2025–2026 DCF Funding Competition

Over $1.2 million in grant funding available to strengthen homelessness response efforts across the Big Bend region.

Eligible nonprofits and public agencies are invited to apply for funding through ESG, Challenge, TANF, and ESG-RUSH programs. Applications due by July 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM.

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Big Bend Continuum of Care is pleased to announce the availability of over $1.2 million in reimbursable grant funding to support local efforts to reduce homelessness and connect individuals and families to permanent housing. This opportunity is open to qualified nonprofit organizations and public agencies serving Leon, Gadsden, Wakulla, Franklin, Liberty, Jefferson, Madison, and Taylor counties.

Grants are provided through the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and support evidence-based, outcome-driven projects aligned with our region’s homelessness response priorities. Applicants may request funding from one or more sources, but must clearly define budgets and scopes for each.

Total Available Funding: $1,201,834.20

  • Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) – $219,433.38 (100% match required)

  • Challenge Grant – $560,000.00 + 3% Admin ($16,800.00)

  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Prevention – $30,600.91

  • ESG – Rapid Unsheltered Survivor Housing (RUSH) – $375,000.00

Funding Period: July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026

Release Date: Wednesday, June 25th 2025

Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 16, 2025 at 12:00 PM (noon)

View the complete breakdown below for eligibility details and allowable activities.

Expand any of the items below for more information:

Allowable components include Emergency Shelter, Street Outreach, Rapid Rehousing and Prevention.

The ESG program provides funding to:

  1. engage individuals and families living on the street through case management and referral services.
  2. improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families and help operate these shelters by providing essential services including case management to shelter residents.
  3. rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families through financial assistance and housing stability case management.
  4. prevent families/individuals from becoming homeless through financial assistance and case management.
  • Street Outreach: Must serve 2 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $39,433.38

  • Emergency Shelter: Must serve 3 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $60,000.00

  • Rapid Rehousing: Must serve 1 individual per month

          Amount Available: $60,000.00

  • Homelessness Prevention: Must serve 2 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $60,000.00

 

Challenge Grant funding shall be used locally to assist those individuals or households who are homeless, or those at risk of becoming homeless. The funds may be used to assist those clients defined as homeless in section 420.621(5), Florida Statutes. The intent of the grant is to help implement the local homeless assistance plan, and to help the community reach the goals and objectives outlined in their CoC plan.

Challenge grant allowable activities include housing and program projects.

  1. Housing Projects
  2. Rental Assistance
  3. Hotel/Motel Vouchers
  4. Emergency Shelter Operations
  5. Case Management
  6. Program Projects
  7. Covers operational and logistical needs of an innovative homeless service program such as coordinated entry and street outreach
  8. Case Management
  9. Service Activities
  10. Housing Stability Case Management
  11. Street Outreach
  12. Transportation Assistance
  13. Direct Client Assistance (no rental assistance)
  • Housing Projects: Must serve 8 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $ 200,000.00

  • Program Projects: Must serve 8 individuals per month-

          Amount Available: $125,000.00

  • Service Projects: Must serve 10 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $235,000.00

 

The purpose of the Homelessness Prevention Grant Program is to assist eligible families to prevent the family from becoming homeless and to maintain stable housing following the assistance from the grant.

The Homelessness Prevention Grant may be used to pay the following costs to assist eligible families avoid homelessness:

  1. Past due rent payments, not to exceed four (4) months of rent payment.
  2. Past due utility bills, not to exceed four (4) months in arrears for electric, gas, water and sewer only.
  3. Staff and operating costs for the provision of the required case management services to be provided to the eligible families assisted.
  4. Households served must be under 200% of the poverty level as identified by HUD.
  • Homelessness Prevention: Must serve 1 individual/1 household per month

          Amount Available: $20,000.00

  • Case Management: Must serve 1 individual/1 household per month

          Amount Available: 10,600.91

 

Generally, all ESG factors apply to ESG – RUSH except for special circumstances and client eligibility. Three eligibility factors must be met:

  1. Be homeless or at risk of homelessness
  2. Have been residing in an area affected by a major disaster declared pursuant to the Stafford Act on or after December 20, 2019 (e.g., an area covered by DR-4673-FL, dated September 29, 2022); AND
  3. Have needs that will not be served or fully met by the TSA Program (42 USC 5170b) and other existing Federal disaster relief programs (including both Federal and non-Federal cost share).

