FY 2026 Continuum of Care Competition and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grants NOFO

The Continuum of Care Competition and Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program Grants NOFO is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development through its Office of Community Planning and Development. The Continuum of Care Program is a national competition between geographic areas intended to promote community-wide commitment to ending homelessness, quickly rehouse homeless individuals and families, improve access to mainstream and state or local programs, and increase self-sufficiency. The Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program supports coordinated community approaches to preventing and ending youth homelessness for homeless youth age 24 and younger, including unaccompanied youth and pregnant or parenting youth. Approximately $4.04 billion is available through the NOFO, with an estimated 7,000 awards. The funding includes CoC Program resources and dedicated funding for Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Bonus projects. Eligible project structures include CoC Planning, UFA Costs, CoC Bonus, DV Renewal, DV Bonus and DV Reallocation, CoC Reallocation, YHDP Renewal and Replacement, expansion, consolidation, transition, and other eligible project configurations described in the NOFO. Depending on project type, eligible activities may include permanent housing, rapid rehousing, transitional housing, supportive services, coordinated entry, HMIS, rental assistance, leasing, operating costs, project administration, and other eligible costs under 24 CFR part 578. YHDP projects have additional eligible special activities, and qualifying rural projects may use funds for specified rural costs. HUD rejects requests for ineligible costs. Indirect costs are governed by 2 CFR part 200, and applicants charging indirect costs must provide the required rate and distribution-base information and, when applicable, supporting rate documentation. Eligible applicants include state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations other than federally recognized tribal governments, and qualifying nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status. Individuals and for-profit entities are not eligible, and for-profit entities may not serve as subrecipients. Faith-based organizations may apply on the same basis as other eligible organizations, subject to applicable federal requirements. Project applicants must satisfy the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, the CoC Program Rule, applicable statutory and regulatory eligibility requirements, and project-specific requirements. Recipients generally must match grant funds, other than leasing funds, with no less than 25 percent from other eligible sources. YHDP Renewal or replacement projects may be exempt from that match in the circumstances described by the NOFO. Applications must be completed and submitted electronically through e-snaps unless HUD approves an electronic submission waiver. Applicants must maintain active SAM.gov registration and a valid UEI, and they must have access to e-snaps. The application process can include the CoC Application, CoC Priority Listing, project applications, charts, narrative responses, budgets, certifications, and required attachments. Standard requirements include the SF-424, HUD-424B, HUD-2880, HUD-50070, applicable lobbying forms, applicable construction assurances, and other forms specified by project circumstances. Nonprofit applicants must provide eligibility documentation, and nonprofit subrecipient eligibility documentation is also required when applicable. Collaborative Applicants must ensure required project applications are properly ranked, except for project types that the NOFO expressly excludes from ranking. Applicants should retain the e-snaps Submission Summary and copies of submission documents as proof of timely submission. HUD first conducts threshold review for timeliness, completeness, applicant eligibility, project eligibility, and applicable project quality requirements. Applications that satisfy threshold requirements proceed to merit review. The CoC merit review framework provides up to 200 points, including 14 points for Project Capacity, Review, and Ranking, 64 points for System Performance, and 122 points for CoC Coordination and Engagement, with additional bonus opportunities identified in the NOFO. Project-level thresholds and scoring requirements vary by project type. HUD may permit correction of specified technical errors, but applicants must respond within HUD's prescribed cure period. Selection also incorporates the NOFO's ranking and Tier processes. Successful applicants receive an award notice by email to the authorized official representative, and HUD also notifies unsuccessful applicants. The final application deadline is August 26, 2026, at 8:00 PM Eastern Time. The NOFO identifies an anticipated award date of December 1, 2026, with an estimated performance period beginning January 1, 2027 and ending December 31, 2027, while individual grants may have project and budget periods ranging from 12 to 60 months where authorized by the applicable project type. Renewal projects are generally limited to one year of funding, and several new, expansion, transition, DV, and YHDP structures have additional term restrictions. Questions about program and application requirements and e-snaps technical support may be directed to CoCNOFO@hud.gov. The paper application waiver contact is the Office of Special Needs Assistance Programs at CoCNOFO@hud.gov or 202-708-4300. The competition operates through recurring CoC Program processes, and the NOFO states that renewals are re-evaluated each year.

Submit the complete e-snaps package before the deadline and verify the Submission Summary contains no Please Complete sections. Ensure narratives directly address project eligibility, project quality, and CoC merit criteria. Keep funding requests consistent across all application sections. Confirm applicant and subrecipient eligibility documentation is attached where required. Ensure required attachments contain accurate and complete information and meet applicable date requirements. Save or export the Submission Summary and application documents as proof of timely submission.