Homework Starts with Home

Homework Starts with Home (HSWH) is a grant program focused on addressing homelessness and housing instability among students and their families. The program serves families with children eligible for a pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 academic program and youth (with or without children of their own) who are eligible for an academic program through grade 12 and who are without their parent or guardian (unaccompanied youth)

Homework Starts with Home Contacts List - Find a Homework Starts with Home Program

Homework Starts with Home funding may be used to provide:

Support Services to find and keep housing
Financial help for rent deposit, rent assistance, utilities, housing application assistance and other housing related costs

HSWH uses the Family Homelessness Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP) and the Housing Trust Fund (HTF) rental assistance program guidelines to prevent homelessness whenever possible and if homelessness does occur, to help make sure that it is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Note: This program does not offer statewide coverage at this time.

Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program - October 1 2027-September 30, 2029 Contract Term (coming soon)

Housing Trust Fund Rental Assistance Program Guide - October 1, 2027-September 30, 2029 Contract Term

Request for Proposals Applications

Now Open!

Request for Proposals Application Information

Minnesota Housing is now accepting applications for the Homework Starts with Home (HSWH) Program Request for Proposals (RFP), in accordance with Minnesota Statute 462A.204 Subd. 8 and Minn. Stat. 462A.201. Minnesota Housing anticipates awarding up to $5.5 million from two funding sources, Housing Trust Fund (HTF) Program Rental Assistance and Family Homeless Prevention and Assistance Program (FHPAP funds, which can be requested through a single application. Funding is contingent on legislative approval, program appropriations and returned program funding and may increase or decrease.

Applications are due to Minnesota Housing by Friday, January 15, 2027, at 4:30 p.m. Central time.

Virtual Information Session

Join Minnesota Housing staff to learn more about the RFP application. Potential applicants are encouraged to attend.

HSWH RFP Information Session
Tuesday, November 10, 2024
10:00-noon Central Time

Register Here

The information session will provide an overview of RFP content and allow time for questions.

Eligibility

Eligible grantees include:

Twin Cities metropolitan area FHPAP administrators: Anoka, Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington counties
Non-Metropolitan area (Greater Minnesota) FHPAP administrators: A county, a group of contiguous counties jointly acting together, or a community-based nonprofit organization
Tribal Nations
Current HTF Administrators

Application Materials

RFP Coversheet
Application Instructions
Application - Tip: Enable Editing for full Microsoft securities functionality.
- Rich Text (RTF) format
- MS Word format
Signature Page
Budget Templates: (You may be prompted to open the file vs. save the file. Please use the “Save As” option to download this files, rather than “Open". After downloading, encoded Microsoft securities can be enabled by "unblocking macro’s" within the document properties.)
- 2-Year Grant Budget Template
- 4-Year Grant Budget Template
Pre-award Risk Assessment Form:
Memorandum of Understanding – unsigned

Application Process

Upload application materials to the Multifamily Secure Upload Tool no later than Friday, January 15, 2027, at 4:30 p.m. Central time to be considered for funding. Upload required documents in their original format; do not convert the documents into PDF or other formats except for the signature page of the application. Review the Upload Tool Instructions for more information.

Grantee Administration

Grantee Administration information is for grantees that are currently receiving program funding and need to comply with current grants.

Guides and Documents

Budgeting and Reporting

October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2027 Reporting Timeline - 2 year
October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2029 Reporting Timeline - 4 year
Visit www.hmismn.org for the latest updates on reporting on households served in HMIS.

Other Helpful Tools

Minnesota Homelessness and Prevention Assessment Tool (available in Hmong, Somali and Spanish)
Income Calculation Workbook

Draw Request Form and Submittal Instructions

The draw request workbook is secured with a password that must be entered each time the workbook is opened. This added security measure will protect confidential participant data when sent via Secure Upload Tool. Before attempting to open or download this file, you must request the password by sending an e-mail to any of the Rental Assistance staff members at Minnesota Housing. The draw request is submitted monthly by housing agencies and due by the 15th of each month.

Draw Request Form - Rental Assistance Payment Request Workbook [XLS] Updated 7.1.2026 - (Due to the macro's inside the draw request form, you may be prompted to open the file vs. save the file. Please use a “Save As” option to download this file, rather than “Open". After downloading, encoded Microsoft securities can be enabled by "unblocking macro’s" within the document properties.)
Rental Assistance Secure Upload Tool and Secure Upload Instructions

Draw Request Form Tutorials

Downloading the Draw Request Form (15:54) - How to download the draw request form; how to import data from a previous workbook; how to save and submit for reimbursement and program compliance. Notes

Part I: Draw Request Form Functionality (16:05) - PART ONE outlines features of the draw request form, various functions and calculations.

Part II: Draw Request Form Functionality; Monthly Log (16:52) - PART TWO focuses on the ‘MONTHLY LOG’ tab of the workbook; automated calculations and formulas; rounding, prorating and how to report suspensions and terminations.

Certifications and Name Changes (18:29) - Details the differences between annuals, interims, unit transfers, suspensions; terminations; how to report late certifications; head of household and name changes.

Housing Related Expenses, Utility Reimbursements (also known as Excess Utility Expenses) and Adjustments (11:56) - Outlines housing related expenses; Utility Reimbursements (also known as excess utility expenses) and adjustments.

Grantee Training

File Maintenance and Compliance Training

Minnesota Housing provided a training for grantees to provide direction in file organization, and collecting/maintaining proper documentation for the clients they serve. Watch the recording (1:35:35)

Due Diligence Training

Due Diligence Training Recording (34:00) (July 7, 2025)

Information Sessions on the Preliminary Practice Model

To help potential applicants consider how the program and its preliminary practice model could be implemented, refer to the following informational sessions and materials:

Two-Generational Approaches to Supporting Families. View the recording.
Leveraging Mainstream Resources. View the recording.
Progressive Engagement and Rapid Rehousing. View the recording.
Trauma-informed Care in Schools. View the recording.
Lessons from the Hamilton San Francisco Pilot. View the recording.