From the National Alliance to End Homelessness

With housing costs representing the single biggest expenditure in most family budgets, many low-income families have difficulty finding housing that they can afford. The federal government has created a number of rental assistance programs to help low-income families afford their housing. However, these programs are often under-funded, difficult to navigate, and poorly implemented. This report examines current federal rental assistance programs and provides up-to-date information on their scope and who they are serving. It also looks at some of the key challenges that housing policy will face in the coming years, and some emerging solutions to these challenges.

To view "Federal Programs for Addressing Low-Income Housing Needs: A Policy Primer," click here.

CSH Audio-Conference on Coordinating Property Management and Supportive Services

On Wednesday, December 17 at 3:00 p.m. EST, the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) presents the next "Hot Topics in Supportive Housing Audio-Conference," focused on a new "Coordination of Property Management and Supportive Services in Permanent Supportive Housing Self Assessment Tool." Recognizing that property management and supportive services have different and sometimes overlapping roles in supportive housing, this Self Assessment Tool is designed to enable the management and staff of supportive housing units to take a deeper look at the quality of the coordination between their property management and supportive services functions, and to explore how this relationship impacts tenants as well as staff. The Tool also provides practical guidance regarding how staff can collaborate and coordinate their efforts more effectively.

Presenters on this call will provide an overview of the Self Assessment Tool and will highlight lessons learned by the Alameda Point Collaborative through implementing such a self assessment.

For more information, and to register for this audio-conference, click here.

Updated Homeless Veterans Permanent Supportive Housing Guidebook

The Corporation for Supportive Housing has produced a newly updated version of "Guidebook for Developing Permanent Supportive Housing for Homeless Veterans," for distribution through the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans. The new guidebook is a comprehensive guide, featuring a case study of the veterans supportive housing program at Swords to Plowshares in San Francisco. 

To view the guidebook, click here.

Funding Opportunities

NorthWestern Energy Charitable Giving Program offers nonprofit organizations within its service area of Montana, Nebraska and South Dakota the opportunity to apply for charitable donations. Donations will be considered for organizations serving human needs such as the United Way, youth homes and special community health and safety needs. Donations will generally not be made to national health organizations or for medical equipment or research funds. Applications are accepted throughout the year. For more information, click here. 

The Robin Hood Foundation was created in 1988 to find, fund, and provide technical and management assistance to organizations serving poor New Yorkers. Robin Hood makes grants to organizations exclusively in the five boroughs of New York City whose work falls within the following four issue areas: early childhood and youth, education, jobs and economic cecurity, and survival. Robin Hood has a continuing commitment to community-based programs and strong leaders in the city's poorest neighborhoods. Robin Hood seeks to fund programs that provide comprehensive and intensive services, and work with people over long periods of time with measurable results. Applications are accepted continuously and are considered on a quarterly basis. For more information, click here.