Lancaster County Transitional Housing Program Grant

Location:	Pennsylvania
Posted:	Feb 10, 2026
Due:	Feb 27, 2026
Agency:	Lancaster County Housing & Redevelopment Authorites
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	G - Social Services
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Lancaster County

Transitional Housing Program Grant

Request for Proposals Overview and Instructions

INSTRUCTIONS:

This guide describes the Lancaster County Transitional Housing funding opportunity supported by PHARE funds

and provides instructions for submitting a Request for Proposals. Applicants must review this guide prior to

submission to ensure alignment with the CoC’s system priorities.

INTRODUCTION:

The Lancaster County Redevelopment Fund, the nonprofit entity supporting the Lancaster County Homelessness

Coalition, has been awarded a grant of $150,000 to expand transitional housing in Lancaster County. The CoC is

opening a local competition for agencies to apply for these funds to quickly initiate new or scale existing

transitional housing programs.

This 12-month contract term will commence on April 6, 2026, upon the execution date of the contract for a full

year, expiring on April 5, 2027. Funds, contracted through this initiative, are expected to be fully expended within

12 months and will not be extended or renewed. In parallel, the Office for the Homelessness Coalition will

actively pursue additional funding to support and expand the program.

APPLICANTS:

Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations, including faith-based, that are registered as 501(c)3 entities and

are in good standing who provide or propose to provide housing or housing-related services in Lancaster County

consistent with the purpose of the PHARE program.

For this funding opportunity, good standing means the organization is legally registered and authorized to operate

in Pennsylvania, is eligible to receive public funds and not suspended or debarred by any federal, state, or local

authority, is in compliance with applicable federal, state, and local laws, and, where, applicable, is current on

required reporting and contractual obligations for any prior or current funding administered through LCHRA and

the Office for the Homelessness Coalition.

ELIGIBLE PROGRAMS:

Lancaster County’s Transitional Housing program is a housing-first initiative focused on quickly moving people off

the streets and out of shelters. The program is expected to work directly with households from the time of entry to

exit, including assisting the household to secure appropriate housing. Time-limited financial assistance and

targeted intentional supportive services will assist people regain and maintain long-term housing. Working

alongside case managers, individuals and families set housing sustainability goals, develop a plan that includes

connections to mainstream and other resources, increase their income, and take action to achieve success. All

programs must operate in compliance with the current PA-510 Standards and Procedures, which sets the

baseline requirements for program design, service delivery, documentation, and accountability across the CoC.

FUNDING SOURCE:

The Pennsylvania Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Fund was established by Act 105 of

2010 to provide a mechanism by which certain funds would be used to assist with the creation, rehabilitation and

support of affordable housing throughout the Commonwealth. PHARE is designed to support projects, programs

or activities in Pennsylvania that lead to stable housing for individuals and families who are currently experiencing

homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless.

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TIMELINE:

This timeline reflects the best available information at the time of publication. All material changes to

key dates will be communicated via the LCHRA website @ LCHC Funding Opportunities.

Item

Transitional Housing Funding Opportunity Opens

Request for Proposals Due to Beth Dreyer-DeGoede @ bdegoede@lchra.com

Award Announcements

Contract Meetings with Grantees

Contract Period

Date

February 10th

February 27th by 5 PM

March 26th

March 30th to April 2nd

April 6, 2026 to April 5, 2027

ANTICIPATED AWARDS:

This funding opportunity has a total allocation of $145,500 for contracted services. In accordance with the PHARE

requirements, Lancaster County Housing & Redevelopment Authorities (LCHRA) retains 3% of the total allocation

($4,500) for grant administrative costs. The CoC anticipates awarding approximately 1-3 organizations. There is

no cash or in-kind match requirement. Funding request should be a minimum of $40,000 and maximum of

$145,500 per applicant.

POPULATION SERVED:

Individuals or families defined by HUD as category 1 or 4 homeless and located in Lancaster County. This

Transitional Housing program provides an opportunity for organizations to collaborate with school districts who

are supporting families in transition.

EXPECTATION OF SERVICES TO HOUSEHOLDS:

Transitional housing program expectations include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Provide intensive case management that involves ongoing work with individuals or families to stabilize

their housing and overall well-being. Case management includes at least weekly contact with the

household to assess needs and actively connect them to mainstream resources. These supports include,

as appropriate to the household’s needs, SNAP, Medicaid, SSI/SSDI, TANF, employment and workforce

development services, and housing- and utility-related assistance.

• Work with landlords and community partners to help households move into safe and sustainable housing.

• Develop and regularly update a Housing Plan with household to ensure permanent housing stability along

with financial literacy education.

• Along with supportive service and intensive case management, provide limited rental assistance with the

goal of achieving sustainability within six months.

• After housing evaluate all households monthly in their residence, to determine continued program

eligibility.

