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Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care
Application for ESG/HPP Certification
Explanation of the grant and process:
As a requirement to apply for ESG/HPP funds from the Wisconsin Division of Housing, all applicants must submit a letter of certification from the HUD-recognized Continuum of Care. The Wisconsin Balance of State Board of Directors has established this application for certification of agencies planning on applying for ESG/HPP funds.
The eligibility requirements and criteria for certification are outlined in the application. The decision to certify an organization is the sole decision of the Wisconsin Balance of State Board of Directors. By certifying an agency, it does not guarantee a grant award from the WI Division of Housing. The Wisconsin Division of Housing is the sole administrator of ESG/HPP funds.
Agency Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible to receive financial assistance, an applicant must:
1. Be a non-profit corporation in good standing, qualified for tax exemption under 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code or a municipal corporation;
2. Have the administrative and financial management capacity necessary to administer and to account for the use of a grant in accordance with the funding requirements;
3. Not engage in any inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization, as part of the activities and services funded with any grant for activities or services covered by this rule; and if religious activities are offered, they must be offered at a separate time or location from the activities and services funded under this program; and participation in those religious activities must be voluntary for persons receiving assistance under this program;
4. Be a drug free work-place in accordance with federal statute;
5. Operate its programs free from discrimination on the basis of age, race, color, religion, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or gender in accordance with applicable federal and state fair housing laws;
6. Regularly participate in all local area continuum of care meeting and planning functions;
7. Have no finding that may result in the forfeiture of funds or unresolved questioned costs in a financial audit;
8. In good standing with WI Balance of State COC, WI Division of Housing, and HUD;
9. Participation and compliance with the State of WI HMIS Policies & Procedures for Data Collection unless program is prohibited from utilizing HMIS, in which case a comparable database must be utilized..
Once the application is reviewed, the BOS Board will either sign a letter of certification for the agency or write a letter of denial outlining the deficiencies.
To apply:
The application for ESG/HPP Certification must be submitted as a PDF document by Wednesday, April 30th at 4:30pm to Carrie Poser (Vice President Board of Directors) at . Any request received after the deadlines above will not be considered.
Certification Requirements
1. If you are a lead applicant for ETH funds:
· The Application must contain the signature from the COC-funded agency in your local continuum or a sub-recipient of ETH. This signature acknowledges that the applicant is an active member of the local continuum.
· A member of the lead agency must be on the BOS Board of Directors or an active participant on a BOS Committee (HMIS/Data, Project Evaluation & Assistance, Coordinated Assessment, Discharge Planning, or 10 Year Plan). If a member is not currently on a committee, the application must detail how this requirement will be met in 2014. If an organization does not meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year, they will not be certified in the FY2015 process.
· The lead agency must have attended at least two Balance of State COC meetings in 2013. If the agency has not met this requirement, the application must detail how this requirement will be met in 2014. A minimum of two meetings per year are required. If an organization does not meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year, they will not be certified in the FY2015 process.
· The lead agency must be in good standing with HUD, the State of Wisconsin, and other funders (e.g. United Way).
· The lead agency must agree to actively participate in the semi-annual overnight street count for the PIT.
· The lead agency must agree to submit HMIS and non-HMIS reports to the HMIS/Data Committee for evaluation. The lead agency must agree to comply with the performance standards established by the HMIS/Data Committee. The lead agency must acknowledge that those performance standards will be used to determine certification during the FY2015 process.
· The lead agency must agree to conduct desk/site monitoring of sub-recipients, ensure their compliance with HUD and Balance of State COC policy, and conditions outlined in this certification process.
· The lead agency must agree to comply with HUD and Balance of State COC policy and all other conditions outlined in this certification process.
2. If you are a sub-recipient of ETH funds:
· The application must contain the signature from the lead ETH agency in the local continuum of care. This signature acknowledges that the applicant is an active member of the local continuum.
· While not required, the BOS Board of Directors strongly encourages sub-recipients to participate in the BOS quarterly meetings.
· A member of the sub-recipient agency must be on the BOS Board of Directors or an active participant on a BOS Committee (HMIS/Data, Project Evaluation & Assistance, Coordinated Assessment, Discharge Planning, or 10 Year Plan). If a member is not currently on a committee, the application must detail how this requirement will be met in 2014. If an organization does not meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year, they will not be certified in the FY2015 process.
· The sub-recipient must agree to actively participate in the semi-annual overnight street count for the PIT.
· The sub-recipient must agree to submit HMIS and non-HMIS reports to the Lead Agency as well as the HMIS/Data Committee for evaluation. The sub-recipient must agree to comply with the performance standards established by the HMIS/Data Committee. The sub-recipient must acknowledge that those performance standards will be used to determine certification during the FY2015 process.
3. The sub-recipient must agree to allow the Lead Agency to conduct desk/site monitoring, comply with HUD and Balance of State COC policies, and other conditions outlined in this certification process.
Application for ESG/HPP Certification
Agency NameESG/HPP Program – Name of Contact
Email Address
Phone Number
Mailing Address
Local Continuum of Care Name
Local Continuum of Care Lead Contact Name
Primary cities or counties served by ESG/HPP funds
1. FY13 (2013-2014)
Did you receive ESG funds during the FY2013 grant year? ______
If so, indicate how much and in which category:
Prevention / Emergency ShelterRapid Re-housing / Other
Did you receive HPP funds during the FY2013 grant year? ______
If so, indicate how much and in which category:
Prevention / OtherRapid Re-housing
Lead or Sub-recipient
Were you a lead agency? / Were you a sub-recipient?If so, how many sub-recipients did you have? / If so, name the lead agency.
