The National Coalition for Housing Justice, of which Funders Together is a part of, sent the following letter to Congressional leaders lifting up priorities and resource needs for people experiencing homelessness in the next COVID-19 relief and recovery package.

**First 100 Day Priority
 
Upon taking office, the Biden administration made advancing racial equity and addressing structural racism within the federal government a clear priority in its agenda. This priority includes promoting fair housing policies, strengthening the nation-to-nation relationships with Indigenous tribes and Native Alaskans, ending the use of private prisons, and combating xenophobia against Asian American and Pacific Islanders.  

Part of this priority includes an Executive Order on Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government. Led by the Domestic Policy Council (DPC), it requires a whole government response through interagency work to “remove systemic barriers to and provide equal access to opportunities and benefits, identify communities the Federal Government has underserved, and develop policies designed to advance equity for those communities.” It also rescinded the Trump administration executive order (EO) banning racial equity trainings for federal contractors and grant recipients and the EO on the 1776 Commission, as well as opened the door for bold transformation within the federal government. 

This presents a unique opportunity for philanthropy that has been engaged in racial equity and justice work to partner closely with agencies like HUD to share lessons learned and best methods for prioritizing this work successfully. As the department rebuilds with new staff and priorities, funders can utilize the relationship building through public-private partnerships to provide concrete examples of what has worked in the private sector (both internally within your organization and externally with the community), where there are opportunities for improvement, and how the federal government can measure progress or success. This can be done through racial equity review teams of philanthropy and federal officials as a mechanism of information sharing. 

Philanthropy can be instrumental in pushing the administration to reframe its messaging around its racial equity initiatives because we know that language matters based on the research philanthropy has funded. The EO references “underserved communities” when in reality, communities have been continually disenfranchised because of structural racism and the intentional lack of investment by philanthropy and government alike. Making clear the historical context and reality of why communities have been disenfranchised is part of racial equity and justice. Funders who have been engaged in this work should challenge federal agencies and officials to use language that accurately describes history and avoid white-washed messaging in order to make others feel comfortable. 

In addition, funders should provide BIPOC consultant references to HUD staff and federal contractors to help facilitate internal learning and assist in the development of strategic priorities around racial equity and justice, especially given the impacts the Trump administration EO on banning racial equity trainings had on consultants and trainers. 

Philanthropy can also facilitate racial equity working groups with HUD that include grantee partners and BIPOC and LGBTQ individuals with lived expertise who can consult on design and models for data collection, identifying barriers to access for government benefits and contracting opportunities, and development of equitable and just policies within HUD and connected agencies.  

<< Back to Recommendations

>> Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>> Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>> Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>> Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>> Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

>> Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

Philanthropy across the country is funding research locally and nationally to understand how the public views homelessness and housing, its connection to structural racism and opportunity, and how to frame housing as a common good rather than solely a commodity.  

This narrative must be focused on structural racism (not just race), incorporate the voices of those with lived expertise, and sync with the work currently happening to help departments and agencies have a cohesive message and narrative. This is a clear way for philanthropy and the administration to partner and expand on what has already been done instead of re-creating something new. Creating open pathways to share this research about housing justice narratives with HUD, USICH, and communications and public affairs staff at intersecting departments can help align how we frame housing and homelessness in productive ways with an intentional through line between the federal, state, and local levels. 

Funders can come together and think about what narrative and messaging can be curated now around what evidence proves works share this with public affairs staff to push and gain support for equitable and just homelessness and housing policy. There may also be an opportunity to share these learnings by engaging junior public affairs staff, who often draft talking points and press releases, in a professional development or capacity building setting. Likewise, philanthropy can open the window of influence by providing the space and conditions for public affairs staff to convene with funders, researchers, people with lived expertise, and other community stakeholders to share lessons learned on messaging and who the best messengers are.   

<< Back to Recommendations

>> Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>> Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>> Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>> Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>> Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>> Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

Often, relationship-building within the administration is focused on political staff, with the expectation that this influence will advance favorable policies and practices. As we look to reimagine the homelessness and housing systems, philanthropy should also build strong partnerships with career staff as well. These individuals that align on values and priorities have knowledge and expertise of the most effective ways to push policies and programs through the right channels to implementation.  

Creating mutual support networks among both political and career staff and providing them with the backing to push bold policies generates conditions in which they can strategically advance racial and housing justice internally within agencies and departments. In addition, building this support can result in long-term sustainability of allies within the federal government that can ensure progress made is continued and institutionalized. 

Funders should meet with past and current career staff to build relationships and understand the most effective form of support networks and what mechanisms and resources are needed for the staff to gain support from leadership and follow through with implementation. 

To accomplish this, philanthropy can: 

• Push to meet with top political and career leaders responsible for specific programs to start the relationship-building process and put it top of mind for leaders. 
• Engage in “match-making” and connect career staff within federal agencies and departments to philanthropic staff for follow-up and implementation assistance. 
• Form committees composed of leaders at comparable levels (i.e. political leaders meet with senior philanthropy staff, program officers meet with career and program staff, etc.) 
• Construct program and policy committees where best practices and evidence can be candidly discussed and conversations around public-private partnerships can bud. 
• Work with and provide funding to grantee partners to host civilian employees of federal agencies for a temporary period of time through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) mobility program. 

<< Back to Recommendations

>> Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>> Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>> Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>> Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>> Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>> Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

Strategic philanthropic partnerships helped previous administrations move beyond the walls of government and into the communities to make an impact and feel connected. The new administration must again have presence in the field to make sure the voices of communities are prioritized and reflected in programs and policies.  

Through public-private partnerships, funders can push the administration to prioritize policies and practices that follow the lead of grassroots organizers and activists. Because philanthropy already has relationships in local communities, funders can partner with the administration to go beyond community engagement and engage in co-governance models and focus on racial justice by using the expertise of those who have been doing this work locally for decades. In addition, fundamental to creating a culture of racial justice, philanthropy should examine how they can create pathways to careers, advisory bodies, and task forces for grassroots organizations and people with lived expertise of housing insecurity.  

