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2025 HOME-ARP NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY (NOFA) U. S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ADMINISTERED BY: VIRGIN ISLANDS HOUSING FINANCE AUTHORITY APPLICATION DEADLINE: MAY 15, 2025 HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 2 NOTICE OF FUNDING AVAILABILITY U. S. Virgin Islands HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services & TBRA Program Posting Date: Response Submission Deadline: 5:00 pm on Thursday, May 15, 2025 INTRODUCTION Through this Notice of Funding Availability (“NOFA”), the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority (“VIHFA”) is soliciting applications from qualified organizations to deliver eligible supportive services and/or tenant based rental assistance under the HOME-American Rescue Plan Program (“HOME-ARP”) to qualified individuals and families. The HOME-American Rescue Plan (HOME-ARP) program was established through a $5 billion allocation to states and local Participating Jurisdictions (PJs) in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA). The VIHFA administers the territory’s $3.3 million allocation. Program funds can be used to provide assistance to qualifying populations, which include individuals and families experiencing homelessness, at-risk of homelessness, or at the greatest risk of housing instability, by providing rental housing, supportive services, non-congregate shelter, tenant based rental assistance (TBRA), and non-profit operating and capacity building. Qualifying populations also include any individual or family who is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. In accordance with the approved HOME-ARP allocation plan, the territory’s HOME-ARP Program will utilize HOME-ARP resources for the provisions of supportive services and tenant-based rental assistance (TBRA). Funds will be awarded to existing housing and supportive services providers or new providers to deliver improved quality care to qualifying populations where current resources are insufficient to provide such services currently or to meet current demand. The Qualifying Populations (QPs) for HOME-ARP are summarized as follows: 1. Homeless 2. At. Risk of Homelessness HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 3 3. Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, or Human Trafficking 4. Other Populations, which includes Other Individuals/Families Requiring Services or Housing Assistance to Prevent Homelessness OR At Greatest Risk of Housing Instability Veterans and families that include a veteran family member that meet the criteria for one of the qualifying populations described above are eligible to receive HOME-ARP assistance. Only individuals/families meeting the definition of one or more of the qualifying populations, as defined in the CPD Notice: Requirements for the Use of Funds in the HOME-American Rescue Plan Program (“the Notice”), may be assisted with HOME-ARP funds. Applicants must demonstrate that qualifying residents will have sufficient access to supportive services and/or Tenant-based Rental Assistance (TBRA) as needed. As a part of those services, VIHFA strongly encourages the provision of case management which will ensure that residents are aware of, and have access to, a broad range of services to meet their needs. Supportive services should be voluntary and cannot be mandated as a condition of tenancy. Services can be provided in one of two ways. 1. The subrecipient can provide services directly. This model should only be employed by organizations that have substantial experience and expertise in the provision of the services proposed. 2. The subrecipient can contract with another organization to provide the required services. FUNDING OPPORTUNITY The Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority will be allocating $1.8M of the HOME-ARP funds for supportive services and $1.2 M for Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA). Funds awarded through this application will be in the form of a grant with funds drawn for reimbursement of costs incurred. A subrecipient agreement between the service provider and VIHFA will establish the terms of the grant award. HOME-ARP funds can only be used for eligible costs incurred after an agreement HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 4 has been fully executed and a Notice to Proceed issued. Applicants are required to provide a budget for the provision of services. ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES/ USES OF FUNDS All applicants must submit a detailed services plan outlining how each qualifying population will receive services that will help them to achieve and maintain stability to remain healthy and successfully housed. SUPPORTIVE SERVICES The supportive services funded with HOME-ARP dollars must be characterized as Homeless Prevention Services as defined by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Eligible costs associated with approved homelessness prevention supportive services includes, but are not limited to: 1. Childcare: The costs of childcare for program participants, including providing meals and snacks, and comprehensive and coordinated developmental activities, are eligible. The childcare center must be licensed by the jurisdiction in which it operates in order for its costs to be eligible. Childcare may be provided to children under the age of 13, unless the child has a disability. Childcare services may be provided to children with a disability under the age of 18. 2. Education Services: The costs of improving knowledge and basic educational skills are eligible costs including instruction or training in consumer education, health education, substance abuse prevention, literacy, English as a Second Language (ESL), and General Educational Development (GED). Eligible costs also include screening, assessment, and testing; individual or group instruction; tutoring; provision of books, supplies, and instructional material; counseling; and referral to community resources. 