THE NATIONAL HOMELESS INITIATIVE

A Guide to the
Supporting Communities Partnerships Initiative
(SCPI)

CONTENTS

FOREWORD

PART I – THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE

A PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE
 
B BACKGROUND
     The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI)
     Youth Homelessness Strategy
     Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS)
 
C ELIGIBILITY FOR SCPI FUNDING
     Allocation of Funds
     Eligible Organizations
     Eligible Activities
          Individual Projects
     Eligible Costs
          Planning
          Implementation
          Administration
     Urgent Needs Projects
 
D THE SCPI PROCESS
INTRODUCTION
     1. PLANNING
     Community Planning Process
     The Nine Basic Elements of a Community Plan
          1. Geographic Area
          2. Objectives
          3. Community Plan Development Process
          4. Assets and Gaps
          5. Priorities
          6. Sustainability
          7. Evaluation
          8. Communications Plan
          9. Community Financial Contribution
 
     2. DECISION MAKING
          Governance
               Community Advisory Boards
               Community Service Providers
 
E APPROVALS

 

PART II -  OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Programs
Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)
Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)
Canadian Centre for Public-Private Partnerships in Housing (CCPPPH)
Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative
 
GLOSSARY
 
ANNEX 1 Regional Contacts on Homelessness
ANNEX 2 City Facilitators on Homelessness
ANNEX 3 Regional Contacts, Phone Numbers and Addresses Youth Initiatives Directorate

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FOREWORD

PART I

THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE

A. PURPOSE OF THE GUIDE

This document provides general information on the programs included in the Government of Canada’s National Homelessness Initiative (NHI), and specific direction for community groups wishing to develop proposals for funding under the Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI).  The Guide sets out the principles and components of SCPI, describes the funding criteria and outlines the process for the development and approval of plans and proposals.  In addition, two key components of the NHI - the Youth Homelessness Strategy and the Urban Aboriginal Strategy - are explained in the front section of the document. 

 Part II, on page 25, provides information on other elements of the National Homelessness Initiative that could be of interest to community groups.  Contact information about HRDC’s coordinators of Homelessness and Youth programs are provided in tables at the end of the document.

B. BACKGROUND

On December 17, 1999, the Government of Canada announced that it would invest $753 million over three years, in a strategy designed to facilitate collaborative approaches - among governments, the voluntary and private sectors -  to address the challenges posed by the homeless throughout Canada.  The National Homeless Initiative recognizes that no one level of government or sector of Canadian society can, alone, solve the problem of homelessness.  The three basic components of the Homelessness Initiative are described below.

1. The Supporting Communities Partnership Initiative (SCPI)

The SCPI is a demonstration program, aimed at encouraging communities to work with provincial, territorial and municipal governments and the private and voluntary sectors to address the immediate needs of homeless people.  The goal is to reduce - and prevent - homelessness over the medium and longer term.  Although homelessness exists across Canada, the particular problems associated with it are quite different from one community to another.  Consequently, the SCPI is designed to support local, community-based efforts to identify priorities, plan and develop appropriate actions, and recommend how funds should be allocated to support the identified actions.

Objectives

The SCPI has five specific objectives:

1. To alleviate the hardship of those who are currently without shelter by increasing, for example, the number of beds available in shelters.  This may be done either directly - by providing additional shelter space, or indirectly - by providing alternative housing for current long-term shelter residents.

2. To promote a coordinated series of programs and initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness.

3. To strengthen the capacity of communities to address the needs of homeless people and to reduce homelessness, by bringing community service providers together to develop plans that address individual needs in a seamless and coordinated fashion.

4. To promote the development of collaborative processes and broad-based partnerships among all stakeholders - including the private sector, the non-profit sector, the voluntary sector, labour organizations and all levels of government - to address homelessness at a community level.

5. To develop a base of knowledge, expertise and data about homelessness, and share it among all concerned parties and with the general public.

Funding for this initiative amounts to $305 million over three years, and applies to communities in one of two categories. 

• Eighty percent of the funding is targeted at 10 cities that have documented a significant number of people who are currently without long-term shelter.  They are Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Hamilton, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax. 
• The remaining 20 percent of SCPI funds are directed at smaller communities - in every province and territory - that are able to demonstrate a homelessness problem.   Identification of these communities was made jointly by the federal and provincial or territorial government.

