From: SSVF

Sent: Friday, December 13, 2019 11:26 AM

To: SSVF

Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday December 13th, 2019

Topics:

1.          Reminder: Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Published in the Federal Register

2.         Reminder: End of Year Requirements- Due Monday December 16, 2019

3.         Important: Mandatory Return of Funds Exception for First Quarter FY2020

4.         Save the Date: Rapid Resolution Office Hours Call January 8, 2020 2:3 0PM Eastern

Reminder: Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF) Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) Published in the Federal Register.

On December 5, 2019, a new SSVF NOFA has been published in the Federal Register. This NOFA provides funding opportunities to renew existing grants. This NOFA is competitive, and applicants are urged to closely review the NOFA and the associated training available on the SSVF website by using the link below.  The principal goal of this NOFA is to provide support to those applicants who demonstrate the greatest capacity to end homelessness through the adoption of evidence-based practices likely to lead to reductions in homelessness.  Scoring criteria are described in 38 CFR 62.21, 62.23, and 62.24. Awards are for services to begin October 1, 2020. Applications are due no later than January 31, 2020 at 4pm EST. Please contact SSVF@va.gov if you have questions.

The NOFA and training are available on the SSVF website and can be found using the link below:

https://www.va.gov/homeless/ssvf/index.asp

Reminder: End of Year Requirements -Due Monday December 16, 2019

In an effort to minimize the need for re-submissions and to streamline the review process for the End of Year Requirement in GIFTS for grantees that were approved for an extension, below are some tips that grantees can follow to avoid errors and re-submission.

•           Read the instructions of the first tab of the FER (Financial Expenditure Report)

•           Be sure to provide justifications for any line items with a variance of +/-10%

•           Be sure to use the FER template that was provided to your organization by the program office.

•           When attaching the FER file to your requirement submission, please leave the file name the same as what was provided (XX-YY-ZZZ_FY19_Financial_Expenditure_Report)

•           Be sure to complete the FFR (Federal Financial Report) in PMS (Payment Management System). There is a response requested on the EOY requirement in GIFTS asking grantees to certify this is done. An organization should not be answering "yes" to this question if the FFR has not been submitted.

Important: Mandatory Return of Funds Exception for First Quarter FY2020

As stated in each SSVF grant agreement, at the end of each quarter a grantee’s requests for SSVF funds (also known as draw-downs) must meet the minimum spending percentage rate outlined in the grant agreement.  Grantees that don’t meet minimum spending percentage rates will be subject to a mandatory return of funds.  Please note that grantees do not submit physical invoices to the SSVF Program Office; therefore, expenditure rates are assessed using the draw down information in the HHS Payment Management System. As a reminder, the process requires grantees to have drawn down at least 15% of the full award by the end of the first quarter, 40% by the end of the second quarter, and 65% of the award by the end of the third quarter, if that standard is not met then a mandatory return is processed.

The SSVF Program Office will NOT be implementing the mandatory return of funds process after the first quarter.  Please note that the mandatory return process WILL be in effect after the second and third quarters of FY2020.  Shallow Subsidy awards and grantees that have received Disaster Relief funds in FY2019 will be exempt from mandatory return of funds during the FY2020 grant year.   If you have any questions, please contact your Regional Coordinator. 

Save the Date: Rapid Resolution Office Hours Call January 8, 2020 at  2:30 PM  Eastern

The SSVF Program Office will continue to support grantees in their efforts to implement Rapid Resolution in their communities by holding Office Hours calls. SSVF Program Office staff and Technical Assistance providers will be available to answer questions and provide guidance during this time. The next SSVF Rapid Resolution Office Hours call will provide an overview of the updated Rapid Resolution Compliance guide and will take place on January 8,  2020 at 2:30 PM Eastern time.

Registration link to follow.

Thank You,

SSVF Program Office