3. Employment Assistance and Job Training: The costs of establishing and/or operating employment assistance and job training programs are eligible, including classroom, online and/or computer instruction, on-the-job instruction, services that assist individuals in securing employment, acquiring learning HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 5 skills, and/or increasing earning potential. The cost of providing reasonable stipends to program participants in employment assistance and job training programs is also an eligible cost. Learning skills include those skills that can be used to secure and retain a job, including the acquisition of vocational licenses and/or certificates. 4. Food: The cost of providing meals or groceries to program participants is eligible. 5. Legal Services (Eligible activities limited to those listed in the HOME-ARP Notice). Eligible costs are the fees charged by licensed attorneys and by person(s) under the supervision of licensed attorneys, for advice and representation in matters that interfere with a qualifying individual or family's ability to obtain and retain housing. Eligible subject matters are child support; guardianship; paternity; emancipation; legal separation; orders of protection and other legal remedies for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and stalking; appeal of veterans and public benefit claim denials; landlord-tenant disputes; and the resolution of outstanding criminal warrants; landlord/tenant matters, provided that the services must be necessary to resolve a legal problem that prohibits the program participant from obtaining permanent housing or will likely result in the program participant losing the permanent housing in which the program participant currently resides. o Services may include client intake, receiving and preparing cases for trial, providing legal advice, representation at hearings, and counseling. o Fees based on the actual service performed (i.e., fee for service) are also eligible, but only if the cost is less than the cost of hourly fees. o Filing fees and other necessary court costs are also eligible. If the subrecipient is a legal services provider and performs the services itself, the eligible costs are the subrecipient's employees' pro rata salaries based on time allocations and other costs necessary to perform the services. Ineligible: Legal services for immigration and citizenship matters and for issues related to mortgages and homeownership are ineligible. Retainer fee arrangements and contingency fee arrangements are prohibited. 6. Life skills training: The costs of teaching critical life management skills that may never have been learned or have been lost during the course of physical or substance abuse, mental illness, domestic HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 6 violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, substance abuse, and homelessness are eligible. These services must be necessary to assist the program participant to function independently in the community. Life skills training includes the budgeting of resources and money management, household management, conflict management, shopping for food and other needed items, nutrition, the use of public transportation, and parent training. 7. Mental Health Services: Eligible costs are the direct outpatient treatment of mental health conditions that are provided by licensed professionals. Mental health services are the application of therapeutic processes to personal, family, situational, or occupational problems in order to bring about positive resolution of the problem or improved individual or family functioning or circumstances. Services include crisis interventions; counseling; individual, family, or group therapy sessions; the prescription of psychotropic medications or explanations about the use and management of medications; and combinations of therapeutic approaches to address multiple problems. 8. Outpatient Health Services: Eligible costs are the direct outpatient treatment of medical conditions when provided by licensed medical professionals including: o Providing an analysis or assessment of a program participant’s health problems and the development of a treatment plan; o Assisting program participants to understand their health needs; o Providing directly or assisting program participants to obtain and utilize appropriate medical treatment; o Preventive medical care and health maintenance services, including in-home health services and emergency medical services; o Provision of appropriate medication; o Providing follow-up services; and o Preventive and non-cosmetic dental care. 9. Outreach Services: The costs of activities to engage Qualifying Populations for the purpose of providing immediate support and intervention, as well as identifying potential program participants, are eligible. Eligible costs include the outreach worker's transportation costs and a cell HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 7 phone to be used by the individual performing the outreach. Costs associated with the following services are eligible: initial assessment; crisis counseling; addressing urgent physical needs, such as providing meals, blankets, clothes, or toiletries; actively connecting and providing people with information and referrals to homeless and mainstream programs; and publicizing the availability of the housing and/or services provided within the Participating Jurisdiction’s geographic area. 10. Substance Abuse Treatment Services: Eligible costs are substance abuse treatment services are designed to prevent, reduce, eliminate, or deter relapse of substance abuse or addictive behaviors and are provided by licensed or certified professionals. The costs include: o Program participant intake and assessment; o Outpatient treatment; o Group and individual counseling; o Drug testing. Ineligible: Inpatient detoxification and other inpatient drug or alcohol treatment are ineligible. 