Another focus is around creating a listening or feedback mechanism that requires the voice of communities, especially those who are most impacted, to be incorporated into any program or policy. Philanthropy can support and facilitate real time feedback from the community on advanced notices or early-stage ideas of program design that can then be used to make necessary changes that center equity and justice prior to being implemented into near final versions.   

<< Back to Recommendations

>> Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>> Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>> Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>> Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>> Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

>> Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

**First 100 Day Priority 

Now is the time to re-engage in true partnerships, not just transactional relationships, with the federal government. Philanthropy should not be expected to fill the funding gap that is created by lacking or inadequate government action. As federal positions are being filled, private philanthropy should reach out to agencies to offer thought-partnership and education on what we have learned about homelessness and housing best practices and evidence-based solutions that prioritize Black, Indigenous, and people of color. Funders should harness their convening power and expertise by offering access to evidence-based practices and research funders have supported; trust and relationships with local communities; and connections to those with lived expertise to inform programs and policies. This could be done through the exploration of on-going learning sessions led by grantee partners, specifically organizations led by Black, Indigenous, and people of color leaders. 

Philanthropy can act as a broker of relationships between local communities and the federal administration. To ensure engagement happens before implementation, hold recurring listening sessions that feature community members such as grantees, stakeholders, and people with lived expertise and connect them to agency and department staff working to create and implement policies. This is most effectively done through an advisory role, which may require establishing a Federal Advisory Committee. Foundation staff can also be lifted up as repositories of information who can compile, analyze, and communicate guidance around what works best within local communities to prevent and end homelessness and also connection to experts on the ground for local context.

For true partnerships to form, accountability must be in place. Through these partnerships, set the expectation of accountability mechanisms determined by communities to allow for candid evaluation about what is working and what is not. Talk with grantees and other stakeholders about what the accountability mechanism design should be, then facilitate the dialogue and implementation of that with government entities. 

<< Back to Recommendations

>> Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>> Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>> Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>> Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>> Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

>> Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

**First 100 Day Priority 

The federal government should not and cannot work in a vacuum. One way to prevent this vacuum is for advocacy organizations and activists to create substantial pressure from the outside. Philanthropy can be a catalyst in creating this pressure by providing quick and flexible resources for organizers and coalitions to build capacity and power to influence the administration’s vision and policy proposals and act as accountability partners. 

One way to do this is through supporting the National Coalition for Housing Justice, a group of 14 national organizations, including Funders Together to End Homelessness, that are aligned in seeking housing justice in order to end homelessness. Since its formation in the Fall of 2019, the coalition has come together to coordinate advocacy efforts, develop policy recommendations, and leverage collective tools to garner the attention of both lawmakers and the public to meet the goal of housing justice. Supporting the coalition will allow it to both continue and expand components of its work, such as: 

• working with key federal officials to inform and influence upcoming policy and program design and implementation through targeted community listening sessions and public comment opportunities tied to advanced copies of Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) outlines for on-the-ground feedback before it is finalized.
• aligning with homelessness and housing narrative projects to continue much needed messaging to change hearts and minds around homelessness and its solutions to influence federal officials to craft and design equitable policies and solutions to homelessness and gain public support for those solutions.
• engaging Black and Brown led organizers, activists, and people with lived expertise in the coalition’s work by informing efforts and having leadership positions within the coalition.
• building capacity for implementation of The Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response. 
• coordinating and aligning with A New Deal on Housing Justice on policy priorities to advance racial and housing justice.

Funders who are unable to support national efforts can focus on resourcing local grantee partners, organizers, and activists to better equip them with the capacity to work with the National Coalition for Housing Justice and by connecting them to each other. It is critical for voices and expertise at national, state, and local levels to be working in concert and create a strong network of influence and accountability that can drive and push this administration to engage in systems redesign that achieves housing justice. 

<<Back to Recommendations

>>Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery**

>>Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>>Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>>Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>>Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

>>Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

**First 100 Day Priority  

As the country continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, philanthropy should educate the administration on what is happening in their community and the vast need for immediate relief to those who are disproportionally impacted through a comprehensive federal relief bill. Relief must include robust funding for rental assistance and people experiencing homelessness as well as connected policies such as strong eviction moratorium.

This is a continuation of what is already being done, but now with a commitment to go beyond the minimum and stress the importance for these funds to be equitably utilized and targeted to ensure they are reaching the communities most in need who are often left out of the mainstream funding. 

By using its convening power, philanthropy can facilitate community listening sessions that address the urgency of resources needed for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing instability. These listening sessions can provide a baseline for future conversations by starting the relationship-building process and expectation that communities and government entities should create feedback mechanisms on future policies. 

Philanthropy has funded frameworks for equitable recovery and can urge the administration to incorporate these frameworks designed by grantee partners as requirements into emergency response funding and in other contexts such as disaster recovery. Funders can also use our COVID-19 Response and System Redesign Recommendations for Philanthropy to provide the administration with a view and understanding of how philanthropy can be a catalyst for racial and housing justice both and stress the need for the federal government to be an active partner in these efforts. 

Funders can also host listening sessions with the administration to address the importance of actions to keep people experiencing homelessness healthy and safe, such as:  

• Requiring the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) to prioritize addressing the public health implications for people experiencing homelessness such as higher risk of infection due to congregate shelter models; preexisting health conditions; inability to “shelter at home” and isolate; and lack of access to necessary resources.
• Elevating the CDC guidance to an order on no encampment evictions without individual housing. 
• Ensuring people experiencing homelessness are prioritized in the vaccine distribution by including them in the definition of vulnerable or critical populations that should be part of first tier vaccination efforts, as well as staff who support people individuals experiencing homelessness. 
• Prioritizing mobile outreach servicing for testing and treatment, especially within encampments due to people experiencing homelessness being at an increased risk for developing severe cases of COVID-19. 

<<Back to Recommendations

>>Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy**

>>Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice**

>>Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities**

>>Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

>>Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

>>Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

Last update February 1, 2021

Over the past four years, we have witnessed numerous policy attempts to dismantle humane, effective, and equitable solutions to ending homelessness and housing instability. There were concerted efforts within federal leadership and agencies to rollback critical protections for historically marginalized communities, undo regulations grounded in evidence-based solutions, and set up conditions for new policies that actively fought against racial equity and justice. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic created new conditions in which people experiencing homelessness, particularly those who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color, were disregarded or intentionally left out of response and recovery conversations.  

