United to Solve Homelessness

August 2024 Update 

At United Way of Yellowstone County (UWYC), we are committed to addressing homelessness in our community through comprehensive support, resource connection, and strategic partnerships. Our efforts focus on stabilizing individuals in need, connecting them to local resources, empowering community partners, and seizing new opportunities to maximize impact. 

UWYC will use the United to Solve Homelessness initiative, real cost measures, and its other crisis stabilization initiatives, along with the generous Day 1 Families Fund grant, to be the short-term catalyst to transformational change in our community.   

In August, UWYC’s 3-year strategic plan will be approved by the Board of Directors.  In addition to establishing strategic goals and reimagining impact areas, United Way of Yellowstone County proposes to lead the community in an Aspirational Impact Goal, an inclusive call to rally around a singular focus of moving 1,000 households from barely surviving to financially thriving, through improved access to housing solutions and wraparound support. Soon we will announce our funding investment strategies. 

Recent efforts to connect and collaborate  for a thriving community in support of our unhoused neighbors: 

1. Stabilizing Persons in Need:  We provide Crisis Stabilization support to prevent crises or help individuals get back on track quickly. Thus far in 2024, we have provided $23,904 in stabilization funds.  Our efforts include: 

• Fund Distribution:  We recently announced our $300,000 Community Grant partners for 2024, which included $117,000 to local nonprofits for rental assistance, transportation support to work, and other essential services that provide a hand up to our neighbors in need. $123,000 was contributed in 2023. 

• Diversion Funds:  These specialized funds provide financial assistance to families and individuals experiencing homelessness or who are at risk of homelessness. Funds are prioritized to keep people housed or quickly get them back into stable housing.  Thus far in 2024, $10,140 has been distributed, which includes $9,890 from the Federal Home Loan Bank matching gifts program that were distributed through the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care.   

• Emergency Food and Shelter Program We coordinated the State Set Aside funds through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, allocating $248,989 to local agencies in 2023. These funds provide essential support for shelter, rent/utility assistance, and food for those in need. 

2. Connecting Needs to Resources:  We work to help people get the support they need as soon as possible. 

• A major tool to reach this goal is Montana211 which includes a robust database with thousands of resources to support vital needs, including housing. These resources can be explored by going to www.Montana211.org or calling 211.   The largest inquiries include: Housing & Shelter, Mental Health & Addictions, and Food Insecurity.   

UWYC’s role in this vital resource includes: 

• Managing the website for Montana211.  

• Updating over 1,200 resources annually for Yellowstone County. 

• Working with statewide stakeholders to support the system and enhance operations. 

• Marketing to promote awareness and usage.  

• We also work to increase awareness of poverty issues by convening community leaders, sharing data findings, and hosting immersive activities/empathy-building exercises.  In 2024, 120 have participated in a Poverty Simulation, sensitizing community participants to the realities of poverty, in hopes of transforming their insights into action by understanding community resources.   

3. Empowering Community Partners and Nonprofits 

We strengthen our community’s homelessness response by supporting local coalition work that unites resources to more efficiently tackle this complex issue.  Specific ways we help include: 

• Backbone Support:  Along with general support and participation with many coalitions, UWYC also provides deeper “Backbone” support to the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care (CoC), a coalition focused on reducing homelessness.  

• Fiscal Agent and Grants Management:  UWYC serves as the fiscal agent for the CoC and Substance Abuse Connect, enabling them to receive grants and funding by sharing our non-profit status and providing grants management support.  

• Funding:  UWYC also recently donated $60,000 to the CoC from a matching gift.  The CoC has used funds for Diversion of homelessness and to hire a full-time coordinator. 

• Capacity Building:  We are designing a capacity building and volunteer mobilization plan for the nonprofit community which includes establishing a Yellowstone Nonprofit Center to provide our community's nonprofits with trainings, networking opportunities, information exchange, shared resources, and volunteer leadership development. 

• Data Collection and Distribution:  We help demonstrate data-driven needs and evidence-based solutions in Yellowstone County.  One way we do this is to provide volunteer support for the annual Point-in-Time count is a count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness on a single night in January. 

This support has helped the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care and Substance Abuse Connect achieve several major accomplishments, including: 

• Permanent Supportive Housing Plan:  The CoC has created a plan and gained commitments from major partners to develop a Permanent Supportive Housing program for chronically homeless individuals who area also high utilizers of local resources.  This program could be a lifesaving resource for individuals in need as well as reduce the burden on local services while saving tax payer money. UWYC has served as the fiscal agent and grants manager for a grant from the Montana Healthcare Foundation that supports this work.  

