In the middle of May, just as the weather in Washington State finally began warming up, homelessness providers and advocates from all over the state descended on the Vancouver Hilton for
three days of networking and learning organized by the Washington State Coalition for the Homeless (WSCH). We heard moving keynote speeches from Eric Tars of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and formerly homeless Richard LeMieux, author of
Breakfast at Sally's. Several Building Changes staff members also participated in multiple workshops, meetings, and panel discussions.
Emily Nolan, Washington Families Fund Manager, spoke on a panel called Writing for Dollars, which focused on grant writing basics (and not-so-basics): deciding which grants to go after, leveraging fund sources,
Posted by: Mark Putnam in Washington State, Washington Families Fund, Trainings and Workshops, Supportive Housing, Snohomish County, Pierce County, King County, Homelessness, Homeless Grant Assistance Program HGAP, Families, Employment, Affordable Housing on
Apr 29, 2009
As I was driving through Skagit County the other day, taking in the tulips on the way back from meetings in Bellingham, I began thinking about the incredible range of work Building Changes is leading in many corners of the state. We are a Seattle-based agency, but we are working hard to make an impact beyond our headquarters. Consider:
Consulting Services:
On April 21 and 22, we continued our co-leadership of the Supportive Housing Institute, hosting two days of trainings (days 6 and 7 of the 12-day training series) in Sea-Tac in partnership with the Corporation for Supportive Housing and Common Ground. Five staff --
Erin Chambers,
Emily Nolan,
Mariah Ybarra,
Alice Shobe, and
myself -- provided trainings on supportive services planning, funding, and best practice models at the Institute.
Some of the most innovative and inspiring work to end homelessness in Washington State has been made possible through the landmark
Housing and Homeless Assistance Act of 2005, which among other things, created the statewide
Homeless Grant Assistance Program (HGAP). The HGAP program has provided flexible, three-year grants to counties to create new, innovative programs that address the needs of the local community.
Since 2006, the State Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development (CTED) has awarded 24 HGAP grants to a total of 20 counties, through a competitive application process. Building Changes has been providing technical assistance and the grantees since the initial round of funding, and it has been a rewarding and eye-opening experience for all of us. It gives us the