With the new Biden-Harris administration there is hope, but philanthropy cannot step back and allow systems to return to the status quo – because the status quo was unjust and inequitable. Instead, funders must focus on ensuring that people with lived expertise help to build racially just housing infrastructure and that there are strong accountability measures to maintain it. We believe philanthropy has an obligation to support and resource efforts that will disrupt the status quo that centers whiteness and upholds white supremacy.
 
As philanthropy looks to engage with a Biden-Harris administration, there are priorities to center and actions to take to ensure the first year builds a strong foundation for creating and implementing bold policies rooted in housing justice. All these recommendations for engaging with the new administration begin with and prioritize racial and housing justice. 

**First 100 Day Priority

**Support an Equitable COVID-19 Response and Recovery

**Fund Advocacy and Organizing Efforts to Build and Advance Bold Policy

**Engage in Relational Public-Private Partnerships Rooted in Justice

**Model How to Advance Racial Equity and Invest in Disenfranchised Communities

Facilitate Transparency in Engaging Community Voices on the Ground

Build Relationships to Support Both Political and Career Staff

Support Narrative and Messaging Efforts for Public Affairs Staff

Download the PDF here.

On July 23, the US Department of Housing and Urban Development officially proposed a rule that would rewrite the Equal Access Rule as it stand and erase protections for LGBTQ people facing becoming unhoused or in need of any HUD-funded services. This proposed rule change would remove critical equal access protections that ensure equal access for everyone in need of HUD-funded services and programs, but particularly targets transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary individuals. HUD exists to “build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination,” however the proposed rule would open the door to taxpayer-funded discrimination against the people in our communities who are at the greatest risk of violence and inequities. The Equal Access Rule’s protections against discrimination are critical to ensure safe access to shelter for transgender, non-binary, or gender nonconforming people experiencing homelessness, survivors of violence, and people fleeing disasters.

Currently, homeless shelters are expressly directed to accept transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary people, but the proposed changes would instead allow shelters to reject members of these communities simply because of who they are. This proposed roll-back would allow widespread discrimination towards transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary people when they are facing becoming unhoused, or fleeing from disaster. The current regulations provide safety in HUD-funded programs, and this proposed rule change would only leave transgender and non-binary people less safe and more at risk, especially during a global health crisis.

Funders Together created a joint statement alongside our advocacy partners denouncing the rule, which you can read here.

How Philanthropy Can Take Action

This proposed rule comment period opened Friday, July 24, and will run through September 22, which is the deadline to submit comments on this proposed rule change. HUD is legally required to write a response to each unique comment before they can implement a Final Rule, meaning that the more comments they receive, the longer it will take them to put this dangerous and discriminatory rule into effect. 

Funders Together is working closely with our partners on a campaign to generate as many public comments in opposition of the rule as possible in order to slow down the process in which this proposed rule could become approved. Philanthropy can take action and join in with other leaders to oppose this proposed rule and protect LGBTQ and trans people from shelter and housing discrimination by:

• submitting a public comment. Funders can prepare unique comments and submit them through the Housing Saves Lives comment portal. Funders Together is available to help you strategize and craft comments. Funders should also encourage their grantee partners to submit unique comments.
  
  
• reviewing our funder call on the Equal Access Rule. Funders Together partnered with Funders for LGBTQ Issues for a call on the Equal Access Rule, how to take action, and other ways funders can support and protect the LGBTQ and trans communities. You can view the recording here. 
  
  
• signing up for updates on the Housing Saves Lives website to receive emails about updates to the campaign and additional resources to help you speak up against this proposed rule.
  
  
• utilizing the Housing Saves Lives partner toolkit to get the word out to your network about the proposed rule and its potential impacts.

Remember: Submitting comments to proposed regulatory changes is NOT considered lobbying. Private foundations can provide comments in response to this proposed rule, and public charities, like community foundations, can do so without tracking and reporting it as lobbying on their 990s.

If you have any questions about this proposed rule or submitting public comments, please email Amanda Andere or Lauren Bennett. 

Upcoming Programming

National Alliance to End Homelessness Webinar: A Conversation About the Equal Access Rule and Why It Matters
Wednesday, September 16 | 2pm ET, 11am PT

Additional Resources

Center for American Progress: The Trump Administration’s Latest Attack on Transgender People Facing Homelessness

Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: HUD’s Proposed Rule Would Allow Discrimination Against Transgender People

National Alliance to End Homelessness: Changes to HUD’s Equal Access Rule Could Exclude More Transgender People From Shelter

National Alliance to End Homelessness: Transgender Homeless Adults & Unsheltered Homelessness: What the Data Tell Us

True Colors United: Help Stop Trump’s Anti-Trans Rule 

The National Coalition for Housing Justice, of which Funders Together is a part of, sent the following to HUD Secretary Designee Fudge expressing our desire for partnership to achieve racial and housing justice and requesting a meeting to align on priorities. 

Across the country, communities are working to end homelessness and address housing challenges by shifting policy to transform systems. In order to do that and achieve housing justice, strong political and public will must be built. However, gaining support requires compelling and values-based messaging to make the case. We have heard over and over that we need to “shift the narrative.” But, what does that really mean and what messages work?

Below are resources, past and current research projects, and programming focused on homelessness and housing messaging that can help guide funders as they look to implement narrative and messaging campaigns in the community to build both political and public will to end housing insecurity.