• Coordinated Entry System (CES):  This game changing program, coordinated by the CoC, streamlines access to supportive services for homelessness prevention and rehousing.  It unites multiple agencies around a shared intake system, assessment, and process for providing the most appropriate services to each person. UWYC serves as the fiscal agent and grants manager for funding that supports this work.  

Thank You From the CoC: 

“The Yellowstone County Continuum of Care would like to thank United Way for their generous $60,000 gift. So far with this funding the CoC has been able to divert around 20 households from homelessness and hire a full-time CoC Coordinator to manage the coalition and facilitate community-wide collaboration to reduce homelessness.” – Yellowstone County CoC  

4. New Opportunities 

UWYC has recently received two exciting opportunities to further our mission: 

• Day 1 Families Fund:  This $2.5M gift from the Bezos Foundation will support local efforts to assist families experiencing homelessness.  This one-time project will not represent a new mission area for UWYC, but rather will serve as a community-wide call to action, bringing together experts and stakeholders and using UWYC’s proven history of collaboration for collective impact.  UWYC has already taken several steps to best utilize these funds, including: 

• Convening a community session with over 75 stakeholders to explore and prioritize potential strategies. 

• Creating an advisory group of local leaders with key expertise and knowledge to make recommendations for use of funds. 

• Receiving professional guidance from Wells Fargo Bank employees to prioritize strategies.  

• Designing an Aspirational Impact Goal in our strategic plan to specifically address the number of households living below the financial survival threshold. 

• FHLB Funds:  UWYC also received $160,000 from 5 local financial institutions and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines designated to support homelessness efforts.  These funds are already making a significant impact by: 

  • Supporting the CoC’s Diversion Funds to prevent housing loss and assist individuals in regaining stable housing. 

  • Funding the hiring of a CoC Coordinator to lead diversion efforts and develop a Permanent Supportive Housing Project.  

Contact                                                                      

Kim Lewis, President & CEO

406-272-8501

klewis@uwyellowstone.org

United Way of Yellowstone County Awarded $2.5 Million Bezos Day 1 Families Fund Grant to Help Montana Families Find Safe Shelter, Housing and Stability

Fund grants $117.55 million to 38 nonprofits across the U.S. making measurable progress on reducing family homelessness

BILLINGS, Mont. – (Nov. 21, 2023): United Way of Yellowstone County, the primary community-building organization in South Central Montana, today announced that it has received a $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund—the largest gift in the organization’s history. This is the sixth round of annual Day 1 Families Fund grants, which recognize leading organizations doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness secure housing and achieve stability.

“We are honored and grateful that the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund has recognized United Way of Yellowstone County’s value and impact on the community,” said Kim Lewis, president and CEO of United Way of Yellowstone County. “This grant illuminates an urgent spotlight on the housing crisis, particularly for working families. United Way is exploring the most effective ways to invest this game-changing support to reduce the number of people living in poverty in our community.”

This one-time, uniquely flexible grant will support United Way of Yellowstone County in serving as a critical lifeline to children and adults in families experiencing homelessness, who represent more than a quarter of the homeless population nationally. United Way of Yellowstone County plans to use its Day 1 Families Fund grant to divert families from homelessness, rehouse families quickly, increase access to services and empower coalitions.

United Way of Yellowstone County was selected as a Day 1 Families Fund grant recipient by a group of national advisors who are leading advocates and experts on homelessness and service provision. National advisors brought expertise on housing justice, advancing racial equity and helping programs employ resources effectively to assist families out of homelessness.

Over the past six years, the Day 1 Families Fund has provided 208 grants totaling more than $630 million to organizations around the country working on the frontlines to identify unsheltered families, help families regain housing and connect families experiencing homelessness to vital services. A selection of more than half of the Day 1 Families Fund grantees who received funding between 2018 through 2021 report that, to date, they have used their grants to divert more than 28,000 families from experiencing homelessness, connect more than 30,000 unsheltered families with safe shelter and help more than 75,000 families access the services they need.

This year, the Fund issued a total of $117.55 million in grants to 38 organizations. The Day 1 Families Fund has now granted this award to organizations in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. New states this year include Arkansas, Vermont and Wyoming. The full list of awardees is available at bezosdayonefund.org/day1familiesfund.