In both categories, the SCPI will match the funding from non-federal sources that has been identified by each community, to a maximum of the total amount allocated for the community.  Each community must provide - or document commitments for - 50% percent of the total project budget, in order to receive matching funds.

2. Youth Homelessness Strategy

The federal government has allocated an additional $59 million over three years, to address homelessness among youth.  This component is delivered in collaboration with the Youth Employment Initiatives of Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

Projects to address Youth Homelessness do not require a 50 percent community contribution, nor is the funding limited to those communities identified under SCPI.  However, all youth projects funded in a city that receives SCPI funding must be linked to the Community Plan to address overall homelessness.

Organizations wishing to participate in this initiative should contact their nearest HRDC Youth Officer or Homeless Coordinator for more information. [see Annexes]

3. Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS)

In the third key component of the NHI, funds amounting to $59 million are being targeted toward the needs of Aboriginal people through the Urban Aboriginal Strategy (UAS).  The UAS, announced in January 1998, is a mechanism that brings federal departments together to ensure that their programs more effectively serve urban Aboriginal communities.  The Regional Council of Senior Federal Officials in each province or territory will develop a plan to flow the funding to specified federal departments for delivery of projects to prevent and reduce Aboriginal homelessness.

Projects under UAS do not require a 50 percent community contribution, nor is funding limited to those communities identified under SCPI.  However, Aboriginal projects funded in a city receiving SCPI funds must be linked to the community plan to address overall homelessness.  It is important to ensure that Aboriginal concerns are integrated into the SCPI plan through consultation and representation on the planning committee.

Organizations interested in participating in this process, or applying for funding under this component, should contact the nearest HRDC Homelessness or Aboriginal Coordinator for more information.  Coordinators can advise communities on which federal departments will be delivering funding in their regions, and provide appropriate contact information.

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C. ELIGIBILITY FOR SCPI FUNDING

Allocation of Funds

Eighty percent of SCPI funding has been allocated to 10 urban centres (see page 7 for explanation).  The balance goes to other communities that have significant homelessness problems.

Eligible Organizations

Individuals, not-for-profit organizations and municipal governments are eligible to receiving funding.  Public health and educational institutions may be eligible for funding, with the agreement of the province/territory government.

For-profit enterprises are eligible, provided that the nature and intent of the activity is non-commercial and conforms to the plan to address homelessness that has been developed by the community (the Community Plan).  In addition, businesses may receive funding to assist them in providing work experience for the homeless.

Eligible Activities

Project activities eligible for a federal contribution under the SCPI must not only fit within the Community Plan, but must also fall within the scope of eligible SCPI activities.  These include:

• ongoing planning related to building within the community, the capacity to address a wide spectrum of homelessness issues such as prevention, the need for transitional and supportive housing, and socio-economic inclusion of homeless people;
• activities that strengthen the capacity of community organizations to address the needs of the homeless, including proposal development, organizational assistance (strategic planning, board training, conflict resolution, decision making, etc.) access to workshops and other educational opportunities, encouragement of collaboration, and community development initiatives;
• activities that meet the immediate needs of people living on the streets or in shelters, including providing outreach workers to link homeless people with resources, multi-service centres (drop-in centres that provide food, clothing, laundry, showers, foot care, sleeping bags, dental hygiene, service referrals, etc.) building, buying or renovating facilities for shelter space, and transitional and supportive housing; and
• other initiatives that are based on a seamless program of support services aimed at reducing homelessness.

Individual Projects

All activities eligible for SCPI federal funding must fit within the program’s objectives, terms and conditions, and be identified in the Community Plan.  Priority will be established by the community and generally be given to projects that address the needs of those currently without permanent shelter.  Some key areas that may be funded through the SCPI include:

• emergency shelters;
• transitional and supportive housing;
• health and employment services;
• prevention strategies;
• outreach services;
• multi-service centres;
• initiatives that help community organizations conduct strategic planning and board training, access educational opportunities and encourage partnerships; and
• other activities that form part of a seamless program of support services aimed at reducing homelessness.

Eligible Costs

Planning

In each eligible community, contributions may be made to cover the full reasonable and direct costs of preparing a plan to reduce homelessness, and disseminating information about it.  Such costs may include renting meeting space for community consultations, hiring a consultant to facilitate the planning process and draft a Plan, and the publishing and distribution of it.

