Pathways Home

This RFP is now closed. Thank you for your interest!

Greater Twin Cities United Way is launching Pathways Home, a region-wide initiative to disrupt the pipeline into homelessness for foster youth and adults transitioning from incarceration, to transform the housing system and foster a region where all can thrive. 

This funding opportunity will support a cohort of organizations and partnerships to build their capacity to increase and improve trauma-informed, culturally responsive services that prevent homelessness for foster youth transitioning from foster care and young adults transitioning from incarceration. Future cohorts will support all adults transitioning from incarceration. Funding will be focused on work happening in Hennepin and/or Ramsey County.

Grant sizes will average $100,000 for a period of 18 months. Funded organizations and partnerships will be part of a cohort that will work together to build organizational capacity and the capacity of the housing system toward expanded services that prevent homelessness for foster youth and young adults transitioning from incarceration. 

RFP Guidelines

Before beginning an application, organizations interested in applying must carefully review the RFP guidelines.

Review the RFP Guidelines

Frequently Asked Questions: This document will be updated on a frequent basis. FAQ Pathways Home

Still have questions? Email rfp@gtcuw.org or set a time to meet virtually with Program Officer, Ahmed Sirleaf here: Book time with Ahmed Sirleaf 

For Partnerships

Organizations may apply for this opportunity individually or in partnership with other organizations. If applying in partnership, each partner organization must commit to the goals, activities and outcomes of the grant program. One organization should be selected as the “Lead Organization” who will hold and administer the grant funding to partner organizations and coordinate learning and evaluation activities on behalf of the partnership.

Funding Eligibility 

Organizations and partnerships must meet these requirements in order to apply: 

• Your organization or lead organization (for partnerships) is a 501c3 nonprofit organization or has a fiscal sponsor who is a 501c3. 
• Your organization or partnership works with foster youth and/or young adults transitioning from incarceration as defined in this RFP. 
• Your organization or partnership serves at least 50% of individuals that have incomes at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.   
• Your organization or partnership will focus its efforts within Hennepin and/or Ramsey for this grant program.  
• Your organizational or lead organization’s (for partnerships) budget for the current fiscal year is $250,000 or higher. 

For any special considerations related to these criteria, please contact us to determine your eligibility. 

Funding Priorities

These criteria are not required but your application will be scored based on how well it meets these criteria. Organizations that score highest will be most competitive for funding. 

• Your organization or partnership serves at least 60% of individuals who identify as Black, Indigenous, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander and/or People of Color. 
• Your organization or partnership designs and provides services specifically for foster youth and/or young adults transitioning from incarceration.  
• Your organization or partnership holds a strong vision, commitment and passion for developing solutions for trauma-sensitive, culturally responsive services that prevent homelessness for foster youth and/or young adults transitioning from incarceration. 
• Your organization or partnership has the capacity and willingness to develop new and/or expand existing services that prevent homelessness for foster youth and/or young adults transitioning from incarceration.   
• Your organization or partnership currently holds the organizational capacity and readiness to participate in the Pathways Home cohort. Specifically, your organization or partnership has leadership alignment, staff capacity, strategy alignment, funding, etc. that will maximize your impact toward Pathways Home goals.  
• Your organization or partnership is committed to system-level change for the people you support and currently participates in systems change work through coalitions, advocacy or other activities.  
• Your organization or partnership uses information to understand its impact, learn and make changes internally and is excited to collaborate and share information and learnings with peers, systems leaders and other stakeholders to create systemic change. 
• If applying as a partnership, your partners have a history of collaboration and a clear plan for how you will work together to achieve your goals.  

Key Dates for Applicants

For more information, contact: rfp@gtcuw.org

In order to make working on the application easier for applicants, we have provided a Word template of the application. LOI Pathways Home Word Version

Applicants MUST still submit their applications in the online portal linked above in order to be considered for funding.