If the client is already found eligible for ESG prior to the disaster, households are not required to re-qualify as homeless or at risk of homelessness for assistance under RUSH.

The ESG RUSH program provides funding to:

  1. engage individuals and families living on the street through case management and referral services
  2. improve the number and quality of emergency shelters for homeless individuals and families and help operate these shelters by providing essential services including case management to shelter residents
  3. rapidly re-house homeless individuals and families through financial assistance and housing stability case management
  4. prevent families/individuals from becoming homeless through financial assistance and case management
  • Street Outreach: Must serve 2 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $75,000.00

  • Emergency Shelter: Must serve 5 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $100,000.00

  • Rapid Rehousing: Must serve 2 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $ 100,000.00

  • Homelessness Prevention: Must serve 2 individuals per month

          Amount Available: $100,000.00

Click to watch the DCF RFP Community Call Replay  (opens in new window)

 
2025 BBCoC DCF RFP:  2025 DCF Funding RFP Final.pdf – Updated 7/1/2025
 
2025 DCF Funding Application:  2025 DCF Funding Application Final- Fillable.pdf – Updated 7/1/2025
 
2025 DCF Budget and Narrative Template:  FY 25-26 DCF Budget Templates.xlsx
 
2025 DCF Score Sheet: 2025 DCF PRC Score Sheet Final.pdf
 
BBCoC DCF Funding Guidance 2025: BBCoC DCF Funding Guidance 2025.pdf

Q & A

Questions & Answers

We encourage both current and new agencies to apply, as this is a new competitive funding cycle and not an automatic renewal. All applications for ESG, ESG-RUSH, TANF, and Challenge funds will be reviewed based on each applicant’s readiness, capacity and demonstrated strengths.

Case management remains a key service gap and is a priority for this funding cycle. There is a strong need for housing-focused case management that helps individuals and families secure and retain stable housing. This includes support with housing plans, employment, benefits access, and landlord mediation, which are critical  for long-term success across all program areas.

  1. Can someone who received ESG rental assistance in both March and April be counted as the 1 person per month for both months. - Yes, however, unduplicated numbers will be required to meet annual deliverables. Meaning, a total of at least 12 unduplicated individuals would need to be served by the end of the contract.
  2. Can someone who received housing relocation and stabilization services (HRSS) financial assistance with a rental application fee in March count as the 1 per month in March. Yes.
  3. Can someone who received housing search, housing placement, stability case management, or mediation but neither rental assistance nor HRSS financial assistance in March count as the 1 person per month in March. Yes.

We are working on streamlining this process through CES but have not been able to completely remove the internal calling factor. So, there is an expectation that callers will call the agency to go through the intake process. Most providers have been able to set timeframes for client calls to try to limit this.

No, you will need to report on each project activity separately.

  1. Can the 8 per month for the Housing Need component include a combination of people who receive rental assistance and/or case management? Yes. 
  2. Can the 8 per month for Program Need component be met through case management?  Yes Also, what is the job readiness component? Money for shoes and uniforms and bus passes? Yes, it could also be assistance with resume writing or the purchase of job skills software to assist with career interest.
  3. Can the 10 per month for Service Need components be combined with a and b. Yes, there may be duplication of clients served under Challenge Service from Program and Housing. 
  4. Basically, if a client receives something from category a, b, and c, can they be reported as a deliverable in each category? Yes.  

Essentially, yes, however, we do want to avoid duplication of the same category at the same time. For example, we don’t want to pay rental costs from ESG RRH and Challenge Housing, but a client may be receiving ESG RRH and receiving job placement assistance from Challenge Program.

The Challenge Grant requires a 25% match from state or local funds or in-kind support. Leveraged funds or resources, including third-party cash or in-kind contributions, may only be used for eligible activities within a project where they have not been previously used as match or leverage for another project or program.
 
ESG match (100%) can be that of federal, state or local funds or in-kind support.

For RUSH, clients would need to meet all three-

  • Be homeless or at risk of homelessness
  • Reside in an affected area, and
  • Have needs not been addressed by other disaster funding.

We have revised the RFP to clarify the error. The proposals are due 7/16/25.

Yes, 100% match is for regular ESG, not ESG RUSH. There is no match for RUSH.

You would need to provide a copy of your most recent audit and/or 990 along with narrative in question 7 of the application.