Implementation

SCPI contributions may cover any or all portions of the reasonable and direct costs of developing, administering, delivering and evaluating projects that fall within the Community Plan.  Contributions may be provided for capital projects.  If a proposal is approved for funding, the eligible costs will be specified in detail in a contribution agreement.

Administration

In both the Community Entity and Shared Delivery models of implementation (see Decision Making, page 21) financial assistance may be provided to cover administrative costs such as wages and employment-related costs for staff, licences, permits, fees for professional services, disbursements for research or technical studies, disability needs, bank interest, utilities, materials, supplies, travel, insurance, rental of premises, leasing or purchasing equipment and the costs of audits, evaluations and assessments.

Urgent Needs Projects

While a community is in the process of developing its Plan, an urgent need may arise for a project to address the case of people currently without shelter.  Funding for such a project will be considered, provided that communities demonstrate that:

• the proposed intervention must be implemented within a specific time frame to address immediate needs;
• the project has been identified as a community priority, through a process of public consultation;
• the project is formally endorsed by all members of the Community Planning group and, once complete, will reflect the priorities of the Community Plan;
• the federal or, where appropriate, provincial Homelessness Coordinator has certified that the project meets the objectives of the SCPI.

In addition to meeting these requirements, an Urgent Need Project proposal must contain the same elements as a regular project proposal.  For further information, contact the regional coordinator on Homelessness in your region. [See Annex 1 for list]

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D. THE SCPI PROCESS

INTRODUCTION

By far the most important elements for the effective implementation of SCPI are planning and decision making.

1. PLANNING

The Community Plan should be a product of a consultative process involving all stakeholders interested in addressing homelessness in their community.  Regardless of the delivery model chosen, the broader community is responsible for the development and implementation of a community-based Plan and for ensuring that the community planning process is inclusive.

Community Planning Process

Community Planning Groups are organizations that have come together to coordinate the research and discussions necessary to develop and implement a plan to address homelessness in their community.  Typically, they include representatives from local community service providers, funding organizations, various levels of government and the private sector, including youth groups and, where numbers warrant, Aboriginal groups.  Community Planning groups undertake the following:

• working with service providers, the City Homelessness Facilitator, funding sources and the various levels of government to determine the priority needs of the homeless and identify funding sources for responding;
• developing the Community Plan, based upon the nine elements described below;
• submitting the plan to the City Facilitator for funding approval.

The Nine Basic Elements of a Community Plan

The community planning process should be guided by an inclusive and consultative approach that involves the participants and stakeholders.  The community identifies services currently available (“assets”) and those that need to be developed (“gaps”). Participants then determine the priorities that meet local requirements, to prevent and alleviate homelessness.  Assets might include addiction services, soup kitchens or youth outreach programs;  gaps might include a lack of emergency shelters, drop-in centres or mental health services.  By developing a seamless underpinning of support, the Community Plan provides a foundation for community action that can build on current assets and begin to address the identified gaps.  The Community Plan is expected to:

• provide community service organizations with a framework in which to work together to achieve common goals;
• assist the community to make the best possible use of scarce resources by reducing overlap and duplication;
• enable the community to evaluate its progress in reaching its objectives; and
• identify other sources of funding that the community will use to meet its 50 percent matching requirement.

Broad community involvement is important to the development of a plan that clearly identifies the community’s concerns.  Service providers and other interested organizations should be involved in the planning process.  In particular, the plan must reflect the needs of the key groups at risk - Aboriginal peoples, women and their children, youth, immigrants, refugees, substance abusers and the mentally ill - and involve them in the planning process.

It is also important that there be links with existing or emerging community initiatives on homelessness.  City Facilitators in HRDC’s local offices will work with communities to help them develop their plans, and will help to position communities to receive support funding for eligible projects.

Though not all activities identified in the Plan may be eligible for federal funding under SCPI, the Plan should identify the complete range of actions necessary to reduce and prevent homelessness, regardless of funding source.  This is to ensure that the Community Plan is a comprehensive document that assists in directing all activities related to homelessness in the community, and not just those that fall under the SCPI.

To qualify for matching federal SCPI funds, the Plan must identify funding sources other than the federal government, and provide evidence of confirmed funding, such as a letter from the funding partner.  In addition, the Community Plan must provide information on the following.