11. Transportation: Eligible costs are: o The costs of a program participant's travel on public transportation or in a vehicle provided by the Applicant to and from medical care, employment, childcare, or other eligible services; o Mileage allowance for service workers to visit program participants and to carry out housing inspections; o The cost of purchasing or leasing a vehicle in which staff transports program participants and/or staff serving program participants; o The cost of gas, insurance, taxes, and maintenance for the vehicle; o The costs of staff to accompany or assist program participants to utilize public transportation; 12. Case Management: The costs of assessing, arranging, coordinating, and monitoring the delivery of individualized services to meet the needs of the program participant(s) are eligible costs. Service providers (subrecipients) providing these supportive services must have written standards for providing the assistance. Eligible costs are those associated with the HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 8 following services and activities: o Conducting the initial evaluation, including verifying and documenting eligibility, for individuals and families applying for supportive services; o Counseling; o Developing, securing, and coordinating services; o Using a centralized or coordinated assessment system that complies with the requirements of Section IV.C of Notice CPD-21-10; o Obtaining federal, State, and local benefits; o Monitoring and evaluating program participant progress; o Providing information and referrals to other providers; o Providing ongoing risk assessment and safety planning with victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking; o Developing an individualized housing and service plan, including planning a path to permanent housing stability; and o Conducting re-evaluations of the program participant's eligibility and the types and amounts of assistance the program participant needs. 13. Credit Repair: HOME-ARP funds may pay for credit counseling and other services necessary to assist program participants with critical skills related to household budgeting, managing money, accessing a free personal credit report, and resolving personal credit problems. This assistance does not include the payment or modification of a debt. 14. Services for special populations: HOME-ARP funds may be used to provide services for special populations, such as victim services, so long as the costs of providing these services are eligible under this application. The term victim services means services that assist program participants who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking including services offered by rape crisis centers and domestic violence shelters, and other organizations with a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking. TENANT BASED RENTAL ASSISTANCE (TBRA) HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 9 Rental Assistance: Rental assistance is tenant-based rental assistance that can be used to allow individuals and families to obtain and remain in rental units with the goal of ensuring households are able to maintain housing stability and reduce the risk of homelessness. Funds cannot be used for mortgage assistance. Some staffing costs associated with providing rental assistance are allowable. Eligible costs include: o Rental assistance: provides payments towards housing and housing-related costs: i. Rent Expense (To include utilities if included in Rent Cost) ii. Security deposits (May not exceed the equivalent of two months’ rent for the unit.) iii. Utility deposits (Utility deposit assistance is an eligible cost only if rental assistance or a security deposit payment is provided.) o Project Delivery Costs i. Staff costs associated with determining household eligibility ii. Staff costs associated with unit inspections HOME-ARP funds may be used to pay for up to 100% of these eligible costs. A grantee using HOME-ARP TBRA funds to provide security deposits may not require the repayment or return of the security deposits. Security deposits assistance only is allowable. o Maximum Subsidy: While it is allowable for Sub-grantees to utilize HOME-ARP TBRA funds to pay up to 100% of gross rent (includes utilities), assistance should be needs-based, meaning that Sub-grantees should determine the amount of assistance based on the minimum amount needed to help the project participant maintain housing stability in the near term. This ensures efficient use of program resources to serve as many households as possible. o Sub-grantees may require a project participant to share in the costs of rent, however the inability of a project participant to contribute to the rent should not be a determining factor for termination from the program. Sub-grantees must determine and document the amount of rental assistance provided. Servicer must evaluate the applicant’s ability to pay rent based on their household income, sharing costs of rent with households at 30% of the household income. Grantees must not make rent payments directly to project participants, but only to landlords, property owners or property management companies. HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 10 INELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES/ RESTRICTIONS Any ineligible costs paid using HOME-ARP funds must be repaid to VIHFA by the sub-grantee. Only homelessness prevention services as outlined above are eligible for funding with HOME-ARP dollars. Financial assistance for TBRA cannot be provided to a program participant who is receiving the same type of assistance through other public sources for the same period of time – no duplication of benefits. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Any qualifying housing and/or supportive service provider interested in becoming a HOME-ARP subrecipient must complete the application provided below. Applicants seeking more information on HOME-ARP Supportive Services & TBRA funds should contact Mone’t Francis-Gardner at homearp@vihfa.gov. Applications that are not received by the response submission deadline (Thursday, May 15, 2025) or that do not adhere to the submission instructions described herein shall not be accepted or considered by VIHFA. Applications may be submitted electronically at homearp@vihfa.gov or via hard copy at VIHFA Main Office Locations: ST. Thomas Office: 3202 Demarara Plaza, Ste 200, St. Thomas, VI 00802 St. Croix Office: 100 Lagoon Complex, Ste 4, St. Croix, VI 00840 Applicant responses should be concise and adhere to the word count applicable to each section of the HOME-ARP application. All required supporting documents must be submitted with the application package at the time of submission. Please note that failure to provide any information documents requested may cause your submission not to be reviewed or considered by VIHFA. Questions regarding application status should be directed to homearp@vihfa.gov. Updates, amendments and Q&As related to this NOFA may be posted from time to time on the VIHFA Website. HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 11 U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS HOME-ARP APPLICATION/PROPOSAL Section A: General Organization Information This section must be completed by all applicants. 1. Name of Organization: _____________________________________________________ 2. Project Point of Contact (POC):__________________________ Position: _____________ 3. Physical Address: _________________________________________________________ (Address, State, City, Zip Code) 4. Mailing Address: _________________________________ Zip Code: _______________ (Address, State & City- if different from above) 5. Phone No.: (___)________________________ Mobile No.: (___)_________________ 6. Alternate Phone No.: (___)_________________Mobile No.: (___)_________________ 7. Email Address: __________________________________________________________ 8. EIN/Tax ID #: ___________________________________________________________ 9. Entity Type: Select From below (____) Government (____) Not for Profit 10. If the applicant is a governmental entity, please skip to Question #14. Please provide the following required business documents. If not included with this application, please provide a separate narrative to indicate the dates by which the remaining documents will be submitted. (___) Articles of Incorporation & By-laws (___) Listing of current board members (___) Certificate of Good Standing (___) Most recent single-audit report (applicable only if more than $750K was expended within the previous fiscal year) (___) Most recent Annual Financial Statement 11. Is this organization registered on SAM.gov? Yes (__) No (__) (Provide copy of SAM Registration) 12. Is this organization currently or has it ever been, barred from participating in any federal or federally funded program or project: Yes (___) No (___) 13. Please list below all federal funds received by your organization over the last 3 years: HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 12 a. Funding Table: b. If applicable, please provide a letter/ monitoring report from each of the funding sources attesting that the organization is in compliance with the grant requirements. 14. Purpose of the organization: _________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________ 15. Select the types of services your organization currently provides from the list of eligible activities below: (___) Childcare (__) Educational Services (___) Legal Services (__) Employment Assistance and Job Training Services (___) Food Services (__) Life Skills Training (___) Transportation (__) Mental Health Services (___) Case Management (__) Outpatient Health Services (___) Credit Repair (__) Substance & Abuse Treatment Services (___) Rental Assistance (___) Outreach Services (___) Housing 16. Identify population primarily served by your organization from the qualifying populations described below: (__) Homeless (__) At Risk of Homelessness as defined by HUD (See Glossary) Funding Source Amt of Funds Received Purpose for which funds were used Finished or Ongoing HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 13 (__) Fleeing/Attempting to Flee Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, Stalking, or Human Trafficking (__) Other Populations requiring Services or Housing Assistance to Prevent Homelessness OR At Greatest Risk of Housing Instability VIHFA requests that the contact information provided in response to this subsection (1) be strictly limited to business addresses, telephone numbers, and email addresses to protect any personal information from being made available to the public pursuant to American Privacy Rights Act (APRA.) Section B: Project Proposal (Total Word Limit: 1,500 words) Describe the eligible activities that your organization proposes to provide with HOME-ARP funds. Proposals must address how the organization plans to serve all qualifying populations. The detailed narrative shall include the district(s) served, physical location of where the organization plans to provide the services, and how your organization plans to deliver the services to the qualifying populations. Please include a timeline for your anticipated provision of services after notification of an award. Proposals submitted should be for a three (3) year period with a corresponding three (3) year budget. For projects that intend to only provide TBRA, the proposal must describe how your organization plans to ensure that clients have access to or receive supportive services. Section C: Experience and Resources (Total word limit: 2500 words) 1. Describe your organization and its capabilities. In particular, highlight your capacity to perform eligible activities as described in the above proposal. 