Funders Together Resources

Webinars and Guides

Webinar Recording: Housing and Homelessness Narrative Change: From Research to Action

How to Frame Homelessness Messaging

Narrative Change and Messaging Research Resources

ASO Communications

From It to I to Us: A Language Analysis of Discourse on Housing

No Place Like Home: Cognitive Elicitation Interviews on Housing

Center for Media & Social Impact

Homelessness & Housing Security in U.S. Culture: How Popular Culture & News Depict an American Challenge

Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Housing Narrative Research

CZI Housing Narrative Research Overview

Frameworks Institute

Housing Toolkit

Housing Justice Narrative Initiative

Housing Justice Narrative Initiative website

Research

Webinars

Resources and Tools

Homeless Narrative Action Campaign

Project Overview

Invisible People

What America Believes About Homelessness

Progressive Playbook

Housing Messaging Guide

TheCaseMade

Dismantling the Narratives That Constrain Public Support for Fair Housing: the Urgent Need to Reframe the Public Conversation to Build Public Will

How Do Fish See Water? Building Public Will to Advance Inclusive Communities

Making the Case for Systems Change: Tackling the Issues of Gentrification & Displacement 

Who Gets to Live Where, and Why? The Answer May Be Settled By Our Narratives

"You Don't Have to Live Here" Why Housing Messages Are Backfiring and 10 Things We Can Do About It

Funders Together to End Homelessness joins national organizations partner organizations in the efforts to end homelessness to release the following statement:

Last updated: October 19, 2020

Though many of our philanthropic partners focus their work on best grantmaking practices, we thought it important to lift up some of these practices as they relate to COVID-19. During this pandemic, we have seen many funders convert program-restricted grants to general operating support and to reduce the burden of reporting or application requirements. If philanthropy can pivot this quickly during times of need and grantees report being able to focus more on their live-saving work, how can we as a field permanently adopt these changes to always reduce the burden on grantees? 

Responsive Funding and Processes

• Set up a rapid response fund or contribute to a local rapid response fund, and work with other local funders to coordinate grantmaking to reduce redundancies, ensure funding for all needs, and be aware of what other resources are available for grantees.  
• Expedite grantmaking processes, including: eliminating grant applications for existing grantees; aligning RFPs with other funders; waiving or deferring grant reports; and expediting grant payments.  
• Convert restricted grants to general operating support. Keep sponsorships despite canceled or postponed events.   
• Look at whether internal budgets for events or travel can be repurposed into additional grant dollars. 
• Consider additional grants to cover additional needs grantees might have as a result of COVID-19, such as new technology, mental health support for staff, additional capacity needs, etc.   

Examples & Resources:

• The Simmons Foundation in Houston clearly lays out the priorities and practices that they are adopting as a result of COVID-19, which includes: contacting most of the organizations with program support and are making those funds available to be used for operating dollars as needed; adjusting deadlines, reports, and applications; and supporting the healing and health of grant partners and movement leaders.  
• The Polk Bros. Foundation in Chicago also shares their COVID-19 commitment to grantee partners, including: the conversation of most grants to general operating support; simplifying application and reporting processes for at least their next two rounds of grantmaking; and being transparent that they do not anticipate their regular program budgets to be affected by the grants they’re making in response to COVID-19. 
• See Liberty Hill’s COVID-19 response activities, including launching a response fund, accelerating grants, organizing town halls to bring organizers together, and putting together a response page for partners. 
• Raikes Foundation announced a new fund for to Support Homeless Youth in Washington State Through COVID-19 Crisis 
• North Texas Cares is a common application that once submitted is reviewed by a collaboration of funders, including 30 North Texas foundations and United Ways, that have come together to provide support for organizations that work with people and communities most affected by all aspects of COVID-19. 

Grantmaking for Long-Term Change

• Start the process of permanently adopting these best practices to make your grantmaking equitable and best support grantees. 
• Start planning your recovery grantmaking strategy, which should center racial equity and systems-change work. Think about what policy changes are needed to prevent people from becoming homeless in the aftermath of COVID-19 and what will be needed to keep people who were housed during the pandemic from returning to the streets.   
• Begin thinking about how to shift more of your grantmaking dollars and processes to support and include people of color with lived expertise and grassroots organizers.  
• Use this moment to educate senior leadership and foundation boards about structural racism and why addressing it must be core to your grantmaking and mission, especially in the work to prevent and end homelessness. 
•  

Examples & Resources:

• COVID-19 and the Role of Philanthropy: How We Can Become Better Grantmakers – Borealis Philanthropy 
• Joint letter of commitment from several funders in the Washington DC area: The COVID-19 Crisis is a Racial Justice Issue & our Response must Prioritize the Power of Black, Indigenous, Latinx & Other People of Color 

Last updated: May 10, 2021

Throughout the course of the pandemic response, we’ve seen the communities understand the importance of moving people from congregate shelters settings into individual housing options that allow for proper “sheltering at home” and ability to adequately quarantine. The political and public will was built in a short amount of time, but it needs to be sustained and communities must not revert back to previous methods of sheltering and housing people experiencing homelessness and the community must be acutely aware of the large inflow to homelessness that is inevitable if we don’t focus on housing stability and homelessness prevention.  

New recommendations (but not examples) are denoted with *** 

• ***Continue to mobilize scaled-up investments into permanent housing options, including permanent supportive housing as needed to exit people from unsheltered homelessness and from shelters, including from new sheltering options created. (A Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response) 
• ***Push and support the transition from congregate shelter models to permanent housing solutions and enact mechanisms of accountability to ensure communities do not fall back into simply evolving congregate settings, but rather eliminate the model in favor of sustainable permanent solutions. 
• ***Ensure prevention funding is being provided to an array of community-based organizations, including non-traditional partners best able to reach into highly-impacted communities. (A Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response) 

Examples & Resources:

• Prioritization in Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: A Framework of Strategies, Policies, and Procedures to Better Serve Priority Populations (National Low Income Housing Coalition, April 2021)
• Project Homekey - State of California:  Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), $600 million in grant funding will be made available to local public entities, including cities, counties, or other local public entities, including housing authorities or federally recognized tribal governments within California to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other buildings and convert them into interim or permanent, long-term housing. Of the $600 million in Homekey grant funds, $550 million is derived from the State's direct allocation of the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief Funds (CRF), and $50 million is derived from the State's General Fund. 
• Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE) 
• Housing Is How We End Homelessness, Not Police Sweeps
• How Philanthropy Can (and Can’t) Help Prevent Evictions during the Pandemic - The Urban Institute
• From Hotel to Home: Key Considerations for States and Local Jurisdictions Exploring Hotel/Motel Acquisitions as a Housing Strategy for People Exiting COVID-19 Shelters  - CSH

Last updated: October 19, 2020

In our response, must understand that the disparities we are seeing are rooted in structural racism and are not about race. The COVID-19 pandemic is not about pre-existing conditions. It’s about pre-existing inequities from stolen Indigenous land and chattel slavery. As Race Forward reminds us, COVID-19 kills, structural racism is its accomplice.  