1. Geographic Area

The geographic area over which the SCPI funding is to apply.

2. Objectives

Outcomes that the community expects to achieve by 2003, through implementation of its Plan.  The specific objectives of the Plan must be compatible with the SCPI objectives on homelessness (see p. 7).

3. Community Plan Development Process

The process to be followed in developing and implementing the Community Plan, including steps taken to ensure an open, consultative approach and the participation of all interested stakeholders.  Particular attention should be given to involving Aboriginal, youth and homeless persons throughout.

A list of participating organizations from any workshops, working groups or community meetings held as part of the planning process should also be included.

4. Assets and Gaps

Research has shown that homelessness is most effectively reduced by implementing a seamless underpinning of support services, that helps people - over time - move from a situation where they are without permanent shelter or in danger of becoming homeless, to one of self-sufficiency. 

With this in mind, list the supports and services that currently exist in your community - programs, services, human resources, equipment, buildings, land, etc.  Use this list to quantify the supports and services that are required to meet the needs of the homeless - the gaps.  If the list is lengthy, refer to it in summary form in the body of the Plan, and provide details as an attachment.

5. Priorities

Analyze the gaps identified to develop a priority list of needs for the homeless in your community.  Such priorities may be broadly stated, and have a long- or a short-term focus.  This identification of priorities is the essence of a Community Plan.  Once the priority gaps have been determined, highlight the specific aspects of each that you propose to address over the life of the Plan.  For example: if the priority is emergency shelter, the target group might be families.

The short-term nature of the SCPI requires that the Plan identify a focus for its priorities, for the three years of the Initiative (December 1999 to 2003).  Include a list of potential initiatives (or a combination) and estimate the cost of each.  It is important that the link between gaps, priorities and target areas be clearly articulated in the Community Plan.

Key to the three-year Plan is the sequencing of projects or initiatives identified through analysis of the assets and gaps.  While needs differ from one community to another, some core issues should be considered.

• Multi-year funding needs: Some initiatives may require funding for two or three years.  To ensure full funding before the SCPI ends in 2003, it is recommended that the community consider beginning the projects early in the planning period.
• Contributions from other sources: The SCPI encourages communities to link this initiative with other federal and provincial/territorial programs, where feasible and appropriate.  Planners should consider how the availability of funds from other sources may have an impact on the time at which a particular initiative could receive SCPI funding.
• Capital projects: Large capital projects require considerable time to move from idea to construction to the habitation stage.  Capital projects should, therefore, begin early in the life of the initiative.

While the Community Plan is being developed, projects may be funded through the Urgent Need program, described on page 13.

Following completion of the Plan, the community can solicit proposals from, among others, community service groups, for initiatives to address the identified priority areas.  This can be achieved through a formal Request for Proposals, or an informal process determined locally.

6. Sustainability

The Plan must indicate how it will address the ability of the community to sustain the momentum of programs begun or enhanced through the National Homelessness Initiative, including project proposals that identify funding needs beyond the end of the SCPI. 

• In those cases where a future funding source is secured, identify it in the Plan and keep documentation on file.
• Cases where future funding sources are not yet secured should be discussed with the City Facilitator on Homelessness.

7. Evaluation

This element includes both reporting and evaluation.  The Community Plan must identify the measures that will be used to report on progress during the three years of the SCPI.  This includes measurable outcomes anticipated from individual initiatives that have received SCPI funding.

The Plan should include a commitment and a process for periodic review and updating. At a minimum, this should be an annual process.  The Plan must also outline the process to be used to evaluate the Plan objectives against results at the end of the three-year period.

8. Communications Plan

It is essential that individuals and community agencies have free access to the Community Plan, are informed of calls for project proposals to address the Plan priorities, and are provided with updates on progress during implementation.  The Community Plan must, therefore, include a Communications Plan.  It should also outline the process and schedule for reporting to the community and stakeholders - including governments - on the progress made on achieving the objectives of the Plan.

For those community groups not familiar with developing communications plans, samples may be obtained from the City Facilitator on Homelessness.

