**§61.13 Rating criteria for capital grant applications.**

\(a\) Applicants that meet the threshold requirements in §61.12 of this
part, will then be rated using the selection criteria listed in this
section. To be eligible for a capital grant, an applicant must receive
at least 600 points (out of a possible 1,200) and must receive points
under criteria in paragraphs (b), (c), (d), (e), and (i) of this
section.

\(b\) *Quality of the project*. VA will award up to 300 points based on
the following:

\(1\) How program participants will achieve residential stability,
including how available supportive services will help participants reach
this goal;

\(2\) How program participants will increase their skill level and/or
income, including how available supportive services will help
participants reach this goal;

\(3\) How program participants will be involved in making project
decisions that affect their lives so that they achieve greater
self-determination, including how they will be involved in selecting
supportive services, establishing individual goals and developing plans
to achieve these goals;

\(4\) How permanent affordable housing will be identified and made known
to participants upon leaving the transitional housing, and how
participants will be provided necessary follow-up services to help them
achieve stability in the permanent housing;

\(5\) How the service needs of participants will be assessed on an
ongoing basis;

\(6\) How the proposed housing, if any, will be managed and operated;

\(7\) How participants will be assisted in assimilating into the
community through access to neighborhood facilities, activities, and
services;

\(8\) How and when the progress of participants toward meeting their
individual goals will be monitored, evaluated, and documented;

\(9\) How and when the effectiveness of the overall project in achieving
its goals will be evaluated and documented; and how any needed program
modifications will be made based on those evaluations; and how program
modifications will be reported to VA; and

\(10\) How the proposed project will be implemented in a timely fashion.

\(c\) *Targeting to persons on streets and in shelters*. VA will award
up to 150 points based on:

\(1\) The extent to which the project is designed to serve homeless
veterans living in places not ordinarily meant for human habitation
(e.g., streets, parks, abandoned buildings, automobiles, under bridges,
in transportation facilities) and those who reside in emergency
shelters; and

\(2\) The likelihood that proposed plans for outreach and selection of
participants will result in these populations being served.

\(d\) *Ability of applicant to develop and operate a project*. VA will
award up to 200 points based on the extent to which the application
demonstrates experience in the following areas:

\(1\) Engaging the participation of homeless veterans living in places
not ordinarily meant for human habitation and in emergency shelters;

\(2\) Assessing the housing and relevant supportive service needs of
homeless veterans;

\(3\) Accessing housing and relevant supportive service resources;

\(4\) If applicable, contracting for and/or overseeing the
rehabilitation or construction of housing;

\(5\) If applicable, administering a rental assistance program;

\(6\) Providing supportive services or supportive housing for homeless
veterans;

\(7\) Monitoring and evaluating the progress of persons toward meeting
their individual goals;

\(8\) Evaluating the overall effectiveness of a program and using
evaluation results to make program improvements, as needed; and

\(9\) Maintaining fiscal solvency as evidenced by providing their last
complete yearly financial statements.

\(e\) *Need*. VA will award up to 150 points based on the extent to
which the applicant demonstrates:

\(1\) Substantial unmet needs, particularly among the target population
living in places not ordinarily meant for human habitation such as the
streets, emergency shelters, based on reliable data from surveys of
homeless populations or other reports or data gathering mechanisms that
directly support claims made; and

\(2\) An understanding of the homeless population to be served and its
unmet housing and supportive service needs.

\(f\) *Innovative quality of the proposal*. VA will award up to 50
points based on the innovative quality of the proposal, in terms of:

\(1\) Helping homeless veterans or homeless veterans with disabilities
to reach residential stability, to increase their skill level and/or
income, and to increase the influence they have over decisions that
affect their lives;

\(2\) Establishing a clear link between the innovation(s) and its
proposed effect(s); and

\(3\) Establishing usefulness as a model for other projects.

\(g\) *Leveraging*. VA will award up to 50 points based on the extent to
which the applicant documents resources from other public and private
sources, including cash and the value of third party contributions, have
been committed to support the project at the time of application.

\(h\) *Cost-effectiveness*. VA will award up to 100 points for
cost-effectiveness. Projects will be rated based on the cost and number
of new supportive housing beds made available or the cost, amount, and
types of supportive services made available, when compared to other
transitional housing and supportive services projects, and when adjusted
for high-cost areas. Cost-effectiveness may include using excess
government properties (local, State, Federal), as well as demonstrating
site control at the time of application.

\(i\) *Coordination with other programs*. VA will award up to 200 points
based on the extent to which applicants demonstrate that they have
coordinated with Federal, State, local, private and other entities
serving homeless persons in the planning and operation of the project.
Such entities may include shelter transitional housing, health care, or
social service providers; providers funded through Federal initiatives;
local planning coalitions or provider associations; or other program
providers relevant to the needs of homeless veterans in the local
community. Applicants are required to demonstrate that they have
coordinated with the VA medical care facility of jurisdiction and VA
Regional Offices of jurisdiction in their area. VA will award up to 50
points of the 200 points based on the extent to which commitments to
provide supportive services are documented at the time of application.
Up to 150 points of the 200 points will be given to the extent
applicants demonstrate that:

\(1\) They are part of an ongoing community-wide planning process within
the framework described above which is designed to share information on
available resources and reduce duplication among programs that serve
homeless veterans;

\(2\) They have consulted directly with the closest VA Medical Center
and other providers within the framework described above regarding
coordination of services for project participants; and

\(3\) They have coordinated with the closest VA Medical Center their
plan to assure access to health care, case management, and other care
services. (Authority: 38 U.S.C. 501, 2002, 2011, 2012, 2061, 2064, 7721
note)