As stated in our Funders Together to End Homelessness Commitment to Racial Equity, the work to end homelessness must center racial equity to more effectively recognize and meet the needs of people of color experiencing homelessness. Many of us are still developing our racial equity muscles, and during times of crisis, it is especially important to lean into racial equity work and not “put it aside” until a crisis is over. Being intentional now in addressing racial disparities and racist policies will create more equitable systems faster and allow for new ways of working together that live beyond the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In order for response and recovery efforts to be equitable, these questions, shared by the Consumer Health Foundation, should be asked at each step of any design and implementation process, including the philanthropic response:  

1. How does your response, even in the midst of crisis, contribute to long-term systems change?  
2. How are the voices of impacted communities centered?   
3. What data (quantitative or qualitative) are driving resource allocation? And what does that data tell you about the experiences of various racial/ethnic groups? How are women and LGBTQIA people of color particularly impacted?  
4. What are possible unintended consequences of the decisions you might make?  
5. What additional disaggregated demographic data will you collect, track, and evaluate to assess equity impacts in COVID-19 response moving forward, and how will that data inform your future decisions when the crisis is over?  
6. How are the actions you are taking grounded in history? 

New recommendations (but not examples) are denoted with *** 

Funding Priorities and Decisions

• *** Look at where rapid response dollars are going and ensure that: 
  • Organizations led by and serving people of color and LGBTQ people are receiving resources every time dollars and resources are distributed. Because many of our racial equity muscles are still developing, we forget that this type of analysis is more important during crises and cannot be a process that is forgotten or paused until the pandemic is over. 
  • Dollars are flowing to communities affected the worst by COVID-19, job loss, and evictions, which are often neighborhoods that are predominantly BIPOC communities. Are your grant dollars and partnerships focused on those neighborhoods?  
• *** Use available tools, such as CSH’s Racial Disparities and Disproportionality Index (RDDI) and Urban Institute’s Where to prioritize emergency rental assistance to keep renters in their homes map, to focus funding, outreach, and partnership efforts.  
• Prioritize culturally specific organizations that are not historically part of the mainstream systems to ensure they know of and are able to access both public and private funding. Strengthen these relationships and, if not already, fold these organizations into your regular grantmaking portfolio. Resource mainstream organizations to work with culturally specific organizations and vice versa.   
• *** Directly fund grassroots organizers, including ones who are working on racial justice, environmental justice, and housing justice, with unrestricted grants and help amplify their work, resources, and needs. Many grassroots organizers, especially those working for racial justice, truly understand an intersectional approach to supporting communities that includes access to adequate housing and healthcare.  

Examples & Resources:

• Liberty Hill Foundation's COVID-19 response 
• COVID-19 will not Affect Everyone the Same - Consumer Health Foundation 
• Joint letter of commitment from several funders in the Washington DC area: The COVID-19 Crisis is a Racial Justice Issue & our Response must Prioritize the Power of Black, Indigenous, Latinx & Other People of Color 
• North Texas Cares is a common application that once submitted is reviewed by a collaboration of funders, including 30 North Texas foundations and United Ways, that have come together to provide support for organizations that work with people and communities most affected by all aspects of COVID-19. Its social justice funding priority focuses on programs to focus on education to cultivate anti-racism, community organizing and movement building, community, and programs that foster and build leadership for people of color in nonprofit organizations.  
  
  

Supporting People of Color

• *** Make sure that the frontline staff, especially in organizations led by people of color, have access to the mental health and other wellness support systems to combat secondhand trauma.   
• *** Listen to people with lived expertise about the compound impacts the pandemic and structural racism have and what they mean for policy and service priorities.  
• Ensure and support outreach to populations experiencing homelessness or housing instability that may already be distrustful of the government and the medical system. This outreach should be led by people who already have a high degree of trust with those populations or communities. 
• Ensure people experiencing homelessness and housing instability, especially people of color and other marginalized groups, understand policies that are being proposed and hear what kinds of permanent policies would help them in the long run. 
  

Examples & Resources:

• NIS created 10 population-specific briefs to summarize the ideas and recommendations of individuals from ten historically-marginalized communities related to COVID-19 and structural racism: 
  • Priorities from Asian Americans  
  • Priorities from Black People 
  • Priorities from Latinx People 
  • Priorities from Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Queer (LGBQ)/Trans* People 
  • Priorities from Native-Indigenous People 
  • Priorities from Pacific Islanders  
  • Priorities from People with Incarceration Histories 
  • Priorities from People Involved with Public Systems 
  • Priorities from People Living with Disabilities  
  • Top Priorities and Actions Across Communities 
• Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR): Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Models and Promising Practices and Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress: Philanthropy’s Role in Fostering Grantee Resilience 
• The Simmons Foundation has been providing wellness resources to their grantees during this pandemic and during the racial justice uprisings. These have included guided meditations, yoga classes, and more. 
• COVID-19 Resources for Partners in Multiple Languages - The California Endowment 
• COVID-19 Action that Centers Black LGBTQ People Can Address Housing Inequities – Urban Institute 
• Tribal Nations and Partners Tackle COVID-19 Inequities – W.K. Kellogg Foundation 

Data, Evaluations, and Systems

• Examine how culturally specific organizations are or are not connected to mainstream organizations and policy tables. Resource both mainstream organizations to work with culturally specific organizations and vice versa.   
• Support research and equitable evaluation efforts that are multi-culturally valid and oriented toward participant ownership to communicate the effects response strategies are having on public health, community well-being, and the systemic drivers of inequity. 
• Create space to learn about authentic collaboration in policy and funding decisions engaging people with lived expertise. Make sure that people with lived expertise have real power at decision-making tables.  
• Analyze how your COVID-19 grantmaking contributes to long-term systems change on top of meeting immediate needs.   