2. Indicate which principals and associates from your organization would be involved in providing services under this proposal. Include resumes for key personnel and identify their responsibilities. Identify individuals in your organization with multi-lingual skills, who are available to assist with communication in languages other than English. Please identify the language(s). 3. If applicable, please indicate the name of any subcontractors that would be involved in providing services to your organization. Provide appropriate qualifications for each person or HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 14 entity, identify the person/ entity’s responsibilities. 4. Provide a list of organizations or agencies with which you have collaborated to deliver similar work, including a contact name and business telephone number. 5. Describe your organization’s information security systems and the steps that your organization takes to safeguard client communication, confidential information, and client data. Section D: Miscellaneous (Total word limit: 500 words) 1. Include any written agreements that you would like to bring to VIHFA’s attention, including but not limited to any memoranda of understanding and/or memoranda of agreement related to the Scope of Work, and any other written agreement related to said Scope of Work. Copies of said agreements may be submitted as part of the applicant’s proposal. Section E. Certifications Please list any applicable Certifications that demonstrate your organization’s ability to effectively perform the services provided in this proposal. HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 15 EVALUATION AND SELECTION VIHFA will review all proposals that meet the requirements set forth in the “Instructions” section of this NOFA and make a selection based on the following factors: SCORING CRITERIA To the extent to which the application addresses the criteria set forth in this section will inform the score. All proposals will be separated and ranked based on project category (TBRA, Supportive Services, or Both) and district. The highest scoring proposals within a specific project category will be selected for an award subject to the availability of funds. Applicants may letter their responses to the scoring criteria to correspond with the criteria below. (Up to 100 points available). o Targeting: Proposals that target households who are extremely low income (30% AMI and below) and are either experiencing homelessness (HUD’s Category 1 Homeless Definition) or are survivors of domestic violence (HUD’s Category 4 Homeless Definition). (Up to 20 Points) o Proposals that include written commitment(s) with social services provider(s) experienced in serving extremely low-income households and/or households experiencing homelessness or fleeing domestic violence. (Up to 15 points). o Quality of the Supportive Services Plan: Written commitment(s) demonstrate ability to deliver a comprehensive program framework which moves a client towards housing stability, an increase of skills, greater self-determination and an increasing income. Services delivery strategies may include but are not limited to: employment training and resources and supports; education resources and supports; housing retention and stabilization; literacy and parenting education; household and financial management; financial literacy; access to substance use services; access to healthcare services; opportunities for community building and integration; and others as needed to support the self-sufficiency of eligible households. (Up to 35 points). o Proposals that enable access to housing with flexible screening criteria to accommodate households that may have atypical or challenging credit history and/or some previous criminal justice involvement. Proposals that enable access to housing without prerequisites or conditions beyond those required of a typical renter; these points will be awarded to a HOME-American Rescue Plan (ARP) Supportive Services Program Respondent Name: 16 project that has no prerequisites for tenancy other than compliance with a standard market lease agreement. As a reminder, only individuals and families in the Qualifying Populations are eligible to receive HOME-ARP tenant-based rental assistance, and tenant selection must be performed in accordance with Section IV.C of Notice CPD-21-10 (Up to 20 Points). o Proposals that enable access to housing developments with units ready for immediate occupancy (Up to 10 points). By this NOFA, VIHFA has not committed itself to undertake the work set forth herein. VIHFA reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to rebid the original or amended scope of services and to enter into negotiations with one or more respondents. VIHFA reserves the right to make those decisions after its receipt of responses. VIHFA’s decision on these matters is final. For additional information contact: Mone’t Francis-Gardner at homearp@vihfa.gov. Agency/ Organization: ______________________________________________________ Authorized Representative (print): Title: ___________________________________________________________________ Signature: ____________________________________________________________