Homelessness Partnering Strategy –– Notice of Call for Proposals (Capital Projects)

In partnership with the Greater Vancouver Regional District (GVRD), the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSCH) invites eligible organizations operating in the Metro Vancouver region to apply for Homelessness Partnering Strategy (HPS) funds to address the capital investment priorities of the 2011-2014 Community Plan for the Metro Vancouver Designated Community.

In November 2010, the Government of Canada announced a three-year extension of the HPS program at current funding levels until March 31, 2014. Funding for the Metro Vancouver designate region is approximately $8.2 million per year, for a three-year total of approximately $24.6 million.

In February 2011, the RSCH, in its capacity as the Community Advisory Board, recommended that the contribution agreements of 35 existing support service providers who were funded until March 31, 2011, be extended for another year to prevent gaps in service delivery. The cost of the extension was approximately $5.1 million.

In April 2012, approximately $11 million was distributed to 42 new and existing support service providers for the period ending on March 31, 2014.

The remaining regional HPS funding allocation of approximately $6 million is available for this capital Call for Proposals. It is expected that these funds will be distributed over two years.

Proposals are invited for consideration by the RSCH for the development of new and existing transitional and supportive housing facilities, emergency shelter facilities, including drop-in spaces for homeless or at-risk of homelessness individuals and families throughout the Metro Vancouver region.

Applications for funding must be made in the prescribed forms and formats. Please contact the address below for copies of the prescribed forms, if you have not received them by email already.

Vera LeFranc, Vancity Community Foundation
810-815 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6C 1B4
Telephone: 604-877-7515
Email: vera_lefranc@Vancity.com

 Notice
 HPS Capital Project Proposal Guide
 HPS Capital FAQ Application Forms
 HPS Capital FAQ Supporting Documents
 HPS Capital CFP FAQ Application Forms II

( To open the following documents: Click on the document link and please select Save)
  HPS Application for Funding Form 2A Revised 
  HPS Application for Funding Form 2B1 2B2 Revised

French
 Avis
 Guide de demande
 Formulaire 2B1 2B2
 Formulaire 2A

Partnering Strategy Community Plan
 Community Plan 2011-2014 HPS Annex A: Data Tables
 Community Plan 2011-2014 HPS Annex B: Community Plan
 Community Plan 2011-2014 HPS Annex C: Priorities

About the Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSCH)
The Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSCH) was established in March 2000 to bring together a range of people and organizations operating and funding facilities, services or programs targeted to people who are homeless or at-risk of homelessness in the region. The Committee arose from the recognition that homelessness is an issue in every Metropolitan Vancouver community. As a result, the Committee identified the need for a regional response to the growing problem of homelessness.

The RSCH now includes over 40 members representing service providers, community-based organizations, business and labour, and all levels of government. The Committee has grown to become the regional voice on homelessness in Metropolitan Vancouver. Metro Vancouver, in partnership with the Vancity Community Foundation, provides administrative and policy support to the Committee.

More information about the Committee, including the 2013-2014 membership recruitment drive, can be found at www.stophomelessness.ca.

What's New

2011 Homeless Count Final Report
The 2011 Homeless Count is a 24 hour snapshot of homelessness in Metro Vancouver on March 16, 2011.

The Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness (RSCH) and the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee (AHSC) provide oversight to the count methodology and are responsible for reporting out on the Count's findings. Since 2002, homeless counts have been conducted across Metro Vancouver every three years. The count methodology is refined with every count and is recognized by all levels of government and community agencies as the best approach to understand trends in the visible homeless population. Count numbers are understood as the minimum number of people homeless in the Metro Vancouver region.

As in previous counts, InFocus Management Consulting served as the Aboriginal Coordinator and coordinated the Count of Aboriginal people who were homeless in partnership with the Aboriginal Homelessness Steering Committee and Aboriginal serving agencies.

Local Community Homeless Tables across the region provided leadership in the Count as they continue to address homelessness in their neighbourhoods communities. The Homeless Count would not have been possible without the assistance of hundreds of volunteers. Organizers are grateful to all the homeless-serving agencies throughout the region for lending their expertise and knowledge to the Count.

The 2011 Homeless Count was made possible through funding from: United Way of the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Foundation, City of Vancouver, and the Surrey Homelessness and Housing Fund. TransLink provided in-kind support. A total of 2,650 people were found to be homeless on March 16, 2011. Overall, there was a 1% decrease since the 2008 Count, when the total number of people found homeless was 2,660.

 2011 Metro Vancouver Homeless Count: Final Report 

2011 Homeless Count Reports