Examples & Resources:  

• An Equitable Systems Transformation Framework for COVID-19 - National Innovation Service (NIS)   
• King County Equity Impact Awareness Tool - King County Office of Equity and Social Justice  
• Race, Homelessness, and COVID-19 - Guidance for Homeless Services Providers - Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio  
• The COVID-19 Crisis is a Racial Justice Issue & our Response must Prioritize the Power of Black, Indigenous, Latinx & Other People of Color – letter of commitment from philanthropic leaders in the DC-metro area  
• Colorado Health Foundation COVID-19 Resource Page: Equity and Justice  
• 3 Principles for an Antiracist, Equitable State Response to COVID-19 – and a Strong Recovery – Center on Budget and Policy Priorities 

Last updated: December 15, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted and amplified how the housing and intersecting systems were designed on racist ideas and policies producing inequitable and broken outcomes. While it’s important for philanthropy to take a lead role in the response and recovery efforts, each recommendation that we’ve outlined will only be successful long-term and result in true systemic change if the systems we work within are redesigned and reimagined with a racial justice framework to ensure BIPOC are prioritized. 

Bringing about systems change requires a sector wide approach of engaging in public policy and advocacy at all levels: local, state, and federal. Philanthropy has a pivotal role to play in not just supporting and influencing equitable systems change, but pushing for this change as part of a long-term vision and plan that continually puts racial justice at the forefront. The recommendations in this section call out what can be done in the short-term to set up the conditions for equitable long-term change at the systems level and also how philanthropy can push for accountability and continue the work of community transformation.  

New recommendations (but not examples) are denoted with *** 

Advancing Equitable Public Policy

• ***Support and invest in transformational local and state ballot initiatives to structurally change the budget by reallocating funding from existing locally controlled revenue to community investment, affordable housing, and homelessness prevention for housing justice.  
• Fund the public and political will building capacity and mechanisms that will drive local and state governments to create and support long-term solutions to ensure those who have been housed during the pandemic do not exit back into homelessness.   
• Push for systemic changes to policies that will further protect people experiencing homelessness, such as a ban on encampment sweeps and the decriminalization of homelessness.  
• Fund strategic communications and messaging campaigns to reinforce the importance of a home not just during times of crisis, but as a human right. 
• ***Push your organization’s board or trustees to increase involvement in public policy citing advancements made with relief packages and where those resources are flowing in order to set up the conditions to continue policy engagement within the organization and in concert with community stakeholders.  

Examples & Resources:

• Ballot Initiatives 
  • Measure J in Los Angeles, which is trying to dismantle systemic racism by investing in health, housing, and jobs 
  • Portland, OR voters passed a tax on wealthy households and companies in May 2020 to end chronic homelessness. Meyer Memorial Trust helped support the messaging for the ballot measure. 
    
    
• Narrative Change and Messaging Efforts 
  • National COVID-19 messaging document – from Race Class Narrative Action and Anat Shenker Osorio Communications  
  • Frameworks Institute Guide on Framing COVID-19 
  • Topic #2: Making a Powerful Case for the Role of Government  
  • Topic #6: Talking About the Future 
  • Topics #7: Acting Now on Behalf of Tomorrow 
  • Housing Justice Narrative Initiative - This is a resource is intended for organizers, advocates and community leaders to access tools and research that will allow us all collectively to shift the current discussions and debates around housing to advance a vision of racial justice and homes for all. 
• 
  

Community Assessment and Impact Evaluations

• ***Conduct evaluations and impact analysis of how local and federal COVID-19 resources have been utilized and made a different through mechanisms like rental assistance, moving people from congregate settings to hotels, etc. 
• ***Utilize evaluations and analysis to educate local, state, and federal officials as well as public stakeholders to show impact of large dedicated investments and movement in preventing and ending homelessness as well as addressing housing instability for a healthier community. This can also be used to make the case for permanent federal subsidies and an increase in federal housing and homelessness budgets. 
• ***Assess impact of equity-based decision-making and make mid-course corrections to program design to ensure equitable outcomes. This includes assessing the likely impacts of cessation of eviction moratoria, rent forbearance, unemployment compensation, individual payments, and other policies on homelessness. (A Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response) 
  
  

Transforming Communities Through Systems Change

• Continue to educate local, state, and federal officials about progress being made in the community and also where there are gaps in efforts.   
• Lead and model the process of acknowledging that existing systems are broken and structurally racist. Push community stakeholders to prioritize rebuilding new resilient, anti-racist systems and fund capacity for people with lived expertise to be at the table to make decisions on the rebuilding. 
• Support the long-term strategic planning on emergency shelter configuration to eliminate congregate shelters in favor of shelters with private rooms and bathrooms to address general and long-term public health issues, and to ensure that all shelters are low-barrier and housing-focused. (A Framework for an Equitable COVID-19 Homelessness Response) 
• ***Consider critical components to systems change that will contribute to equitable and effective change like congregate shelters, acquiring property, budgets, housing vouchers while also keeping the unintended consequences of systems change at the forefront. The unique opportunity that exist within philanthropy is talking with stakeholders to have these conversations and address the unintended consequences as the long-term work develops. 

Examples & Resources:  

• Empty Hotels Find New Life as Governments House the Homeless, CityLab, Dec. 15, 2020
• PolicyLink: Strategies to Advance Racial Equity in Housing Response and Recovery: A Guide for Cities during the COVID-19 Pandemic 
• HealthSpark Foundation: A Blueprint for Building Back a Better Safety Net System 
• Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:  3 Principles for an Antiracist, Equitable State Response to COVID-19 – and a Strong Recovery 

Last updated: May 10, 2021

With any disaster response, there will always be immediate and long-term capacity needs. One of the advantages and privileges of philanthropy is the ability to operate at the 30-thousand foot level, and we believe that philanthropy can use this to support communities in connecting dots and scenario planning. In this section, we’ve added to our previous recommendations about identifying and funding capacity needs to be more explicit about philanthropy’s role in helping their communities think about:  

• The homelessness response system, specifically around congregate shelters, given the nature of the COVID-19 virus and the coming winter months. 
• How to bolster policies and services related to eviction prevention, renter protections, and housing vouchers, given a looming eviction crisis once the federal eviction moratorium ends.  
• How to build public and political will and change hearts and minds now to create support for people who will face housing instability and economic hardship even after economic “recovery”, such as Black, Indigenous, and other people of color who have been disproportionally affected.  

