§ 61.13 - Capital grant application packages - rating criteria.

§ 61.13 Capital grant application packages - rating criteria.

(a) General. Applicants that meet the threshold requirements in § 61.12 will be rated using the selection criteria listed in this section. To be eligible for a capital grant, an applicant must receive at least 750 points (out of a possible 1000) and must receive points under each of the following paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), and (g) of this section.

(b) Project plan. VA will award up to 300 points based on the demonstration and quality of the following:

(1) The selection of the proposed housing in light of the population to be served.

(2) The process used for deciding which veterans are appropriate for admission.

(3) How, when, and by whom the progress of participants toward meeting their individual goals will be monitored, evaluated, and documented.

(4) The role program participants will have in operating and maintaining the housing.

(5) The responsibilities the applicant, sponsors, or contractors will have in operating and maintaining the housing.

(6) The supportive services that will be provided and by whom to help participants achieve residential stability, increase skill level and/or income, and become involved in making life decisions that will increase self-determination.

(7) The measureable measurable objectives that will be used to determine success of the supportive services.

(8) How the success of the program will be evaluated on an ongoing basis.

(9) How the nutritional needs of veterans will be met.

(10) How the agency will ensure a clean and sober environment.

(11) How participants will be assisted in assimilating into the community through access to neighborhood facilities, activities, and services.

(12) How the proposed project will be implemented in a timely fashion.

(13) How permanent affordable housing will be identified and made known to participants upon leaving the supportive housing.

(14) How participants will be provided necessary follow-up services.

(15) The description of program policies regarding participant agreements, rent, and fees.

(c) Outreach to persons on streets and in shelters. VA will award up to 100 points based on:

(1) The agency's outreach plan to serve homeless veterans living in places not ordinarily meant for human habitation (e.g., streets, parks, abandoned buildings, automobiles, under bridges, in transportation facilities) and those who reside in emergency shelters; and

(2) The likelihood that proposed plans for outreach and selection of participants will result in these populations being served.

(d) Ability of applicant to develop and operate a project. VA will award up to 200 points based on the extent to which the application demonstrates the necessary staff and organizational experience to complete and operate the proposed project, based on the following:

(1) Staffing plan for the project that reflects the appropriate professional staff, both administrative and clinical;

(2) Experience of staff, if staff not yet hired, position descriptions and expectations of time to hire;

(3) Amount of time each staff position is dedicated to the project, and in what capacity;

(4) Applicant's previous experience assessing and providing for the housing needs of homeless veterans;

(5) Applicant's previous experience assessing and providing supportive services for homeless veterans;

(6) Applicant's previous experience assessing supportive service resources and entitlement benefits;

(7) Applicant's previous experience with evaluating the progress of both individual participants and overall program effectiveness using quality and performance data to make changes;

(8) Applicant's previous experience operating housing for homeless individuals;

(9) Overall agency organizational overview (org. chart); and

(10) Historical documentation of past performance both with VA and non-VA projects, including those from other Federal, state and local agencies and audits by private or public entities.

(e) Need. VA will award up to 150 points based on the extent to which the applicant demonstrates:

(1) Substantial unmet needs, particularly among the target population living in places not ordinarily meant for human habitation such as the streets, emergency shelters, based on reliable data from surveys of homeless populations or other reports or data gathering mechanisms that directly support claims made; and

(2) An understanding of the homeless population to be served and its unmet housing and supportive service needs.

(f) Completion confidence. VA will award up to 50 points based on the review panel's confidence that the applicant has effectively demonstrated the supportive housing or service center project will be completed as described in the application. VA may use historical program documents of past performance both VA and non-VA, including those from other Federal, state and local agencies as well as audits by private or public entities in determining confidence scores.

(g) Coordination with other programs. VA will award up to 200 points based on the extent to which applicants demonstrate that they have coordinated with Federal, state, local, private and other entities serving homeless persons in the planning and operation of the project. Such entities may include shelter transitional housing, health care, or social service providers; providers funded through Federal initiatives; local planning coalitions or provider associations; or other program providers relevant to the needs of homeless veterans in the local community. Applicants are required to demonstrate that they have coordinated with the VA medical care facility of jurisdiction and/or VA Regional Office of jurisdiction in their area. VA will award up to 50 points of the 200 points based on the extent to which commitments to provide supportive services are documented at the time of application. Up to 150 points of the 200 points will be given to the extent applicants demonstrate that:

(1) They are part of an ongoing community-wide planning process within the framework described above which is designed to share information on available resources and reduce duplication among programs that serve homeless veterans;

(2) They have consulted directly with the closest VA Medical Center and other providers within the framework described above regarding coordination of services for project participants; and

(3) They have coordinated with the closest VA Medical Center their plan to assure access to health care, case management, and other care services.

(Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2011)