Launched in 2018, the Bezos Day One Fund made a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.

About Organization

United Way of Yellowstone County improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community by providing leadership to effectively mobilize people, financial, and strategic resources to improve people’s lives by identifying and addressing the community’s priority needs and providing solutions that achieve measurable results and sustained community change.  https://www.unitedwayyellowstone.org/united-solve-homelessness

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PRESS RELEASE:   

UNITED WAY OF YELLOWSTONE COUNTY RECEIVES $2.5 MILLION FOR FAMILY HOMELESSNESS 

 Billings, MT- (Nov. 21, 2023): United Way of Yellowstone County (UWYC) proudly announces a transformational $2.5 million grant from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund, marking a historic moment in the organizations’ commitment to eradicating family homelessness in Yellowstone County. This award, the largest in United Way of Yellowstone County’s history, underscores the impactful work United Way does to address the urgent housing crisis and poverty-related issues in Yellowstone County. This grant establishes the UNITED TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS initiative, and funds will be re-granted to support local efforts and interventions to end family homelessness. 

 A Vision for Change 

This grant aligns with UWYC’s mission to be a beacon of hope for families experiencing homelessness—needing financial stabilization and affordable housing.  President and CEO Kim Lewis expressed gratitude, stating, “This grant illuminates an urgent spotlight on the housing crisis, particularly for working families. United Way is exploring the most effective ways to invest this game-changing support to reduce the number of people living in poverty in our community.” 

 Strategic Goals to Solve Homelessness 

UWYC’s comprehensive approach, UNITED TO SOLVE HOMELESSNESS, focuses on priorities: 

1. Diversion: Identifying at-risk families and diverting them from homelessness and shelters.  

2. Rehousing: Swiftly rehousing families to ensure stability.  

3. Increase Access to Services: Improving access to critical support services.  

4. Empower Coalitions: Strengthening collaborations to tackle homelessness collectively.    

 Looking Ahead  

UWYC acknowledges the unique nature of this grant and is committed to leveraging it effectively to build sustainable solutions. UWYC will host a convening on Thursday December 14, 2023, from 10:00am-12:00noon, where the public is invited to support local efforts and explore potential investments to consider.   

 National Recognition for Local Impact 

Selected by a group of national advisors well-versed in homelessness issues, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, UWYC’s impactful work was recognized among leading organizations in Montana as a trusted, action-oriented entity to steward this community investment.  The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund grant empowers UWYC to be the spark to ignite all potential possibilities and honor all partners that work in the industry to expand these initiatives, divert more families from homelessness, and ensure rapid rehousing.  This one-time grant will serve as a lifeline for families experiencing homelessness. 

 In the past year, UWYC has played a pivotal role in providing essential services: 

• Managed funding for the Yellowstone County Continuum of Care to provide 2,850 shelter nights for 61 individuals in Winter 2022. 
• Supported the successful housing of over 200 persons through the Coordinated Entry System.  
• Provided funding to Family Service to support 281 families with rental and utility assistance. 
• Provided funding to YWCA Billings to support their domestic violence shelter.   
• Distributed an additional $240,000 to local agencies for emergency food and shelter programs. 

 Yellowstone County Facts on Homelessness 

1. High Need: Billings has the largest population of persons and families experiencing homelessness in Montana, with over 15% of the state’s homeless population. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey found almost 5% of students experiencing homelessness. This number continues to grow with an 81% increase from 2019 to 2021 according to the Homeless Management Information System.  

2. Overwhelmed Services: Many programs provide life-changing services but have long waiting lists and a lack of capacity to meet demand. For example, the local housing authority, HomeFront, has over 7,000 persons on their waiting list for housing vouchers. With funding, many of these programs could greatly increase impact.  

3. Great Potential: Widespread support for housing solutions is at a rare high. This includes support among agencies and coalitions as well as local government, businesses, and community members.  

 About UWYC: UWYC improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of the community by providing leadership to effectively mobilize people, financial, and strategic resources to improve people’s lives by identifying and addressing the community’s priority needs and providing solutions that achieve measurable results and sustained community change.  For 62 years, United Way has supported the safety net for their community through services that stabilize those who are vulnerable and those who are unable to meet their basic needs. The supported and funded safety net includes food, housing, utility assistance, transportation, and immediate and short-term services focused on safety for those fleeing domestic violence or human trafficking, or for vulnerable populations. For more information, visit https://www.unitedwayyellowstone.org/united-solve-homelessness. 