New recommendations (but not examples) are denoted with *** 

Capacity of Your Community's Systems

• Identify short and long-term staffing needs, such as front-line staff, emergency response strategists, policy analysts, etc., of grantee partners, lead community organizations, and Continuums of Care (CoCs) and provide needed resources in order to meet those staffing needs.  
• Set priorities for providing repayable "bridge loans” from philanthropy for immediate housing needs based on the financial and time gaps of the CARES Act and subsequent federal funding relief bills. 
• Fund an analysis of the community’s capacity to receive new local, state, and federal resources and focus them on racial equity, marginalized populations, and equitable systems. 
• Assess the capacity needs to continue critical long-term initiatives, such as Youth Homelessness Demonstration Project (YHDP), Grand Challenges, and projects focused on advancing racial equity in housing.   
• Explore implementing innovative practices, such as cash transfers, to provide flexible funding and support to people and communities that need it most, such as undocumented immigrants. Consider how these practices can become permanent post-coronavirus pandemic. 
• *** Identify and prioritize capacity needs to provide alternatives to congregate shelter models to allow for proper social distancing and isolating as the country enters colder seasons and a second wave of COVID-19 outbreak coupled with influenza season. 
• Support an assessment of homeless service system’s current diversion practices and establish strengthened practices and increased capacity, including tailoring support for households whose support networks have fewer resources. Ensure that prevention funding is being provided to community-based organizations and/or non-traditional partners best able to reach into highly-impacted communities. (A Framework for COVID-19 Homelessness Response) 
• Support scenario planning for several months and years out and begin conversations about permanent system changes, such as moving away from congregate shelter models, creating new public funding streams for affordable housing and homelessness services, and for moving systems towards equity and justice. 

Examples & Resources:

• Supporting immediate capacity needs and rebuilding 
  • Prioritization in Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: A Framework of Strategies, Policies, and Procedures to Better Serve Priority Populations (National Low Income Housing Coalition, April 2021)
  • San Francisco Emergency Homeless Response System (HRS) Staffing Initiative Overview – Tipping Point Community  
  • Rasmuson Foundation is helping support the initial operations of engagement centers for two years with $3.5M, including the conversion of a sports arena into a COVID-19 navigation center. 
  • HealthSpark Foundation: A Blueprint for Building Back a Better Safety Net System   
  • Greater Cleveland COVID-19 Rapid Response Fund
    • Phase II Community Letter and Report
  • An event or an era? Resources for social sector decision-making in the context of COVID-19, Monitor Institute - Deloitte
  • County of Los Angeles memo on developing a COVID-19 recovery plan related to people experiencing homelessness
• Diversion 
  • Building Changes – Diversion work in King and Pierce Counties  
  • Funders Together webinar: Scaling Diversion Models to End Homelessness in Your Community 
    
    
• Cash Transfers 
  • Point Source Youth – The Renewed Importance of Direct Cash Transfers [video] 
  • Chapin Hall - The Role of Cash in Empowering Young People Who Experience Homelessness 
  • Tackling Youth Homelessness with Cash During Coronavirus – Chronicle for Social Change
    
  • COVID-19 and Flexible Funding: Redefining Resilience for Survivors

• Creating new funding streams 
  • Portland, OR voters passed a tax on wealthy households and companies in May 2020 to end chronic homelessness. Meyer Memorial Trust helped support the messaging for the ballot measure.  
  • Measure J in Los Angeles, which is trying to dismantle systemic racism by investing in health, housing, and jobs
• 
  

Capacity Needs Related to Policy Changes

• *** Support the assessment of the impact policies will have on homelessness. Examples of policies include: cessation of eviction moratoria, rent forbearance, unemployment compensation, and individual payments.
• *** Fund the research and analysis to determine what kind of eviction prevention policies, interventions, and support are needed. Examples of this include right to counsel and supporting better data and research around informal evictions.  
• *** Provide support in using this research and analysis to creating new policies and interventions, including using your voice as a funder to advocate for these policies.   
• Help create or support creation of evaluation measures to show the impact of response dollars and immediate interventions in order to help communities make mid-course corrections to interventions. 
• *** Fund the capacity for leaders in the community, including grassroots organizers and movement leaders, who have had to focus on crisis response to have time and space for strategic planning, action, and self-care.  

Examples & Resources:  

• Analyses of federal policies and bills 
  • Funders Together statement about CDC eviction moratorium: Philanthropy Cannot Be Expected to “Fill the Gap” in Rental Assistance Need Caused by Lack of Government Support (September 4, 2020) 
  • Housing Instability and Homelessness: CARES Act Suggestions for State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial Elected Officials  
  • Summary of the Coronavirus Aid Package: What Philanthropy Needs to Know 

• Eviction and rental assistance 
  • Prioritization in Emergency Rental Assistance Programs: A Framework of Strategies, Policies, and Procedures to Better Serve Priority Populations (National Low Income Housing Coalition, April 2021)
  • Eviction Lab Housing Policy Scorecard: This tool shows what kind of policies each state has enacted related to the three stages of eviction (initiation, court process, and enforcement), as well as policies related to short-term housing supports and tenancy preservation measures. Funders can use this tool to help guide policy and advocacy activities or eviction interventions.  
  • Eviction Lab Eviction Tracking System: Tracking system monitors weekly updates on the number of eviction cases being filed in cities across the United States, broken down by Census track and race/ethnicity.  
  • Urban Institute tool: Where to prioritize emergency rental assistance to keep renters in their homes: The index estimates the level of need in a census tract by measuring the prevalence of low-income renters who are at risk of experiencing housing instability and homelessness. Some communities and CoCs have used this tool to create prioritization of rental assistance or to target outreach (e.g. paid advertisements at bus stops and outreach to community-based organizations) to inform residents about rental assistance.  

• Supporting the capacity of grassroots leaders 
  • Movement 4 Black Lives 
  • Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment (ACCE) has done outreach around eviction protections during COVID and also released a Black New Deal platform that includes housing 
  • National Innovation Service: How to Defund Your Police Department in Six Steps includes housing as part of its rationale for why to defund police departments. 
  • Liberty Hill Foundation participates in Stay Housed LA, a partnership between Los Angeles County and tenant-led community organizations, to promote tenants rights and provide legal services. Liberty Hill has also supported two groups that have been leading Right to Counsel-LA.  

• Philanthropy and advocacy 
  • Funders Together webinar recording: Advancing Housing Justice Through Policy Engagement 
  • 6 ways Congress can fight for recovery from pandemic now – Valley of the Sun United Way 

Last updated: October 19, 2020

A strength of philanthropy is being a trusted convener among community stakeholders and bridging the public and private sectors. In times of disaster relief as the community is overwhelmed with the immediate and response stage, funders can act as a neutral partner to influence and facilitate important relationships that are critical to effective long-term coordination and ensure voices from the community are present and have power at the table. Long-term relationships are an important foundation to ensuring buy-in for successful systemic change to build more equitable communities for all and the recommendation in this section reflect that long-term vision.  

New recommendations (but not examples) are denoted with *** 

Public-Private Partnerships Engagement

• ***Hold local stakeholders accountable by following up and asking questions on how the decisions to use flexible Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars in the CARES Act have been enacted so that we ensure populations most affected are being prioritized and to build a foundation for equitable recovery.   
• ***Monitor possible subsequent relief packages and use public-private partnerships to influence and ensure that homelessness and housing needs are prioritized in coordination with other public agencies. Funders should also work to make sure that homelessness grantee partners have a voice in the implementation of any possible additional funds.  
• ***Identify communities and people who are not being equitably supported during the response and recovery and bring together local government and community stakeholders to ensure these populations are being prioritized. 
• Through public-private partnerships, resource a “Housing Stability Lead” to coordinate state and local action and act as the main point of communication for housing stakeholders, including financial institutions, property owners, renters, housing counselors, and legal aid organizations. Advocate for and resource this position to become long-term to assist during the recovery and rebuilding period. 

Examples & Resources:

• Leadership Structures to Respond to the COVID-19 Pandemic - Community Solutions  
• Project Homekey - State of California:  Administered by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), $600 million in grant funding will be made available to local public entities, including cities, counties, or other local public entities, including housing authorities or federally recognized tribal governments within California to purchase and rehabilitate housing, including hotels, motels, vacant apartment buildings, and other buildings and convert them into interim or permanent, long-term housing. Of the $600 million in Homekey grant funds, $550 million is derived from the State's direct allocation of the federal Coronavirus Aid Relief Funds (CRF), and $50 million is derived from the State's General Fund. 
• Philanthropy Cannot Be Expected to Fill the Gap in Rental Assistance Caused by Lack of Government Support – Funders Together to End Homelessness 
• Heading Home MN funder collaborative: This statewide collaborative believes that a strong public private partnership that is focused and collaborative can effectively end homelessness in Minnesota. But it also requires shared goals by state, local and tribal government, philanthropy, business, faith leaders, and housing and service providers and a plan that is created alongside people with lived experience and those in communities most impacted. 
• In Chicago, a regional Funding Pool is Helping Chronically Homeless Get Off the Street and Into a Permanent Home – Polk Bros Foundation 

Building and Brokering Community Relationships

• Offer your organization and staff as resources of information or identify a partner who can compile, analyze, and communicate best resources and guidance.  
• Be firm and vocal about prioritizing populations that are not typically funded through Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG), such as youth and young adults experiencing homelessness.  
• Utilize relationships within the private sector to build support and push for the acquisition and conversion of unused property (like hotels or office buildings) for long-term solutions to replace congregate shelter models.  
• Community foundations, already seen as committed to supporting the betterment of their community, should leverage the relationships they have with local leaders from all sectors to ensure that homelessness and equity are at the forefront of policy and funding decisions. 
• ***Identify and build relationships with new sectors and partners to coalesce and align on new sources of funding for COVID-19 recovery support so that relationships are solidified and healthy for long-term planning and action. 
• Provide a virtual convening space for multi-sector community leaders to think strategically about the recovery process. Ensure people with lived expertise are in decision-making seats at the table and provide resources to compensate for their time and knowledge.  
• ***Find and fund alternative ways to bring people together on a regular basis to keep relationships strong and set up the conditions to coordinate and act quickly when needed. 
• Bring partners and funders from other intersecting systems like health, employment, education, immigration, and legal justice, to do long-term strategy cross-systems work on an on-going basis.  
• ***Start identifying and reaching out to cross-sector partners to design coordination for equitable vaccine distribution, especially to historically marginalized and vulnerable communities like people experiencing homelessness.  

Examples & Resources:  

• Cross-sector Relationship-Building 
  • Momentum Fund – This fund provides grants to 501(c)(3) organizations that manage COVID-19 funds and is working to working to emphasize the importance of positioning grantmakers as equal partners with the nonprofits to which grants are disbursed, and other partners in the respective communities. 
  • Greater Washington Community Foundation Invites Area Residents to Put the Future of the Region “On the Table” - Greater Washington Community Foundation 
  • Chicago Homelessness and Health Response Group for Equity (CHHRGE) 
  • The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation – The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is working to connect the experts with government officials and local health agencies like Public Health Seattle & King County. 
  • Health Pathways Charts a New Course in Care for People Experiencing Homelessness - United Way of Greater Los Angeles 
    
• Community Foundations 
  • COVID-19 LA County Response Fund - California Community Foundation 
  • CF Leads – The Critical Role of Community Foundations 

Across the country, communities are working to end homelessness and address housing challenges by shifting policy to transform systems. In order to do that and achieve housing justice, strong political and public will must be built. However, gaining support requires compelling and values-based messaging to make the case. We have heard over and over that we need to “shift the narrative.” But, what does that really mean and what messages work?