• Enter case notes, program services, and client financial alerts into Empower Lancaster within 72 hours of

client contact/service provided.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUBMISSION:

Request for Proposals are intended to provide reviewers with clear, comparable information describing the

proposed program, its intended outcomes and how it aligns within the existing CoC structure to support a fair and

consistent review process. Submissions should not exceed five (5) pages and must be submitted to the Office for

the Homelessness Coalition.

The Request for Proposals should include the following areas as headings:

1. Program name and narrative: Include overall scope of work, demonstrating how households are

supported to obtain sustainable housing from time of program enrollment to program exit.

2. Experience: Identify if the agency has experience operating housing programs and length of time.

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3. Service Area: Note the program’s geographic service area.

4. Capacity: Explain the organization’s capacity and experience to quickly launch programs.

5. Program Budget: Overall program budget and PHARE funding request. (See below)

6. Housing units: Identify if the agency currently has possession of units or likelihood of securing units.

7. Outcomes: Explain the expected impact and outcomes, including number of households and individuals

anticipated to be served during a 12-month period.

PROGRAM BUDGET:

Please provide a complete budget for this Transitional Housing program utilizing the following headings:

1. Direct Program Delivery Costs

a. Staff Salary and Fringe Benefits

b. Detail any additional program delivery costs

2. Operating Costs

a. Office rent and utilities

b. Office supplies and program materials

c. Detail any additional costs for operating

3. Housing-Related Assistance

a. Furnishings for households/units

b. Direct rental assistance for units (e.g., application fees, security and first/last rent)

c. Direct utility costs for units

4. Budget Summary

a. Total annual program costs

b. PHARE funds requested

c. Percentage of program costs covered by PHARE

At least thirty percent (30%) of PHARE funds must be used to assist households below fifty percent (50%) of the

Area Median Income, for 2024, as determined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban (HUD), for Lancaster

County. Applicants must consider this requirement when preparing their budgets and will be required to report

on the actual use of funds to demonstrate compliance.

OUTCOMES, EVALUATION AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS:

The CoC is required to collect data from the awarded agencies and complete a semi-annual progress report and

close-out report to comply with the provisions of the PHARE Act. Reports focus on the impact, accomplishments,

and overall use of funds until all awarded funds are expended. A final close-out report must be provided to PHFA

within 30 days of the final expenditure of PHARE funds. If service providers are not in compliance with current

reporting requirements, approval for funding could be impacted before invoices are paid.

In accordance with the Request for Proposal, all grantees, administered locally by LCHRA, are required to

complete monitoring and reporting on the outcomes outlined below. The O4C will utilize program data reported

to the CoC via Empower Lancaster to fulfil any non-administrative reporting requirements.

• Amount of PHARE funds expended.

• Number of households served/impacted.

• Number of households assisted with incomes below 50% of area median income.

• Amount and percentage of funds used to benefit households below 50% of area median income.

• Household size (of each individual households assisted).

• Household income (tracked for each individual households assisted).

• Amount of funding used to assist each individual household.

• Impact of funds used to address barriers to fair housing for marginalized communities.

o Number of veteran households assisted.

o Number of households assisted including a person with a disability.

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o Number of Hispanic/Latino households assisted.

o Number of elderly (62+) households.

o Racial demographics of households assisted.

For CoC reporting, all grantees will be measured, at a minimum, by the following System Performance

Measures:

• Measure 1: Length of Time Persons Remain Homeless

• Measure 2: Returns to Homelessness

• Measure 4: Employment and Income Growth

• Measure 7: Retention and Successful Exits to Housing Placement

Performance metrics also include the following per CoC Standards and Procedures Manual (July 2025)

• 80% of all exits are to permanent destinations including:

o Long-term care facility or nursing home

o Owned by client, no ongoing housing subsidy

o Owned by client, with ongoing housing subsidy

o Permanent housing for formerly homeless persons

o Rental by client, no ongoing housing subsidy

o Rental by client, with housing subsidy

o Staying or living with family or friend, permanent tenure

• 80% of all clients will be referred to mainstream benefits and tracked in Empower Lancaster (measured

by non-cash benefits and health insurance using the APR report in Empower Lancaster).

Additional measures may be incorporated upon agreement of the parties.

REVIEW & AWARDS:

Proposals will be screened, reviewed, and scored by the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition’s Grants

Review Team, which is composed of Steering Committee members, representatives from United Way of Lancaster

County, the Lancaster County Redevelopment Board, and the City of Lancaster, and engaged community

members, including individuals with lived experience of homelessness.

The Grants Review Team will develop funding recommendations for final approval by the Coalition’s Steering

Committee.

Thank you for considering this Transitional Housing Opportunity with the Lancaster City and County CoC.

Questions regarding this funding opportunity should be directed to Beth Dreyer-DeGoede @

bdegoede@lchra.com.

Office for the Lancaster County Homelessness Coalition

Lancaster County Housing and Redevelopment Authorities

28 Penn Square, Suite 200

Lancaster PA 17603

February 10, 2026

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Lancaster County Transitional Housing Program Grant

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See also