9. Community Financial Contribution

For a community to receive SCPI funding, confirmed funding from non-federal sources must equal the community’s maximum SCPI allocation.  Confirmation of the non-federal funding must be appended to the Plan in the form of letters, certification by an officer of the donor agency or other documentation from the funding source.  Types of funding that will be recognized for one-to-one matching with SCPI funds include:

• provincial/territorial and municipal monies and in-kind contributions committed from April 1, 1999 onward, that are identified as addressing the homelessness issue in the specific community; and
• funding and in-kind services raised by service providers and the private sector, committed from April 1, 2000 onward, that are identified as addressing the homeless issue.

Matching funding does not include:

• funding provided by the Government of Canada through other programs (e.g., Justice, other HRDC programs, Health Canada, CMHC);
• federal funding provided to provinces and territories to manage a program such as social housing or training; or
• funding for established, basic programs that are the traditional responsibility of the provincial government, such as health care.

Where a Community Plan identifies a shortfall in the matching funds necessary to attain its full federal allocation, it should contain a strategy for securing the remainder of the required funds.

The financial information may be lengthy, and may be referred to in summary form within the Plan with details included as an appendix.  Any such appendix should also include the total implementation cost of the Plan, and projected revenues - both confirmed and unconfirmed - from all sources.

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2. DECISION MAKING

Governance

Accountability for SCPI funds may be ensured by the community through one of two models, chosen in consultation the City Facilitator on Homelessness.  The community may wish to delegate responsibility for implementing the Plan to a Community Entity - an incorporated body authorized to act on its behalf.  Examples of community entities are municipal governments or community housing foundations. 

As an alternative, the community may prefer to work with the HRDC Coordinator and to share in the implementation of the Plan.

In the Community Entity model, the Community Entity contracts with the federal government for SCPI funds.   A community-based advisory body undertakes a preliminary review of the projects and makes recommendations to the Community Entity.  The Community Entity retains the authority for making final recommendations as well as for monitoring and reporting on the implementation and evolution of the Community Plan, including investments made, success in filling gaps in services and new partnerships forged. 

In a shared delivery model, the community’s recommendations on projects to be funded are made - through a Steering Committee - to HRDC.   Officials review the proposal and make the final decisions on funding.

Key responsibilities of the implementing agent in both models include ensuring that:

• mechanisms to provide funding to community based projects are open, equitable and transparent;
• community groups are involved in the selection of projects for SCPI funding;
• approved projects are in accordance with SCPI Terms and Conditions and support community plan priorities.

In addition, the implementing agents are involved in preparing, signing and managing the funding agreements, including monitoring, assuring the timely reporting of results, audits and evaluation. 

Community Advisory Boards

Community Advisory Boards (or Steering Committees, Action Committees, Governance Committees) typically comprise community partners who have different levels of involvement in the homelessness issue, including public, private and not-for-profit organizations.  They work with the Community Planning Group, the Community Entity and the City Facilitator on Homelessness to ensure that the priorities identified in the Community Plan are met through the funding process.  Community Advisory Boards with representation from youth and, where numbers warrant, Aboriginal peoples, undertake to review project proposals for SCPI eligibility and relevance to Community Plan priorities, and to make recommendations to the Community Entity or the City Facilitator, depending on the delivery model selected.

Community Service Providers

Community Service Providers and agencies participate in the National Homeless Initiative at a number of levels.  They can:

• participate in community planning and decision-making activities;
• prepare proposals for consideration by the Community Advisory Board;
• provide reports on the main outputs of their projects to the Community Entity or the City Facilitator; and
• participate in program evaluations.

E. APPROVALS

Proposals will be reviewed by HRDC officials and referred to the Federal Coordinator on Homelessness for approval.  In all cases, applicants will receive either a notice of approval or of rejection of the application.  No hiring of staff, commitments of any kind, or expenditures should be undertaken until project approval has been received.  Any expenditure incurred prior to the agreed start date, as described in the official approval, will be the sole responsibility of the organization and is not eligible for reimbursement.

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PART II

OTHER COMPONENTS OF THE NATIONAL HOMELESSNESS INITIATIVE

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Programs

CMHC supports the National Homeless Initiative through two key programs. They are the Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP) and the Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP), and are delivered by CMHC or designated agencies directly (in Ontario, Alberta, British Columbia, Yukon, Prince Edward Island and Nunavut) or by provincial or territorial housing agencies, which cost-share the program(s).

