From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, August 30, 2024 8:28 AM
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday August 30, 2024
This weekly update is targeted towards the SSVF
Grantees and shared with valuable partners for awareness.
August 30, 2024
SAVE
THE DATE: SSVF
en Español September 25, 2024 2pm EST
New: SSVF Guidance on Administrative Costs
REMINDER: SSVF Extension Request Activity Due September 6, 2024
REMINDER:
SSVF
FY25 Resolution and FY25 Budget Activity Due in UDPaaS by September 12, 2024
RESOURCE:
VA
Homeless Programs Website and Response Plan for Coordination of Services for
Encampment Closures
RESOURCE:
Updated
Emergency Housing Assistance Referral Form: Encampment Version
REMINDER: Outreach
Activities
SAVE THE DATE: SSVF en Español September
25, 2024 2pm EST
SSVF
is excited to offer an optional call on Wednesday, September 25th at
2pm Eastern/11am Pacific to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. The call
will include remarks from special guests, an opportunity to celebrate, and
discussion on how SSVF can continue to support Veterans and Veteran families
who identify as Latino/a/x. A registration link will be shared soon.
New: SSVF
Guidance on Administrative Costs
The Office
of Management and Budget (OMB) OMB has updated the 2 CFR 200 and as of October
1, 2024 the de minimis indirect cost rate will increase from 10 percent to 15
percent unless a different rate is required by law (such as Federal statute or
regulation). As stated in SSVF regulation 38 CFR 62.70(e) costs for
administration by a grantee must not exceed 10 percent of the total amount of
the supportive services grant. SSVF will
continue to limit administrative costs to 10% as stated in regulation.
eCFR :: 38 CFR 62.70 -- Financial management and
administrative costs.
REMINDER: SSVF Extension Request Activity Due September 6,
2024
All grantees selected for renewal funding in FY25 have an SSVF Extension Request Activity in their UDPaaS account under the “My Tasks” section. This request is required in order to extend spending of your FY24 funding beyond September 30, 2024. Please ensure that you respond with a "yes" to needing an extension.
As a reminder, renewed grantees are anticipated to spend FY24 funds through December 31, 2024. If you will need additional funds to extend through that date or would like to request a non-punitive return of funds, please reach out to your Regional Coordinator.
This
activity is due no later than September 6, 2024.
REMINDER:
SSVF FY25 Resolution and FY25 Budget Activity Due in UDPaaS by September 12,
2024
Grantees
selected for renewal funding in FY25 are required to submit their FY25 Grant
Resolution and updated FY25 budget in the UDPaaS Grant Management System no
later than September 12, 2024. The Grant Agreement Resolution verifies the key
program components for each grant award, including service area, households to
be served, homelessness prevention threshold score, subcontracts (if
applicable), confirmation of the budgeted Services, TFA and Administrative
allocations within approved budget for FY 2025. When completing this
form, please keep in mind that responses must reflect program components that
have been approved by VA. Significant changes to the grant program that
may occur after this resolution process will require submission of a Program
Change Request in the second and third quarters of the fiscal year.
The
updated budget should reflect your actual award amount as well as an expected
9-month spending cycle beginning on January 1, 2025 and ending on September 30,
2025.
RESOURCE:
VA Homeless Programs Website and Response Plan for Coordination of Services for
Encampment Closures
Please
see and share this public site that outlines a comprehensive and proactive
action plan to support Veterans impacted by current and future encampment
closures.
SSVF
Grantees should work with their VAMC and community partners as local encampment
response teams are developed.
RESOURCE: Updated Emergency
Housing Assistance Referral Form: Encampment Version
The
SSVF Program Office and Homeless Program Office are actively monitoring
encampment sweeps. Effective immediately, grantees in areas impacted by
encampment sweeps can use the form Linked Here to quickly assess and
place Veterans into hotel/motel using emergency housing assistance (EHA).
This
guidance is to be used in locations where there are active sweeps of
encampments occurring and use of shelter (HCHV, GPD, Community, etc.) is not
immediately available for Veterans impacted by those sweeps or the specific
needs of the Veteran household require use of hotel/motel.
This
form ONLY replaces the EHA referral form in these encampment sweep areas. In areas where there
are not active encampment sweeps, Grantees should keep this as a resource for
possible future use. All EHA regulations remain in effect.
Grantees
should share this form with VAMC and community partners who may need to quickly
refer a Veteran for immediate placement. The form should also be reviewed with
all staff and partners to ensure understanding and awareness of this new
procedure.
REMINDER: Outreach Activities
The SSVF Program Office would like to remind grantees that outreach is a required activity. As a core component of the grant, grantees should have a robust outreach strategy to engage Veterans experiencing or at-risk of homelessness.
SSVF grantees should:
·
Ensure outreach activities cover
the full geography and all unsheltered Veterans are offered a pathway to
permanent or interim housing in the near term.
·
Collaborate with community partners
for street outreach including Coordinated Entry Outreach Teams, VA Outreach
Teams, Law Enforcement, local businesses such as railroads or gas stations,
public services such as street or highway departments, health departments, bus
or train stations, advocacy groups including domestic violence providers,
organizations specifically focused on supporting marginalized groups.
·
Strongly consider hiring in-house
or elevating existing the employment of peer specialists in outreach
settings and across program operations; ensure outreach personnel include
Veterans who have had similar experiences to those for whom Services are
designed to support.
·
Provide access to training in
trauma-informed, culturally responsive outreach and engagement strategies,
including Rapid Resolution approaches, motivational interviewing, and implicit
bias.