First Nations Housing & Infrastructure Council

Published purpose

Addressing First Nations homelessness requires culturally appropriate, tailored supports and solutions developed and led by First Nations for First Nations. Canada and the AFN have jointly developed an approach that will distribute funding to First Nations across Canada on a regional basis, and will support First Nations communities in addressing and preventing homelessness, primarily through service delivery. Under this approach, First Nations regional bodies can choose either to proceed with a Solicited Intake or with a Targeted Call for Proposals (CFP). Regional bodies that opt for the Solicited Intake identify, either by Chiefs resolutions or by established mandates, First Nations organizations who will directly deliver services and/or act as funding agents to distribute funding among projects in the region. Regional bodies that opt for the Targeted CFP simply are using an alternate selection mechanism, choosing First Nations organizations among eligible applicants according to defined selection criteria. Projects delivered directly or through sub-agreements in a region are intended to deliver supports to First Nations members while also producing data, insights and/or promising solutions to help inform the drafting of a national First Nations Homelessness Action Plan. First Nations and First Nations organizations will be encouraged to consider innovative approaches and multi-partner solutions that are culturally specific. Projects and/or sub-projects funded under the First Nations Distinctions-Based stream of Reaching Home will align with eligible activities and expenses under Reaching Home’s Terms and Conditions. Eligible activities and expenses for local sub-projects include, but are not limited to: -Housing services, including housing placement, emergency housing funding and housing set-up; -Prevention and shelter diversion; -Client support services, including basic needs services, clinical and treatment services, economic integration services and social and community integration services; -Capital investments; -Coordination of resources and data collection; and, -Capacity and skills development