Funding of Housing First Programs

The Welfare Foundation NRW specifically supports Housing First initiatives in North Rhine-Westphalia to sustainably end homelessness. With start-up funding, non-profit organizations as well as public institutions are supported in developing new projects or expanding existing structures. The approach focuses on placing affected individuals directly into regular housing and providing accompanying, flexible assistance without prior requirements such as therapy or abstinence. The program is aimed at welfare providers and municipal institutions that develop cooperative models together with the housing industry. Funding can be utilized for up to 36 months and covers personnel as well as material expenses, with a funding rate of up to 90% possible.

Applications are submitted continuously through the responsible umbrella organization of the independent welfare services; there is no legal entitlement to funding. A prerequisite is that the project has not yet started at the time of application submission. Upon project completion, a proof of use must be submitted. In the selection process, the extent of the support needs of the local authority, the quality of cooperation between social work and the housing industry, as well as the sustainable continuation of the offer play a central role. The goal is to secure the long-term impact of the start-up funding and to implement the obligation to continue the project for two years beyond the end of the funding period. Overall, the program makes an important contribution to social innovation and offers homeless people in North Rhine-Westphalia a permanent perspective.