Residential Rehabilitation Assistance Program (RRAP)

The RRAP has four components:

• Rental RRAP provides financial assistance to help landlords pay for mandatory repairs to units occupied by low-income tenants.
• Rooming House RRAP offers repair assistance to owners of rooming houses who offer affordable rents to low-income people.
• RRAP for Persons with Disabilities provides assistance to homeowners and owners of units occupied by low-income tenants with disabilities who require special modifications to their residences to improve accessibility.
• RRAP Conversion provides financial assistance to convert non-residential properties into affordable rental units or rooming houses.

Funding from RRAP is for existing buildings only and cannot be used for new construction. Funds are also available to assist low-income homeowners in rural and urban areas with repairs, and to help low-income seniors with accessibility modifications.  

Shelter Enhancement Program (SEP)

The SEP provides financial assistance to repair existing shelters for women, children and youth who are victims of family violence.  Where needed, the funding can also be used to create new shelters or second-stage housing.

Canadian Centre for Public-Private Partnerships in Housing (CCPPPH)

The Centre, located at CMHC, offers advice, expertise and consultation to community groups interested in providing affordable housing, including persons with special needs. Interest-free loans are available to assist groups in developing project proposals. The Centre can also help to arrange mortgage loan insurance, which enables groups to access mortgage financing for projects at favourable terms and conditions.   For further information, contact your City Facilitator (see Annex 2).

Surplus Federal Real Property for Homelessness Initiative

The Surplus Federal Real Property for the Homelessness Initiative was created to help communities combat the often prohibitive capital costs that many homelessness projects face, such as those incurred in purchasing land and buildings.  The initiative provides $10 million nationally ($4 million in 2000/01, $3 million in 2001/02 and $3 million in 2002/03) worth of surplus federal properties for homelessness projects.  Federal departments are encouraged to identify surplus properties and receive compensation for lost revenues when the property is transferred to a group for the purpose of assisting homeless people.

Non-profit organizations and other levels of government are eligible to receive federal surplus real property (buildings and/or land) to assist homeless people in cases where their community has a demonstrable homeless population and their proposal is supported by a recognized Community Plan.  The fund will cover the difference between the market value of the property and the amount of money that the successful organization can afford to pay.  Priority will be given to projects that are part of an SCPI Community Plan.

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) and HRDC, with the assistance of CMHC, will work as partners to implement and manage this initiative. 

For further information, contact your City Facilitator on Homelessness (see Annex 2).

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GLOSSARY

Absolute Homelessness - The situation that arises when people are living on the street, in temporary shelters or in locations not meant for human habitation.

Advisory Group - A community reference group for the implementation of SCPI providing a forum for sharing best practices and the identification of gaps.

Affordable Housing - Housing that is generally accessible to a wide segment of lower- income wage earners.   While Affordable Housing should form part of the community’s Continuum of Supports Plan, it cannot be funded through the SCPI.

Assets - All elements currently used to support the community plan.  They include, but are not limited to, services, human resources, equipment, buildings and land.

City Facilitator - The federal employee at the community level who will assist in building or strengthening partnerships among stakeholders and other levels of government.  The City Facilitator will act as a catalyst to assist in the development of community-based approaches to homelessness and represent the Government of Canada and the Federal Coordinator on Homelessness.

Community Advisory Board - ideally comprises community service providers, funders and academics.  At a minimum, the Board comprises community funders.  This Board provides recommendations to the Community Entity or HRDC (whichever is applicable) on which projects to approve for funding.

Community Entity - An incorporated organization that will receive SCPI funding.  It will take on the task of ensuring that community planning is undertaken, decision making mechanisms and administrative practices based on transparency and financial probity are in place for the calling for project proposals, evaluating proposals and flowing SCPI funding to projects.

Community Plan - The plan that uses the continuum of supports approach to identify all of the supports and services currently available within a community as well as those that are missing or needed.  It will also include a clear statement of objectives, identification of the geographic area of the community, description of the process used to develop the plan, statement of priority issues, a description of how the community will address the need for future funding for services once SCPI funding ends, a strategy for evaluating progress in implementing the plan and a communications plan. It must address the specific needs of homeless, urban Aboriginal people and youth within the community. A financial plan must be attached to each Community Plan.

Community Planning Group - Comprises representatives from the various sectors (stakeholders) interested in homelessness.  All reasonable effort must be taken to include representatives from the Youth and Aboriginal sectors.

Continuum of Supports - A holistic approach to addressing the needs of homeless individuals within a community plan.  It includes all supports and services that would be needed to assist a homeless person or someone at risk of becoming homeless to become self-sufficient, where possible.

Contribution agreement - The legal mechanism that will stipulate what is required to ensure that the terms and conditions of SCPI and Treasury Board guidelines are respected and that program-specific financial and performance terms are adhered to.

Demonstrated Need (with reference to 20% communities) - The requirement for a community to present evidence of a problem with absolute homelessness in it.  Provincial/territorial and Government of Canada agreement must be reached before a community will be declared as an ‘eligible community’.

Exceptional Situations - Situations that are beyond the control of the community and are not reasonably expected.  This does not include changes in government (provincial, municipal or federal) policy.  An example is the unplanned destruction of a shelter.

Financial Plan - The financial annex to the community plan that identifies all the funding that a community uses to deliver their programs and services.  Sources of each contribution (fundraising, municipal, provincial, etc.) should be identified.  Each funding source will be noted as ‘confirmed’ or ‘unconfirmed’.  Funding will be considered ‘confirmed’ when there is a commitment in writing for a specific amount.  The financial plan will not include any funds received directly from the federal government. In-kind contributions must be confirmed by the supplier.

In-kind Contributions - All non-financial contributions used in the implementation of the community plan.  This may include, for example, volunteer hours, donated supplies and facilities and professional services (accounting, legal, other).

Involuntary Homeless - Although one of the five broad objectives of SCPI refers to “…individuals that are involuntarily on the street…”, for SCPI funding purposes, there is no need to distinguish between ‘voluntary’ and ‘involuntary’ homeless.

Most Affected Communities - Those communities identified through bi-lateral negotiations between the Government of Canada and provinces or territories as having a significant problem with absolute homelessness.  Such communities will have access to 80% of SCPI funding.  They are currently identified as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Toronto, Ottawa, Hamilton, Montreal, Quebec City and Halifax.

Multi-service Centres - Centres that offer a broad range of services to homeless people, including meals, showers, dental hygiene services, service referrals, etc. However, such centres do not necessarily provide beds or overnight shelter.

Non-commercial Activities - Activities from which the sponsoring/delivering organization does not plan to make a profit, or where all profits realized would be immediately re-invested in homelessness initiatives/activities.

Other Affected Communities - Those communities identified through bi-lateral negotiations between the Government of Canada and provinces or territories, that will have access to 20% of the SCPI funding.

Regional Facilitator - The HRDC employee who coordinates the homelessness initiative at a regional level.  The Regional facilitator will provide administrative support to City Facilitators, links with other federal departments and other levels of government and will act as a liaison point between regions and the National Secretariat on Homelessness.

Service Providers - Those agencies and organizations that deliver programs and services to individuals who are or may become homeless, regardless of where the agency is found on the continuum of supports.

Shelters - Housing intended for very short tenures (from a few days to six months), usually available on an emergency basis.

Social Housing - public or non-profit owned housing receiving long-term federal subsidies (3+ years).

Stakeholders - Those individuals, agencies, organizations and funders that are interested in making a contribution to reducing or preventing homelessness.  This also includes the private sector, churches and homeless individuals.

Supportive Housing - Public, private or non-profit owned housing with some form of support component, intended for people who cannot live independently in the community, where providers receive funding for support services. The tenure may be long term.

Sustainability - The concept of the future state of a project receiving SCPI funding.  Each project proposal must include either a plan for continued resourcing of a project beyond 2003 (when SCPI funding ends) or an impact statement for all projects that will end in 2003, as a result of the termination of the SCPI.

Time Sensitive (to qualify for Urgent Need) - The immediate requirement to start work on a project.  A case would have to be made that demonstrates how waiting for a community plan to be finalized would jeopardize the success of an activity or project.

Transitional Housing - A combination of housing and services intended to facilitate self-reliance and self-sufficiency.  This housing is intended for an individual’s use for up to three years.

Urgent Need - Work (projects/activities) that must be undertaken before a community plan is in place (plan written, priorities identified and agreement among planning group reached) due to time-sensitive issues.  In order for a project to qualify as an ‘urgent need’, the community has to show that homeless people would suffer from extreme hardship if the project did not commence immediately.

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ANNEX 1

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ANNEX 2

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ANNEX 3

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