 About Bezos Day One Fund: Launched in 2018, the Bezos Day One Fund made a $2 billion commitment to focus on making meaningful and lasting impacts in two areas: funding existing nonprofits that help families experiencing homelessness, and creating a network of new, nonprofit tier-one preschools in low-income communities. The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual leadership awards to organizations and civic groups doing compassionate, needle-moving work to help families experiencing homelessness—including those who are unsheltered or staying in shelters—regain safe, stable housing and achieve well-being. The vision statement comes from the inspiring Mary’s Place in Seattle: no child sleeps outside. For more information, visit www.BezosDayOneFund.org/Day1FamiliesFund.  

Media Contact:  Stephanie Brazill, Director of Community Relations 

United Way of Yellowstone County  

406.272.8510 

communityrelations@uwyellowstone.org  

Vision for United To Solve Homelessness Community Housing Navigators

Overview
United Way of Yellowstone County aims to strengthen families and address housing and homelessness by supporting and coordinating existing community resources. While we understand that there are many definitions of family, for the purpose of this funding, a family constitutes as any group that includes at least one dependent child under age 18 and the person/people providing for their care and well-being.  The United to Solve Homelessness program will employ four Community Housing Navigators (CHN) to connect unhoused families with essential services and resources.

United Way of Yellowstone County will employ a United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator and subcontract with community agencies to house four Community Housing Navigators (CHN) to connect unhoused families with essential services and resources. The United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator will provide a connection point for training and communication to CHNs and their home agencies, while CHNs will help lead and unite our community’s resources to provide hope and housing solutions for homeless families. 

The United to Solve Homelessness program will work with qualified organizations to hire Community Housing Navigators who are trusted members of the community. While stable housing is the end-goal, there is a need to provide families with soft handoffs and physically take them to different services which CHNs will be responsible. These positions will also be responsible for connection, education, financial, resource, and housing support services that families identify as barriers to stable housing (i.e.:  bus fares, vehicles, car seats, transportation and other resources). 

Purpose

Move 1,000 families experiencing homelessness into stable housing through improved access to housing solutions and wraparound support. 

Vision

1. Unite efforts towards connecting effective strategies and resources that reduce families experiencing homelessness.  Connect unhoused families to resources:  1)  build connections between unhoused families and community services to reduce homelessness and 2) collaborate with initiatives like the Continuum of Care, Housing First, Coordinated Entry Systems, and Housing is Healthcare to strengthen housing stability.
2. Support school readiness and school success in collaboration with homeless students initiatives across Yellowstone County school districts.  Help schools help children succeed through increased supports to ensure academic milestones are achieved.  Empower youth with foundations for life success (mental health, life skills, financial literacy, service-learning/volunteer opportunities).
3. Build upon the community’s capacity to connect families experiencing homelessness with impactful system of support.  CHN will connect families to needed community resources, such as food, transportation, medical care, mental health support, childcare, housing and more.  CHNs will serve as a trusted resource to help families navigate housing referrals and identify options for additional resources including those offered by United Way of Yellowstone County. 
4. Support the development of a robust community housing navigator (CHN) workforce. United Way of Yellowstone County aims to strengthen the CHN workforce in Yellowstone County through training and continuing education options to address Social Determinants of Health disparities in Yellowstone County.

Role of Community Housing Navigators

The Community Housing Navigator (CHN) works to unite community resources, providing hope and housing solutions for homeless families affected by homelessness. This position collaborates with United Way of Yellowstone County, City and County officials, the Continuum of Care Coalition, school districts, HomeFront, and other community partners to address housing needs and support the transition to permanent housing. Services include assessment, pre-tenancy support, housing stabilization, tenancy-sustaining services, and housing-focused service coordination.  This may include but is not limited to:

• Housing Assessments & Goal Setting
  
  • Conduct client consultations to identify housing barriers, solutions, and establish housing goals.
  • Provide individualized support sessions regarding housing and related services.
• Service Coordination & Referrals
  
  • Make referrals to social service and medical resources to help clients maintain housing stability.
  • Collaborate with community partners to address basic needs, such as housing, childcare, food, transportation, healthcare, and technology, utilizing the Housing Solutions Fund where applicable.
  • Support clients with applications for SSI/SSDI, Emergency Rental Assistance, and other entitlements.
• Housing Process Facilitation
  
