Faith-Based Organization Collaborations Expand Resources

Presenter: Darin Selnick, VA Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiative (FBCI)

History of the FBCI 

• Jan. 2001 – President Bush created the White House Office for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (WHOFBCI) by Executive Order (EO) 13199 as one of his first acts of presidency.
• Jan. 2001 – President Bush issued EO 13198 which created five Centers for Faith- Based and Community Initiatives.
• Aug. 2001 – WHOFBCI issued the “Un-level Playing Field” report which documents barriers that discriminated against faith-based groups in the Federal grants process.
• Dec. 2002 – President Bush issued EO 13279 which requires equal protection for FBCOs.
• Jun. 2004 – President Bush issued EO 13342 creating three new Centers for FBCI at the Departments of Commerce, Veterans Affairs and the Small Business Administration. 

VA has a long history of working with FBCOs. Since 1994, VA has awarded more than $250 million to more than 500 FBCOs to provide transitional housing and support services for homeless veterans.

The VA Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives’ mission is to coordinate Department efforts to eliminate regulatory, contracting, and other programmatic obstacles to the participation of FBCOs in the provision of social and community services to veterans. The Center has four main responsibilities:

• 1. Coordinate a comprehensive agency effort to incorporate FBCOs in agency programs and initiatives to the greatest extent possible.
• 2. Propose initiatives to remove barriers, including but not limited to reform or regulations, procurement, and other internal policies and practices and outreach activities.
• 3. Propose the development of innovative pilot and demonstration programs to increase the participation of FBCOs in Federal as well as State and local initiatives.
• 4. Develop and coordinate outreach efforts to disseminate information more effectively to FBCOs with respect to programming changes, contracting opportunities and other agency initiatives.

How can FBCOs participate?

• Partner in existing VA programs.
• Partner in pilot/demonstration programs.
• Tell the VA Center if there are barriers to your participation.
• Help the Center outreach by directing other FBCOs to them and directing the Center to FBCOs, inviting the Center to present/exhibit at conferences, distributing the Center’s article, visiting the Center website and joining their ListServ.
• Tell the Center your ideas. 

Current VA Homeless Programs

•  Health Care for Homeless Veterans (HCHV)
• Domiciliary Care for Homeless Veterans (DCHV) Program
• Veterans Benefits Assistance at VA Regional Offices
• Acquired Property Sales for Homeless Providers Program
• Readjustment Counseling Services Vet Centers
• Veterans Industry/Compensated Work-Therapy (CWT) and CWT/Transitional Residence Programs
• HUD-VA Supported Housing (VASH) Program
• VA’s Supported Housing Program
• Stand Downs
• VA Excess Property for Homeless Veterans Initiative
• The Homeless Providers Grant and Per Diem Program
• Project CHALENG (Community Homelessness Assessment, Local Education and Networking Groups) for Veterans

Contact:

Darin Selnick

Center for Faith-Based and Community Initiatives (002E)

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

810 Vermont Ave., NW

Washington, DC 20420

Phone: 202-273-7499

Email: vafbci@va.gov

Website: www.va.gov/opa/fbci

Presenter: Jeremy Rosen, Volunteers of America (VOA)

Volunteers of America is a national, nonprofit, faith-based service provider operating in 44 states with veterans programs in 12 states. These include 29 VA Grant and Per Diem transitional housing sites in 10 states, 2 VA incarcerated veterans transitional programs, and 7 DOL Homeless Veteran Reintegration Program sites in 6 states.

VOA finds the VA faith-based office to be an excellent partner. VOA recognizes that VA encouraged faith-based collaborations before the existence of the office, and VOA has not identified significant pre-existing barriers at the VA for FBOs. Most homeless veterans service providers are faith and/or community-based organizations – the VA understands how these operate. The VA funds the Homeless Veterans Technical Assistance Center operated by NCHV. As a sub-grantee, VOA provides information and technical assistance to FBOs and community organizations nationwide.

Key components to success in working with the VA

1. Track record: Bring a track record to the table – either your own or with a partner organization. It is best if the record is in serving homeless veterans, but it doesn’t have to be.

2. Preparation: Having faith and community-based organization status does not make it more likely VA will fund you – you have to demonstrate your worth. VOA works successfully with VA because the organization proposes feasible projects in areas of need and makes sure the organization has the resources necessary to get the programs off the ground.

a. Know the demographics of the homeless veteran population in your area.

b. Know what services you intend to provide, and for what segment of population.

c. Know the costs involved and sources from which you intend to seek money.

d. Know the facilities you plan to use to provide services.

e. Know whether partnerships are available.

3. Flexibility:

a. Be prepared to alter or adapt a proposal if circumstances change.

b. Always keep open the possibility of partnering.

c. Get to know people at the local VA/VA Medical Center. They can help you work through complicated issues and will be less likely to place roadblocks in your way if you have established a good relationship.

4. Religious mission, secular program: VOA local affiliates may have religious missions, but the work is secular. Services to clients are not conditioned upon client listening to religious discussion. Mental health or substance abuse treatment is offered through evidence based medical practices.

5. Collaboration: It helps fill gaps in knowledge and experience and can be creative. Faith and community-based organizations can bring a lot to the table and be good partners in many different ways.

6. Partnership: Example – one organization does housing another provides supportive services, such as mental health or substance abuse treatment or job training. Under the VA GPD program maximum finding is $400,000 – which may be insufficient to purchase and rehabilitate property and fund program costs. Find a partner who is developing affordable housing, contribute your award amount and operate GPD transitional housing beds as part of a larger affordable housing development. Or partner to find low or no cost property such as enhanced use lease of VA property or other federal surplus or base closure property.

Ways VOA successfully works with the VA

• VOA operates a FL Mobile Service Center which travels around the state and engages homeless veterans on the street, in rural areas, wherever they are living.
• In L.A., VOA operates transitional housing for female homeless veterans with dependent children.
• In Cleveland, VOA is trying to develop a closing VA hospital into a homeless veterans campus with housing and supportive services.

Contact:

Jeremy Rosen

Director for Homelessness and Mental Health

Volunteers of America National Office

Alexandria, VA

703-341-5096

Jrosen@voa.org