Street Outreach Program
The Runaway and Homeless Youth Act (RHYA) serves runaway and homeless youth by funding the following grant programs: the Basic Center Program, the Transitional Living Program, the Maternity Group Home Program, the Street Outreach Program, and the National Runaway Switchboard. Ninety percent of RHYA funding goes to programs providing housing, emergency shelter, and homelessness prevention projects and the remaining 10 percent funds supportive service providers.
Street Outreach Programs (SOP) enable organizations around the country to help young people living on the streets, or in other inappropriate settings, to enter safe and appropriate shelters or housing. Street outreach workers make contact and build relationships with runaway, homeless and street youth and move them into stable housing through appropriate placement if family reunification or independent living is not in their best interest. The program’s ultimate goal is to prevent the sexual abuse or exploitation of young people living on the streets or in unstable housing and to provide shelter and services if youth accept them.
Street outreach programs provide services directly or by collaborating with other agencies. Street outreach services include the following:
- Street-based education and outreach
- Access to emergency shelter
- Survival aid such as food, clothing or hygiene items
- Individual assessments
- Treatment and counseling
- Prevention and education activities
- Information and referrals
- Crisis intervention
- Follow-up support
Target Audience:
Street Outreach Programs target youth who are runaway or homeless youth, and as a result of their living situation, are at risk for sexual abuse, sexual exploitation, prostitution, or drug abuse.
Eligible Applicants:
Public and non-profit private entities, Tribal Governments and combinations of such entities are typically considered eligible applicants. In addition to other eligible applicants, current SOP grantees with project periods ending on or before the next fiscal year’s funding date may also apply for a new competitive grant. Individuals, foreign entities, and sole proprietorship organizations are not eligible to compete for or receive SOP funding awards. Additional information on eligibility may be found in the SOP funding opportunity announcement.
Funding Mechanism:
Funding for this program is discretionary and subject to the availability of federal funds. Grantees are also required to meet a non-federal share of the project cost, in accordance with RHY Act requirements at 42 U.S.C. 5716, which is 10 percent of the total approved project cost.
