HUD Continuum of Care Program
Each year, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) solicits grant applications through a community-based process to address the needs of those experiencing homelessness. This process, known as the Continuum of Care Program (CoC), facilitates grants designed to address the problems of homelessness in a comprehensive manner with other federal agencies.
The HUD CoC Program is designed to:
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Promote a community-based solution to ending homelessness;
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Provide funding to nonprofits, States, and local governments to prevent and quickly re-house individual and families experiencing homelessness;
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Minimize the trauma and dislocation that individuals, families, and communities experience as a result of homelessness; and
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Promote the effective utilization of mainstream resources.​
Continuum of Care also refers to a community-based group composed of representation from a cross-section of providers, community entities, representatives of mainstream resources, and individuals from one or more localities that have joined together for these purposes. The CoC organization is responsible for developing local community-based solutions to homelessness and applying for HUD funding through a collaborative grant application. The CoC organization in the Central Sierra Foothill region which includes the following localities: the Counties of Amador, Calaveras, Mariposa and Tuolumne. Amador Tuolumne Community Action Agency, a CAA established in 1981 is the lead agency for CSCoC and manages the annual HUD CoC grant application process.
HUD announces the beginning of the annual grant competition by publishing a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). The NOFA provides detailed information about the application process including deadlines, eligible applicants, activities and costs. Anyone interested in applying for HUD funding should become familiar with the federal legislation governing CoC funding, Program Interim Rule Part 578 Continuum of Care Program as well as the NOFA. Applicants should also check this website often as the grant information is updated on a regular basis.