the provision of 
supportive services designed to rapidly re-house or prevent 
homelessness among people in the following target populations who also 
meet all requirements for being part of a very low-income veteran 
family occupying permanent housing:
    1. Veteran families earning less than 30 percent of area median 
income as most recently published by HUD for programs under section 8 
of the United States Housing Act of 1937 (42 U.S.C. 1437f) (http://www.huduser.org).
    2. Veterans with at least one dependent family member.
    3. Veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation 
Iraqi Freedom, or Operation New Dawn.
    4. Veteran families located in a community, as defined by HUD's 
CoC, or a county not currently served by a SSVF grantee.
    5. Veteran families located in a community, as defined by HUD's 
CoC, where current level of SSVF services is not sufficient to meet 
demand of Category 2 and 3 (currently homeless) veteran families.
    6. Veteran families located in a rural area.
    7. Veteran families located on Indian Tribal Property.
    B. Payments of Supportive Services Grant Funds: Grantees will 
receive payments electronically through the U.S. Department of Health 
and Human Services Payment Management System. Grantees will have the 
ability to request payments as frequently as they choose subject to the 
following limitations:
    1. During the first quarter of the grantee's supportive services 
annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative requests for 
supportive services grant funds may not exceed 35 percent of the total 
supportive services grant award without written approval by VA.
    2. By the end of the second quarter of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the

[[Page 51489]]

grantee's cumulative requests for supportive services grant funds may 
not exceed 60 percent of the total supportive services grant award 
without written approval by VA.
    3. By the end of the third quarter of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative 
requests for supportive services grant funds may not exceed 80 percent 
of the total supportive services grant award without written approval 
by VA.
    4. By the end of the fourth quarter of the grantee's supportive 
services annualized grant award period, the grantee's cumulative 
requests for supportive services grant funds may not exceed 100 percent 
of the total supportive services grant award.

Signing Authority

    The Secretary of Veterans Affairs, or designee, approved this 
document and authorized the undersigned to sign and submit the document 
to the Office of the Federal Register for publication electronically as 
an official document of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Gina S. 
Farrisee, Deputy Chief of Staff, Department of Veterans Affairs, 
approved this document on October 30, 2017, for publication.

    Dated: October 30, 2017.
Jeffrey Martin,
Office Program Manager, Office of Regulation Policy & Management, 
Office of the Secretary, Department of Veterans Affairs.
[FR Doc. 2017-24118 Filed 11-3-17; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 8320-01-P