The Continuum of Care is an annual funding competition sponsored by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Continuum of Care funds come from federal McKinney-Vento Act dollars and are set aside to assist the nation’s homeless population through housing and supportive services programs.

Unlike many federal grant programs, Continuum of Care funds are competitive, not block-granted. HUD examines a community’s homeless continuum of care. A continuum of care system is designed to address the critical problem of homelessness through a coordinated community-based process of identifying needs and building a system to address those needs. The approach is predicated on the understanding that homelessness is not caused merely by a lack of shelter, but involves a variety of underlying, unmet needs – physical, economic, and social. Funds are granted based on the competition following the Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA).

The Homeless Alliance of Western New York coordinates the process that selects the local projects that will go forward in the competition for possible federal funding and assembles Erie County’s application for these funds.

In the past eight years, the Homeless Alliance is proud to have secured over seventy million dollars into Erie County for homeless housing and service programs. In addition to coordinating the Continuum of Care process, the Alliance manages HUD-mandated efforts including PRISM, the local ten-year plan to end long-term or chronic homelessness, and the Homeless Management Information System, BAS-Net.

2010 Continuum of Care Competition Materials

2010 New Project CoC Local Application
2010 Renewal Project CoC Local Application
2010 CoC Project Budget
2010 Request for Proposals
CoC Guidelines 2010

2009 Continuum of Care Competition Materials

Competition Information (Please Read Carefully)
SHP Funding Availability and Match Requirements
S+C Funding Availability and Match Requirements
S+C Component Comparisons
2009 Buffalo and Erie County Continuum of Care Guidelines 2009 Request for Proposals 2009 Local Application 2009 Budget Form 2009 Appeals Form

HUD Application Forms and Materials

Since 2008, Continuum of Care applicants are required to submit electronic applications to the Department of Housing and Urban Development via E-SNAPS. This internet-based grants application site is different from Grants.gov and requires registration. Agencies that are applying for Continuum of Care funds should register as soon as possible with E-SNAPS by clicking here.