From: SSVF
Sent: Friday, April 24, 2020 2:33 PM
Cc: SSVF
Subject: SSVF Program Update Friday April 24th, 2020
Attachments: SSVF_COVID_19_Additional_Resources.pdf
Topics:
1. NEW:
Third-Party Solicitations of SSVF Providers
2. NEW: CARES
Funding Budget Requirement – Now in GIFTS
3. UPDATE: No
Longer Required – Tracking Form for SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance weekly
submission to Regional Coordinators
4. ATTACHMENT:
Updated List of Additional SSVF Resources Available During COVID-19 Crisis
5. REGISTER NOW:
SSVF Office Hours – CARES Act SSVF Funding and Resources Available May 1, 2020
at 12:00 EST
NEW: Third-Party
Solicitations of SSVF Providers
Several grantees
have informed us that they have been contacted by third-party organizations
representing themselves as subcontractors or researchers requesting information
about grantee spending and budgets. The SSVF Program Office does not endorse
these venders as we have official subcontractors working directly with our
program to provide technical assistance and auditing services. Grantees should
treat unsolicited third-party offers with caution. In particular, any offer of
assistance with CARES spending, such as brokering apartments or hotels that
require the transfer of funds to unknown entities, could result in fraud.
Grantees are encouraged to report suspicious emails to their Regional
Coordinators.
NEW: CARES Funding
Budget Requirement – Now in GIFTS
The SSVF Program
Office has distributed $201.5 million in supplemental funding for FY 2020 to
all grantees with renewable awards. These additional funds have been provided
through the CARES Act, so SSVF can provide enhanced Emergency Housing
Assistance, increase Homelessness Prevention, and support HUD-VASH placements
in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. These supplemental funds are now
available in a specially designated PMS account for use over the next 3 months
and your existing PMS account will be frozen until these funds are exhausted.
Once these funds are exhausted, grantees will revert to drawing from existing
FY 20 awards for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Budgets will need
to be submitted through the GIFTS online account portal at: https://grantrequest.com/SID_2115
Grantees will need to use Exhibit I to submit a 3-month budget for these
supplemental funds. Grantees must also provide a detailed description of each
line item contained in this budget and the underlying assumptions associated
with each line item amount (Exhibit II). It is expected that much of this
supplemental funding will be committed to TFA, therefore the 50% budget cap on
overall TFA has been waived.
If your agency
does not need these additional funds, please contact your Regional Coordinator
to arrange their return.
UPDATE: No Longer
Required – Tracking Form for SSVF Emergency Housing Assistance weekly
submission to Regional Coordinators
As of April 21,
Grantees are no longer required to keep an excel spreadsheet of the number of
Emergency Housing Assistance referrals received and placements made since March
18. The SSVF Program Office will be requesting this information from SSVF
Grantees via the GIFTS system. The tracking form may be used as a local tool,
should communities choose.
ATTACHMENT:
Updated List of Additional SSVF Resources Available During COVID-19 Crisis
The Program Office
has offered a host of new flexibilities to help SSVF grantees provide
critically needed support to Veterans. These supports are summarized in the
attached document. We must continue to stress the urgent and immediate need to
expand emergency housing capacity as the risks to homeless Veterans are
significant. Please work with local hotels/motels to expand capacity so we can
protect vulnerable homeless Veterans. This information can also be found on the
SSVF website at:
https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/ssvf/docs/SSVF_COVID_19_Additional_Resources.pdf
REGISTER NOW: SSVF
Office Hours – CARES Act SSVF Funding and Resources Available
The SSVF Program
Office will host a Webinar to review the CARES Act funding questions and
guidance on expanding Emergency Housing Assistance on May 1st at 12:00, EST;
please register for the webinar using the link below:
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/rt/3469520343026026509
After registering,
you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the
webinar.
Thank you,
SSVF Program
Office