Application Deadline: Friday, March 19, 2021 no later than 12:00 p.m. CDT

Applicant Information	
Organization Name	     	
Legal Organization Name
(if different than above)	     	
Contact Person 	     	
Contact Title	     	
Address 	     	
City, State, Zip Code 	     	
Telephone Number	     	
Email Address	     	
Program Applying For and 
Amount Requesting:	Bridges    $               Bridges RTC   $      	
Proposed Service Area:	     	

Instructions:  Applicants must use this required application form, without modifications, and complete all sections. Applicants are encouraged to be clear and concise in the presentation of information. The total length of the application must not exceed 17 pages (19 pages, if a new applicant). The minimum font size is 12. 

Please do not submit other materials that are not requested (letter of support, photos, brochures, etc.). Unrequested materials will not be reviewed. 

Priority Populations (Possible Points: 15 points)
Bridges is designed to assist people with high needs through housing subsidies that are linked with community mental health services. To achieve this goal, administrators must prioritize the following populations, with highest priority given to people in category 1. The following priorities must be identified in the housing agency’s waiting list management and tenant selection plan:
•	People living in an Institution, segregated setting, or under correctional supervision who will be homeless upon exit
•	People experiencing homelessness who are assessed as High Priority Homeless (HPH) through the Coordinated Entry (CE) system including households of individuals, families with children, or youth (age 18+)
•	People who are experiencing homelessness or are at imminent risk of homelessness

1.	What plan do you have to reach and serve people living in an Institution, segregated setting, or under correctional supervision who will be homeless upon exit have priority for the program? 
     

2.	How specifically will you reach households exiting correctional facilities or who are on supervised release along with who will be your services partner(s) for this group?  
     

3.	Does your waiting list practice allow for people to transition directly from an Institution or homelessness? If not, what are some ways you could alter your practice to allow for more real-time openings for people with mental illness in your region?
     

4.	Does the local Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) administrator(s) prioritize Participants on their waiting list? If all administrators in the region are not prioritizing the population, how will you help ensure that Bridges Participants will have access to permanent subsidies?
     

Program Design and Implementation (Possible points: 15 points) 
1.	Describe how you ensure subsidies are available throughout your proposed service area, including to tribal nations within the area? If you have portions of your service area where program utilization is limited, what efforts will be made to better serve these regions?  
     

2.	How will you conduct housing quality standards (HQS) inspections and complete recertifications within your proposed service area?  How will you incorporate virtual HQS inspections into the inspection plan?
     

3.	People with mental illness that are exiting Institutions and segregated settings often have barriers to housing. What is the plan with your Behavioral Health Service Agency providers and Housing Stabilization Services partners in the service area to assist people with locating housing?
     

4.	If you are planning to subcontract with other housing agencies or organizations to implement the program in your proposed region, describe how you will provide oversight and conduct monitoring of Bridges/Bridges RTC funded activities by these entities.
     

5.	Describe your policies or procedures to monitor utilization of program funds and assess your program model throughout the grant term and how you will address issues identified.
     

Diversity and Inclusion (Possible points 10 Points)
1.	How will you help ensure that you are receiving referrals and creating access to the program so as to reach the most vulnerable households that are underserved and exiting Institutions or disparately impacted by homelessness to include Black, Indigenous and People of Color, veterans, and those with mental illness that are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer (LGBTQ)?
     

2.	If tribal nations are included in your proposed service area, describe how tribal members access the program and how they are involved in the Adult Mental Health Initiatives (AMHI) or collaborative meetings. If there is not tribal land in the service area, how will you outreach to indigenous people residing in the region? 
     

3.	Specifically name the Behavioral Health Service Agency partners and Housing Stabilization Services partners that will assist with the services for the most vulnerable households that are exiting Institutions, to include people on correctional supervision, or households disparately impacted by homelessness and the specific service plan and resources that will be used.
     

Foundational Service Practices (Possible points: 10 points) 
Foundational service practices identify areas of program implementation believed to have the greatest potential to positively impact outcomes for people experiencing homelessness. The goals of the service practices are to establish standards to more effectively serve individuals and families who experience challenges in accessing and maintaining participation in the program. The foundational service practices are related to:
•	Documents required for enrollment
•	Frequency of required in-person appointments
•	Mailing address and phone number requirements
•	Communication methods
•	Criminal history
•	Documenting housing status

1.	Describe specific strategies that you will implement to reduce barriers to accessing or maintaining participation in the program. In the program annual report, you will be asked to report outcomes from these strategies. 
     

2.	Describe how you will evaluate the effectiveness of the implemented strategies and your continuous improvement process if changes or revisions are needed.
     
   
Services (Possible points: 15 points) 
1.	Describe the service models and strategies used to help ensure housing stability for persons who will be served in the program, including referral, behavioral health, housing transition, housing sustaining, and eviction prevention strategies. Provide specific information on the Behavioral Health Services Agency and Housing Stabilization Service partners that will be involved, and the resources identified to provide the services.  
     

2.	Describe how the Local Mental Health (LMH) Entity will work with local in-home behavioral health providers (i.e. case management, Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), Adult Rehabilitative Mental Health Services (ARMHS)) and Housing Stabilization Service providers to help ensure access and choice of providers by program Participants for these services. 
     

3.	Describe the plan and process for successfully transferring Participants to another permanent subsidy program, including how you and service partners will work with the participant to achieve this goal. Identify how Participants transition will be facilitated through increasing income, and what support services are in place to do so. 
     
			 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 				
Bridges RTC Applicants Only (Possible points: 5 points)
1.	Describe how you and your service partners will identify and engage people at Anoka Metro Regional Treatment Center (AMRTC), St. Peter Regional Treatment Center/Forensic Services to remove barriers to housing and help ensure that Participants can apply for and transition to Bridges eligible housing.
     

2.	Describe how you and your service partners will utilize behavioral health, housing, and other services and resources to assist Participants in retaining housing.
     

New Applicants Only (Possible points: 35 points) 
1.	Describe your administrative experience with similar projects. Your response must include, but is not limited to:
•	Previous experience with state or federal funding or housing programs that serve low-income households
•	Experience administering rental assistance
•	Experience serving the most vulnerable individuals with mental illness that are exiting Institutions, to include people on correctional supervision or households disparately impacted by homelessness
•	Program management, monitoring, and evaluation
	     

2.	Describe your ability to administer the program. Your response must include, but is not limited to:
•	How you will identify and build relationships with landlords?
•	How will you provide access to permanent housing options for Bridges Participants?
	     

3.	Describe your staff’s experience working with individuals with mental illness who are exiting Institutions, and who are experiencing homelessness or housing instability. 
     

4.	Describe your policies for in-person appointments for annual recertifications and accommodations that are available to Participants who have difficulty completing this process.
     

 Performance- Current Grantees Only (Possible points: 35 points) 
Current grantees will be evaluated by:
•	Grant fund utilization
•	Outcome – households actually served compared to proposed number of households to be served
•	Timely report submission
•	Communication with Minnesota Housing
•	Budget form responses

Signatures
I certify and acknowledge, on behalf of myself and the applicant, that:
A.	The statements and information contained in this application, based upon reasonable inquiry and belief, are true, accurate, and complete. 
B.	I have been duly authorized and have full authority to execute this application on behalf of the applicant.  
C.	The applicant will promptly notify the Minnesota Housing Finance Agency in writing of a change of any fact or circumstance represented in this application, or in any other document furnished in connection with this application, which is reasonably likely to have a material effect on the information contain in this application.

Authorized Signature
          
Printed Name
          
Title
          
Date