  • Assist with housing searches, applications, housing voucher processes, orientations, inspections, lease renewals, and move-in/out processes.
• Collaboration & Networking
  
  • Actively engage with crisis continuum navigators and coordinators throughout Yellowstone County.
  • Participate in and coordinate with community housing initiatives, such as the Continuum of Care, Housing First, Coordinated Entry Systems, Housing is Healthcare, Human Resource Councils, and homeless shelters.
• Data Management & Reporting
  
  • Maintain detailed client records, including service objectives, outcomes, case notes, and HMIS data.
  • Prepare and manage client data for grant reporting purposes.

CHNs serve as liaisons between social services and the community, conducting outreach, education, advocacy, and support.   These positions are employed by grant-recipient nonprofits and coordinated by the United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator at United Way. Through ongoing connections between CHNs and the United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator there will be increased communication between organizations which, in turn, will help to unify resources and navigation tools used to help homeless families find and retain stable housing.

Who can apply for a Community Housing Navigator

Any 501(c)3 organization that is a Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) participant or qualified fiscal agent located in Yellowstone County is eligible to apply for funding to host a CHN. Two or more eligible organizations may partner on a proposal; however, one must be named as the primary organization to manage grant funds and oversee the CHN. Applicants must have proper fiscal accountability practices in place and may be asked to provide documentation of such as part of this partnership. Priority will be given to organizations that have prior experience serving families and children living in homelessness.

Funding

There is $75,000 budgeted to cover all costs associated with each CHN at 1 FTE (salary, fringe, overhead, mileage, etc.) however, funds may vary per site based on population reach, demonstrated needs of the host organization and/or population served, and other factors. Organizations may apply to host multiple navigators and/or may collaborate with other organizations on a proposal.

Grant funds must be used to help a minimum of 50 families that are experiencing homelessness annually obtain stable housing (6 months of housing at the same residence). We anticipate the majority of the funding will be used for personnel and indirect costs such as office supplies and mileage. CHN sites are not responsible for training expenses. In the event of staff turnover, the United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator will work with sub-awardees to arrange for completion of required training for new staff in a timely manner.

Project hours may be spread across multiple CHN positions or organizational staff working on this project to equal 1 FTE. While we understand that organizations may be serving a variety of homeless populations, this funding is to be used explicitly for the rehousing of families. Estimated time burdens may vary based on organizational size and the degree to which your organization is already engaged in similar work.  Funding is not to replace any work that is currently being conducted but a potential expansion of work. Awardees will receive grant payments bi-annually following the submission of tracking log, as outlined in an agreed-upon contract. Organizations are encouraged to apply for sub-grant awards as they become available. A total of 4 FTE will be awarded in fall 2025, with continuation funding available through June 20, 2027.

Scope of Work

Funding will support local organizations to employ and train CHNs to provide housing solutions and wraparound services to families experiencing homelessness, with a minimum of 50 families obtaining stable housing (at least 6 months at the same residence) annually. Navigators will collaborate with grant partners to engage in data collection, community outreach, identification and use of unique strategies to reduce families experiencing homelessness, including filling out tracking forms for each family. Once housing is obtained CHNs will check on families quarterly to see how they are doing and if other referrals need to be made. The United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator and United Way of Yellowstone County staff will work with CHNs and sites to support these efforts. CHNs will complete all training assignments, project deliverables, and reporting requests in a timely and responsive manner, with guidance from their site supervisor. Site supervisors will receive project specific training, attend quarterly site calls, and will support reporting, time keeping, expenses, and other needs through ongoing supervision of CHNs.

Housing Solutions Fund

The Housing Solutions Fund has a total allocation of $250,000 annually.

CHNs as well as other front door agencies will have access to a Housing Solutions fund to be used to help families find stable housing. Expenditures can include:

• Rental deposits
• Application fees – including, background check and credit checks
• Lot rent
• Utility assistance
• Relocation assistance – bus, moving van, plane ticket, etc.
• Fees for securing identification documents
• Other costs the family identifies and CHN approves as needing to be resolved to help with housing stabilization

Parameters:

• Intake form and supportive documents are required
• CHNs hosting agencies and other front door agencies accessing the funds, will be responsible for entering information in the HMIS system and reporting request payments on a quarterly basis to the United to Solve Homelessness Coordinator.