2. FY14 (2014-2015)
Are you applying for the same type of funds that you applied for in FY2013?If no, explain what is different.
3. Involvement with local continuum of care
If you are applying as a Lead Agency:
Are you an active member of the local continuum of care?Describe the involvement.
Note: There must be a signature from an ETH sub-recipient and/or COC-funded organization verifying the agency’s role within the continua (see signature page). If there is no other agency that receives COC funds or ETH funds, the form must be signed by an active member of the local continuum of care.
If you are applying as a Sub-recipient:
Are you an active member of the local continua of care?Describe the involvement.
Note: There must be a signature from the ETH Lead Agency verifying the agency’s role within the continua (see signature page).
4. Involvement with Wisconsin Balance of State Continuum of Care
NOTE: Compliance with these requirements is required for the FY2015 certification process. An agency will not be certified as a lead agency if these requirements are not fulfilled during the 2014 calendar year.
(a) If you are applying as a Lead Agency, you are required to have a staff serve on the BOS Board of Directors or actively participate on a BOS Committee. In the space provided, demonstrate how the agency met this requirement. If the agency does not meet this requirement, explain how the agency will meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year.
(b) If you are applying as a Lead Agency, you are required to have attended at least two Balance of State COC Meetings in 2013. In the space provided, demonstrate how the agency met this requirement. If the agency does not meet this requirement, explain how the agency will meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year.
(c) If you are applying as a Sub-recipient, you are strongly encouraged to attend Balance of State COC meetings and required to actively participate on a BOS Committees. If the agency does not meet this requirement, explain how the agency will meet this requirement during the 2014 calendar year.
5. Information and Assurances
Enter information about the agency. Write “YES” if the agency performs the function described and “NO” if it does not. Please note, that some functions listed in the agency information section are required for funding by the WI Division of Housing and as such are required by the WI Balance of State Continuum of Care.
Financial ManagementA. / Do the accounting records for the organization (or agency) identify the source and use of all funds, including information on:
· All grant awards received
· Authorizations or obligations of awards received
· Un-obligated balances
· Assets & Liabilities
· Program Income
· Total actual outlays or expenditures to date
B. / Are the accounting records of the agency supported by adequate source documentation such that the combination of source documentation and accounting records provides a complete audit trail? This includes but is not limited to: documenting when a purchase was requested and by whom, how it was formally approved, what funds were used to pay for it, when it was paid, and for how much.
C. / Does the agency use employee timesheets that allow employees to track grant funded time spent on ESG/HPP related activities separately from time spent and funded from other resources?
D. / Does the agency have a system in place for maintaining its financial resources for four (4) years or until any litigation, claim, audit, or other action involving the records has been resolved, whichever comes later?
E. / Does the agency have a current financial policy and procedure manual that covers basic accounting procedures such as those for recording financial transactions, for maintaining accounting records, and for approving grant funded expenditures?
Consumer Participation
A / Does the agency have representation of a person who is homeless or formerly homeless on the board of directors or a policymaking entity (name the entity and members) directly responsible for making policy for the project(s) for which funding is being requested?
B / Does the agency, to the maximum extent practicable, require the participation of individuals and families who are homeless in maintaining, and operating the facilities and programs for which funding is requested?
Client Rights
A / Does the agency have published and accessible grievance and termination procedures that meet the requirements of § 576.402 - Terminating assistance?
B. / Does the agency release client-specific data only insofar as it is required for the client’s case plan or in the course of business and with the client’s written permission?
Client HMIS Data
A / Does the agency fully participate in HMIS, or if the agency is a victim services agency, an HMIS comparable database – specifically ALICE?
Point-in-Time Count
A / Does the agency actively participate in the overnight street count during the semi-annual Point-in-Time Count held on the last Wednesday in January and July?
Prohibition Against Involuntary Family Separation and Discrimination
A / When an agency turns down a client because that client does not meet appropriate sub-population criteria, is there a system in place to refer that client to appropriate services?
B / Does the agency engage in inherently religious activities, such as worship, religious instruction, or proselytization as part of the programs or services funded under ESG/HPP?
C / Does the agency serve clients regardless of gender identification or sexual orientation?
D / Does the agency deny services to individuals or families based on gender identification, sexual orientation, family status, marital status, or the age of anyone in the household?
E / Does the agency inquire or require documentation about family status, gender identification, or sexual orientation. Examples of prohibited inquiry and documentation include but are not limited to parentage, birth certificates, marriage, and marriage certificates?
F / Is the agency an equal opportunity employer in accordance with all federal regulations?
G / If the agency provides shelter as a family shelter, the agency agrees not to separate families when they are entering shelter. Write NA if the agency is not providing any ESG/HPP funded service through a family shelter.
Good Standing
A / Is the lead agency qualified for tax exemption under 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code or a unit of government?
B / Does the agency is an equal opportunity employer in accordance with all federal regulations?
C / In the last two prior years, if applicable, was a financial audit was conducted in compliance with OMB A-133 standards and submitted to the WI Department of Administration?
D / In the last two prior years, in that audit, were there any findings or unresolved questioned costs in the financial audit in which funds were requested to be returned because of misappropriation or ineligible expenses?
E / In the last two prior years, were there any fines or liens levied against the agency (paid or unpaid) from any source? Example: a fine for not paying payroll taxes.
F / In the last two prior years, were any funds from any other grantors for the purpose of serving individuals or families experiencing homelessness required to be returned?
The following are WI Balance of State Continuum of Care specific assurances: