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Understanding the characteristics of homelessness, its causes and contributing factors is important to help develop effective responses to reducing and preventing homelessness. The National Research Program (NRP) for the National Homelessness Initiative is designed to increase understanding of the magnitude, characteristics and causes of homelessness in Canada. It will further increase the base of policy and community relevant research, encourage and support research partnerships and facilitate the sharing of best practices and transfer of knowledge. The National Research Program will help foster the development and assessment of appropriate and effective responses at the local and national levels.

This component contributes to increased understanding, sharing and development of best practices at the local level, which is vital to making effective use of scarce resources and sustaining community efforts over the long term.

The NRP, with approximately $7 million in funding over the next three years, will invest in filling some of the remaining research gaps on homelessness identified at both the national and regional levels. Funding will be provided to partners to strengthen their capacity to develop a deeper understanding of homelessness and to help guide effective solutions to homelessness. The National Research Program relies on partnerships with research and community organizations, other federal departments and academic researchers.

The research investments and partnerships developed over the past three years have contributed to an exploratory understanding of some homelessness issues. Through the results of this research and the advice of knowledgeable experts in the field (Summary of Conclusions), we know that there exists a continuing need for more in-depth analysis in many areas including the long-term nature of homelessness and a need for more longitudinal studies on how different sub-populations experience the cycle of homelessness, as well as for comparative data and studies across geographic communities.

The 2003-2006 NRP Agenda will contribute to a better understanding of homelessness in the domains of: health; justice; immigration & diversity; cycles of homelessness; education; employment & income; and the North. A thematically structured program does not negate the importance of looking at specific vulnerable populations. Each domain will have specific vulnerable sub-populations that stand out as a priority focus for research. Additionally, there are a number of core issues that cross-cut the research domains of the program. Proposed research projects will have to specify how they will address certain core principles. These core principles would include, but may not be limited to, such issues as the societal cost, Aboriginal needs, and longitudinal and comparative studies.

Through the next three years, the National Secretariat on Homelessness (NSH) will put out calls to researchers, research organizations and communities for proposals that address various research questions related to the research domains. These calls are necessary as research projects commissioned by the NSH can only be funded through a competitive process. Periodically, the NSH puts out calls to consultants, research organizations and communities to bid on research contracts addressing various research questions related to homelessness.