Let's Talk Budget: 2025 Homeless Services and Housing Resources RFP

CDD & CDBG Unit

Community Development Division's (CDD) Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Unit oversees the funding for the unsheltered services. The unit's staff is responsible for seeking, applying, and administering funds from multiple sources, mainly from the Federal Government. Once sources are secured, an RFP (Request for Proposal) centered on the highest priority needs and city goals is developed and presented to the community. The entire RFP process, from training to applicants and to recommendations, can be found in the Funding Opportunities under the Community Development city page.

Funding is limited, which often leaves organizations and programming unfunded. The application requires the agency to share its expected budgets for the funding cycle. Included in the budget are funding sources and expense totals, and just like this RFP process, some of those funds are also in the RFP process with the respective funders.

City staff do an excellent job sharing information about RFPs. This presents an opportunity for us to learn about non-profit organizations that perform vital functions that our city taxes cannot directly support. It is also a chance to discover volunteering opportunities or to donate directly to these organizations. Each application includes the organization's mission and a detailed description of the services for which they are seeking funding. Please review the applications. If an applicant applies for multiple programs, the first few pages will include the same basic organizational information, followed by the specifics of each program. To see the completed applications, scroll to the bottom of the 2025 Homeless Services and Housing Resources RFP page to find the PDF attachments.

Once the applications are submitted, a review committee examines each application. The committee consists of the CDBG Unit staff, a CDBG committee member, and members of the community. This committee collectively makes recommendations to the CDBG committee. Check out the full presentation here. This presentation gives an overview of the current needs in our community and covers the RFP goals, process, and the reviewers' recommendations.

Federal Funding Sources:

• ESG
• TBRA
• CDBG
• Home ARP

RFP Funding Sources:

RFP Summary:

1. RPF Total Available Funds: $3,495,700
2. RFP Total Applicants Ask: $6,358,220
3. Number of applicants: 12 Non-Profit Organizations (-1 withdrew)
4. Number of programs: 22 (-1 withdrew)

Applicants: 

1. African Center for Community Development, Inc.
2. Catalyst for Change Inc.
3. Community Action Coalition for South Central Wisconsin (CAC)
4. Kabba Incorporated (withdrew)
5. Lutheran Social Services of Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, Inc. (LSS)
6. Madison Area Care for the Homeless (MACH) OneHealth dba Madison Street Medicine
7. Porchlight, Inc.
8. Tenant Resource Center
9. The Road Home Dane County
10. The Salvation Army of Dane County
11. Urban Triage
12. YWCA Madison, Inc

RFP Category Programming:

I. Housing Resources

• Housing Counseling, Outreach
• Eviction Diversion & Defense

II. Emergency Shelter

• Men's Shelter
• Family Shelter
• Single Women's Shelter
• Diversion

III. Street Outreach

• Housing Focused Street Outreach
• Street Outreach Mediation
• Supporting Healthy Black Families-Outreach
• Dairy Drive

IV. Extreme Weather Respite Hotel for the Unsheltered

• Emergency Hotel Program
• Supporting the Unsheltered Emergency Hotel

V. Rapid Rehousing Program RRP

• Singles Rapid Rehousing
• Welcome Home Madison
• Housing Stability Program

VI. Homelessness Prevention

• Supporting Housing Stability
• Prioritize Madison

VII. Permanent Supportive Housing

• Amphora

VIII. Other Permanent Housing

• Permanent Housing Case Management
• The Breese Ace/DCHA, Housing & Hope

Due to funding limitations and city priorities, 45% of these services were not recommended for funding. This RFP highlights the needs affecting a portion of our population that is often ignored or further oppressed by some community members who fail to understand the root causes of these issues. Those who believe the solution is simply to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps" lack the necessary depth and understanding. We cannot tell children experiencing housing insecurity in Madison Public Schools that resilience alone will provide them with stable shelter.

A closer look at the list of programs reveals the reality Madison is facing post-COVID-19. The solution to homelessness begins with educating ourselves about the issues—housing stability, access to food, fair wages, mental health, the rising costs of health insurance, domestic abuse, and more. We cannot police our way out of this situation! Since the pandemic, these numbers have been steadily rising as presented to the CDBG committee.

This RFP process has been the most challenging to date because it impacts the most vulnerable humans in our community. As a human, I hope to support the needs of this community fully. However, as an elected official constrained by a city budget, as well as County, State, and Federal funding limitations, I must evaluate and prioritize the limited funds available.

I hope this blog sparks your curiosity and desire to learn more and to find ways to engage.

PowerPoint Presentation PDF Format (2nd page graph)

The next steps for this RFP are as follows:

1. Staff will prepare a resolution with the CDBG recommendations to introduce to Council
2. The resolution will be referred back to CDBG for a second look
3. And back to the council for a vote

Stay tuned for the resolution ID and routing.

The recommendations:

PowerPoint Presentation PDF Format (Last page graph)